Story by
Why Clemson football could regain 'Wide Receiver U' title in 2025
- Story by
- Why Clemson football could regain 'Wide Receiver U' title in 2025
CLEMSON — Last season was a renaissance for Clemson football 's offense.
The Tigers averaged 34.7 points, 18th in the country, and 451.9 yards, 11th in FBS. It marked the first time they ranked in the top 25 in both categories since 2020. Quarterback Cade Klubnik led the surge, throwing for 3,639 yards with 36 touchdowns (third in FBS), to a talented skill-position group featuring wide receivers Antonio Williams , Bryant Wesco Jr. and T.J. Moore and tight end Jake Briningstool .
Advertisement
Clemson 's offense put it together in 2024 after a three-year stretch of inconsistency. With Klubnik and a talented wide-receiver room that is still eyeing to regain the program's "Wide Receiver University" title − anointed when future NFL players DeAndre Hopkins , Sammy Watkins , Mike Williams , Hunter Renfrow and Tee Higgins , among others, came through the program in the 2010s − the Tigers can achieve greater success in 2025.
"I think we have the best, not even starting four receivers, starting six," Moore said to The Greenville News on March 15 at a football youth camp at Carolina High School. "Our receiver room is so deep. I feel like we have the room, and we have the quarterback to take it where we need to go this season."
Antonio Williams, Bryant Wesco Jr., T.J. Moore are Clemson top wide receivers
Williams returned for his fourth season after leading Clemson in receiving yards (904), receptions (75) and receiving touchdowns (11). He blossomed into Klubnik's favorite target after injuries derailed Williams' 2023 season. His combination of speed, versatility and savviness makes him one of the best receivers in the ACC.
Advertisement
The talented duo of Wesco and Moore are the next two projected starters. Both shined in their freshman seasons with Wesco earning freshman All-America honors. They became the first freshmen on a power-conference team to both have 650-plus receiving yards and five or more touchdowns catches in a season.
Clemson offensive coordinator Garrett Riley says there is another level for both receivers to reach. He added Wesco has grown physically, adding 20 pounds since joining the Tigers at 170 in January 2024. Moore gets to experience his first spring practice after joining the team as a summer enrollee last season.
"Technically and mentally, it's going to be night-and-day different for them. It should be," Riley said Monday. "Things that are truly muscle memory for those guys and what they do and not as much thinking."
MORE: How Clemson football's Adam Randall is adjusting from wide receiver to running back
Advertisement
Clemson football has impressive depth wide receivers
Behind its receiver trio, Clemson has proven contributors at different collegiate levels. Tyler Brown , who attended Greenville High School, was limited to six games and two starts last season after battling a left ankle injury that forced him to redshirt.
Brown is a dynamic pass-catcher, leading Clemson in receptions and receiving yards in 2023. His injury caused him to fall out of the starting receiver rotation. Still, he can bounce back in 2025 similarly to Williams, who missed most of sophomore season with foot and ankle injuries after a breakout freshman year.
"Tyler's been more driven, more of a pro approach right now," Riley said. "I just see some consistency with the way he's practicing, and that's been great to see. He's pretty fast, too, when healthy."
Advertisement
Clemson also added its first wide receiver from the transfer portal, Tristan Smith . The 6-foot-5 transfer from Southeast Missouri State, an FCS program, recorded 76 catches for 934 yards with six touchdowns in 2024. His length will allow Clemson to have favorable matchups in jump-ball situations, especially in the red zone.
"He brings the length and the vertical skills that we need that we didn't really have last year as much," Moore said.
How Smith's play will transfer to Division I competition is still to be determined. He acknowledged how deep the talent is at Clemson in his first spring, and more teams will resemble the Tigers' roster.
Cole Turner is another depth receiver in Clemson's room, playing in every game last season and scoring his first touchdowns in his third season.
Advertisement
Clemson is banking on its starting wideouts and complementary depth pieces to help its offense maintain or exceed its production from last season. It enters its third season under Riley with expectations for a sustained run in the College Football Playoff.
"We're older for the first time, collectively, on offense since I've been here," Riley said. "Third year, same system, same coordinator, so from a continuity standpoint, we're obviously in a better sport than we were two years ago."
Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at dcarter@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: How Clemson football's wide receiver depth will boost offense in 2025
