Wide Receiver Wednesday- Who's Dominating 2026?

Welcome back!   We have a new weekly series in store for y'all this offseason- Wide Receiver Wednesday!   This week, we're focusing on some talented pass catchers we think will have breakout years in 2026.   These guys have already made impacts for their teams offensively, so be sure to take a look at their film below! You don't want to miss this kind of talent!    [player_tooltip player_id='1629215' first='Larry' last='Pettway Jr.'] is an explosive WR from Saraland that I think will have a big breakout season this upcoming fall.   "Pettway is a quick WR who thrives off his route running and ability to gain separation. He flies off the line of scrimmage, can stop on a dime and change his direction, and constantly gets wide open, making his QB's life 10x easier. On top of that, Pettway has a great set of hands and impressive elusiveness with the ball in the open field. He can easily make defenders miss and find extra yards after the catch; it's impressive to watch.   Pettway has also brought a ton of value to special teams as a returner. He uses the same dominant speed and vision to find lanes and take the ball upfield for great starting field position. I think we're going to see a ton from him this next season, he'll be hard to miss!"   Pettway put together some impressive clips you can check out below. I'm excited to see what he'll do this upcoming fall, I think we're all going to have to look out for him.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/shsDuke/status/2005463187714703461?s=20 </div></figure>     [player_tooltip player_id='1312368' first='Kylen' last='Boman'] is a talented WR from Spanish Fort we've had eyes on since his freshman campaign, and man, he's only gotten better.   "Boman has great size, strong hands, and an impressive catch radius he uses to haul in tough-to-catch passes over the tops of defenders, in contested situations, and in the red zone. Boman is a tough WR to cover- he's 6'2 180, plays with a lot of speed outside, and can wear down DBs in the secondary with his athleticism.   I'm really impressed with how Boman plays after the catch. He does a great job using his size and strength to withstand contact, shake off tacklers, and gain the most yardage off of every catch. When you combine all of those skills together, you have a really complete, dominant WR."   I've been a big fan of Boman for the last two years, and when you watch his tape, it's easy to see why. He's a seriously talented player who has a big year in store for Spanish Fort. Make sure you take a look at some of his clips below.      Octavius Staton Jr (OJ) is a talented WR from Central we think has a big season ahead next fall.   "At 6'0 170, Staton already has the size and speed to dominate out wide. He's quick on his feet, runs great routes, and can attack multiple levels of the field. On top of that, he has a great set of hands and consistently makes impressive catches through coverage and contact.   It really shows up in the red zone- he's terrific in contested situations and frequently high points the ball over the tops of defenders for some highlight reel grabs. I'm equally impressed with how quickly Staton generates separation at his size. He has some nasty releases and routes he can burn DBs and get wide open off of. I think he's in for a big junior season this fall."   Staton has been on our list since his freshman season, but I think we're going to see a whole different version of him this fall. He's had a bunch of shining moments through his first two years, but should be stepping into an increased workload this upcoming fall, and with his skills, he's going to be hard to miss. I'm excited to see, but until then, watch some of his film below:      [player_tooltip player_id='1907044' first='Ward' last='Hix'] is a talented WR from Bayside Academy we first watched earlier this year when we debuted our new Rankings Update.   "At 6'4 185, Hix has the size and physicality to completely overwhelm smaller DBs outside. He does a fantastic job using his size and catch radius to his advantage, frequently overpowering defenders for the ball in one-on-one situations downfield.   I love seeing the effort Hix plays with as well. It doesn't matter if he's on special teams or blocking in the run game- you can count on him to give 100% every snap. I'm really impressed with Hix. He's a really well-rounded player that everyone across the state should have their eyes on him here in 2026."   Hix is going to cause a ton of problems for opposing defenses this upcoming fall. He moves and separates so well at his size, constantly finding ways to get open and secure passes all over the field. I think he and [player_tooltip player_id='222965' first='Davis' last='Barnett'] will connect on a ton of big plays this fall. Make sure you keep an eye out for him- he'll be hard to miss!      [player_tooltip player_id='2083372' first='Cedric' last='Bankhead'] is a talented WR from Paul W. Bryant that I think will turn a lot of heads this coming season.   "Bankhead is a reliable WR you can trust to attack and make plays at every level of the field. He has great size, impressive speed and hands, and can beat any DB matched up against him.   I'm really impressed with Bankhead's versatility. He can line up in the slot as well as outside, and isn't limited when it comes to his route running. Bankhead is a guy who will always be open and move the sticks   I watched Bankhead's tape earlier this year and came away seriously impressed. He has a great blend of size, physicality, and reliability that makes him a constant threat to opposing secondaries. If you haven't seen any of his tape before, I highly recommend you check it out below. He could easily be a breakout star next year.

Welcome back!