For a league known for its prowess in the trenches, the SEC is also among the leaders in producing skill-position NFL talent. Now that Last Word has covered the SEC’s best returning offensive linemen, it’s time to look at the best-returning receivers. Athletic freaks such as Brock Bowers and Malik Nabers have moved on. Despite their absence, there will be no shortage of explosive athletes on the perimeter in the SEC this year.
The Five Best Returning Receivers in the SEC
5. Isaiah Bond – Texas
Known for his miraculous, game-saving catch in the Iron Bowl last year, Isaiah Bond has now transferred from Alabama to Texas. On paper, this is a match made in heaven after Texas lost two receivers to the NFL. Bond’s ability to stretch the field should pair well with Quinn Ewers’ propensity to take deep shots.
The 5’-11”, 180-pound speedster had almost 50 catches in 2023 on an offense that started the year with no identity as it sifted through starting quarterbacks. A former track star, Bond accelerates quickly and separates easily in man coverage. He’s best as a deep threat but has shown the awareness to settle in zone windows, making him an effective intermediate receiver.
4. Eugene Wilson – Florida
The next in our list of top returning receivers is listed generously at 5’10”. Eugene Wilson was not the prototype, five-star receiver coming out of high school. Regardless of stature, Wilson was a force as a freshman at Florida in 2023. Trey, as he’s addressed by the locals, is the definition of a quick-twitch athlete. He earned a starting job in the second game of his career and went on to lead the team in touchdowns. Wilson didn’t just feast on inferior opponents; he set a team freshman record with 11 catches against Georgia.
The Gator staff was intentional and creative in getting Wilson the ball in space. It weaponized Wilson through standard routes, screens, and handoffs. His elusiveness creates constant mismatches in the open field if defenses don’t give him adequate attention. The pressure is on quarterback Graham Mertz and the Florida offense to be more explosive this year, so look for Wilson to take on an even bigger role in the offense.
3. Juice Wells – Ole Miss
You read that right – Ole Miss. Juice Wells burst onto the SEC scene with over 900 receiving yards for South Carolina in 2022. That junior season led to All-SEC honors for the former James Madison Duke. After an injury-shortened 2023 season, Wells transferred to add to an embarrassment of riches out wide for Ole Miss. He and Tre Harris (more on him later) could make up the best tandem of receivers in the league.
Wells has a sturdy build at over 200 pounds with above-average speed that allows him to attach defenses in different ways. Be it contested catches over the middle or basic go routes, Wells is a threat. His strong hands and competitive nature help him to make contested catches routine. Wells is also an explosive, physical runner after the catch, which makes him even more dangerous.
Due to the Rebels’ depth at the position, Wells won’t likely duplicate the numbers from his early days at South Carolina. However, he’ll have better matchups in more marquee games that could elevate his status as a possible first-round pick in 2025. Remember, 2024 first-round pick Xavier Legette was not the first option at USC before Wells’ injury.
2. Tre Harris – Ole Miss
Tre Harris is yet another transfer portal success story for Ole Miss. Lane Kiffin dipped into Louisiana Tech’s stash in 2023 to acquire Harris, resulting in instant production. The 6’2” Harris finished just shy of 1,000 receiving yards in 2023. His polish was appreciated, as he earned a PFF grade of 88.6 to make him the sixth-highest-ranking receiver last year. Jaxson Dart is the star of the Rebel offense, but Harris is the focal point on the perimeter as a senior.
Consistency is key, and Harris has had 40 or more catches every season since his sophomore year. The former high school quarterback reads defenses and runs routes at an elite level to make up for a lack of game-breaking speed. Burner or not, he’s elusive and displays more wiggle than one would expect at his height. He’s strong getting off the line in press coverage and uses his catch radius well in traffic. Tre Harris could make a case for the best-returning receiver in the SEC if it wasn’t for a first-round lock in Columbia, MO
1. Luther Burden – Missouri
St. Louis native Luther Burden came to Missouri with much fanfare as the blue-chip prospect who decided to stay at home for college. Burden was the highest-rated receiver prospect to sign to the Tigers since Dorial Green-Beckham, so there’s no way he could live up to the expectations he faced as a freshman, right? Wrong.
Burden hauled in 45 catches as a true freshman to go along with 18 rushing attempts. There was no sophomore slump when he had over 1200 receiving yards in Missouri’s most prolific offense since its Chase Daniel days. The 2023 second-team All-American is a 5’11”, 208-pound walking touchdown. Burden is currently favored to be the first receiver off the board in the 2025 draft.
Missouri uses the first-team All-SEC receiver in a variety of ways to take advantage of his explosive nature. Burden has the deep speed and body control to be a threat on the outside, but his quickness and suddenness in changing direction make him a problem in the slot. He’s quick but bigger than Eugene Wilson. Strong but faster than Juice Wells. For good measure, he also returns punts and has a touchdown in the third phase of the game. There’s nothing Luther Burden can’t do, and that makes him the best-returning receiver in the SEC.
