Offseason position preview: Wide receiver

by: Connor Stanley01/23/26ConnorStanleyX

Like Louisville‘s quarterback room, the wide receiver room got a complete makeover this offseason.

The Cardinals rebuilt this position with transfers and freshmen after losing much of its production.

There’s no question that Louisville’s passing game was slightly down last season. The wide receiver room experienced highs and lows, suffering injuries and lacking depth. With the top four leading receivers moving on from the program, Louisville needed to find new talent to take over. Head coach Jeff Brohm and wide receiver coach Deion Branch brought in four freshmen and four transfers, while only returning three players at the position. This turnover will cause some growing pains, but the potential is there.

Headlined by Vanderbilt transfer Tre Richardson and Florida State transfer Lawayne McCoy, Louisville’s new identity is blazing speed and athleticism.

2025 recap

It was a two-man show last season. Future NFL draft picks Chris Bell and Caullin Lacy were the catalysts for this passing game. They combined for 1,552 receiving yards out of the wide receivers’ 2,188 total, good for 71%. This production was amazing and helped the Cardinals to a 9-4 record.

Bell was named a First Team All-ACC honoree after reaching career highs in all statistical categories. Unfortunately, he tore his ACL at the end of the season, causing him to miss the last two games. Projected as a top-5 receiver in the 2026 NFL draft, Bell was one of the most consistent players in this offense.

Lacy also made the All-ACC team, showcasing his dynamic play at wide receiver and on special teams. After missing most of 2024 with a broken collarbone, he returned for his final season and was a finalist for the Paul Hornung Award. Lacy’s versatile play electrified this team and helped the offense find a spark when needed.

Besides Bell and Lacy, there was little help in the receiver room. With 70% of receptions in this position group coming from two players, they were always the go-to guys. North Carolina State transfer Dacari Collins and Antonio Meeks both had a few standout games, but quarterback Miller Moss definitely had his favorites.

A veteran-led group has its pros and cons. One con is the scramble to find replacement talent the next season. Louisville did a great job bringing in new weapons for the 2026 season.

New faces

Louisville struck gold, landing Richardson and McCoy. They will definitely be relied on heavily for new quarterback Lincoln Kienholz.

Richardson led Vanderbilt with 806 receiving yards and seven touchdowns, while ranking third in receptions. Known for his blazing speed, the veteran ranked 7th in the SEC for yards after the catch for the No. 15 Commodores. His counterpart, McCoy, is coming off a breakout sophomore campaign in Tallahassee. Finishing with 27 receptions for 396 yards and three touchdowns, he showed promise on a depleted Florida State squad. McCoy displays great athletic ability, running routes and getting past defenders after the catch.

There is no doubt Louisville has a fantastic one-two punch, but after that, there are some question marks. Jackson Voth is a Drake transfer who had 51 receptions for 600 yards and four touchdowns, all leading his FCS team. Kentucky freshman transfer Montavin Quisenberry had over 8,000 yards of offense in high school, but he only recorded one stat during his lone season with the Wildcats.

Besides transfers and returning players, the Cardinals are young at the wide receiver position. Louisville welcomes true freshmen Payton Cook, Gavin Waddell, DJ Williams, and Marlon Harbin in 2026. Cook is the only player ranked in the top one thousand in their recruiting class, but this number may be deceiving.

Coach Brohm did a solid job working through the turnover this position group went through. From WR1 transfers to incoming freshmen, this room has a lot to look forward to.

Projections

Kienholz will need to distribute the ball efficiently and at an elite level for this wide receiver room to succeed. If he has a high compilation percentage, his skill position players will do the rest.

Richardson is one of the fastest wide receivers in the country. He is a serious threat and only needs a sliver of open grass to turn up the field. Projected as a clear top target in the ACC, he has the potential to have a similar but even stronger season to Lacy in 2025.

Junior year jumps are a real thing, and after the successful season McCoy had at FSU, there is massive hope that he can perform even better. Standing at 6 feet 1, he has a great catch radius to get up and make plays.

The Cardinals received positive news with the announced return of TreyShun Hurry. Securing almost 500 receiving yards in 2024 at San Jose State, the senior only had 122 yards last season in Louisville. Another year adjusted to this offensive scheme and high-major football might be what’s needed for a huge 2026. Due to their familiarity with the offense and being the only other returnees, Terrence McWilliams and Kris Hughes will see added responsibility next season.

Voth could see a dip from his stellar stats due to the strength of the competition. Completing last season at the FCS level, the question will be whether his elite talent will translate to the FBS. With three years of eligibility remaining, Voth has time to grow during his time in Louisville.

Only four players on this roster had over 10 yards last season. Freshmen like Cook and Waddell could see significant playing time and be vital to this position group.