A Conference USA quarterback who led the country in passing yards is back this season, and the league has plenty of other standout signal callers. That should mean great things for the wide receivers in this conference.
Here’s a ranking of the best wideouts in C-USA.
Best C-USA Wide Receivers, Ranked
| Ranking | Name | Team |
| 1 | Malachi Corley | Western Kentucky |
| 2 | Smoke Harris | Louisiana Tech |
| 3 | Michael Mathison | Western Kentucky |
| 4 | Cyrus Allen | Louisiana Tech |
| 5 | Ife Adeyi | Sam Houston |
1. Malachi Corley, Western Kentucky
The best receiver on one of the top passing attacks in the country deserves to be at the top of this list.
Corley steadily worked his way up to where he is now. In 2020, his true freshman season, he caught six passes for 65 yards. The following year, he hauled in 73 passes for 691 yards and seven touchdowns.
Then the 5-foot-11, 210-pound upcoming junior enjoyed a career year, earning first-team All-Conference USA accolades. He was first in the league and fourth in the country with 1,293 yards as well as 101 receptions to go with 11 touchdowns, which was also top 10 in the nation.
Corley should only continue to be a go-to receiver in Western Kentucky’s offense.
2. Smoke Harris, Louisiana Tech
Harris is a versatile player who will help Louisiana Tech in myriad ways.
Harris has totaled 2,112 receiving yards, 225 receptions, and 19 touchdowns through the air as well as 94 yards and two touchdowns on 26 rushing attempts over the past five seasons. Last year, he caught 66 passes for 640 yards and five touchdowns.
The 5-7, 188-pound senior also stands out on special teams. He was a first-team all-conference punt returner in 2022 as he paced the league and was seventh in the country with 12.4 yards per punt return. He also was first in the conference and seventh in the nation with a kick return average of 27.2 yards.
Opponents will certainly have to account for Harris in 2023.
3. Michael Mathison, Western Kentucky
On an offense like Western Kentucky’s, the Hilltoppers were bound to have multiple receivers on this list.
Mathison began his collegiate career at Akron. There, he totaled 1,060 yards and five touchdowns in 25 games while recording 706 yards and three touchdowns in 2021.
The 5-10, 180-pound senior continued playing at a high level after transferring to WKU. He tallied 615 yards and three touchdowns on 52 receptions while adding 463 yards on 21 kick returns.
In another season with quarterback Austin Reed, who led the nation in passing yards in 2022, Mathison should enjoy another productive year.
4. Cyrus Allen, Louisiana Tech
Similar to Western Kentucky, the Bulldogs also have a well-rounded passing offense because of the talent they have at wide receiver.
Allen was a three-star recruit coming out of high school and had several Division I offers. But he chose to go to Louisiana Tech and thrived immediately.
As a freshman last year, Allen caught 22 passes for 500 yards and four touchdowns. He was second in the country with a 22.73 yards-per-catch average and was sixth among true freshmen in receiving yards.
The 6-foot, 177-pound sophomore is in line for an even better year.
5. Ife Adeyi, Sam Houston
Adeyi only played in four games last season, but he’s had a standout career at Sam Houston.
The 5-10, 170-pound senior made all-conference second teams in each of the previous two seasons. He made a game-winning touchdown catch with 13 seconds remaining to help the Bearkats win an FCS national championship during the 2020-21 season.
The 2021 season was Adeyi’s best, as he caught 54 passes for 742 yards and 10 touchdowns. He’s tallied 1,967 yards, 127 receptions, and 18 touchdowns through the air and 230 yards and three touchdowns on the ground in his collegiate career.
Adeyi should have no problem adjusting to the FBS level.
