It’s evident. The college football landscape is all about recruiting and, now more than ever, the transfer portal. It’s about how well a program can convert commitments and attract new talent.
What Sonny Dykes and the TCU Football program have done over the last few seasons is set the foundation and build upon the pillars that make playing for the Horned Frogs so special. Whether it be home-grown talent right here in the DFW Metroplex or tapping into the transfer portal, TCU has undoubtedly built the deepest receiving room in the nation.
Just a few weeks ago, Dykes said, “I felt we did a really good job in evaluating guys that we felt were going to fit our program. And then those guys have come in and played exceptionally well.”
TCU is now one of just eight Power 4 schools to have four players with 20 or more receptions this season, joining the likes of Baylor, Clemson, Maryland, NC State, Nebraska, Tennessee, and Texas Tech. So, who are the four most effective Frogs?
Let’s meet the cast!
The X-Factor that is Eric McAlister leads TCU in receiving with 28 catches for 603 yards and seven touchdowns. A deep-ball and contested catch threat, McAlister’s 21.5 yards per catch ranks first among receivers with 25 catches or more. His seven touchdowns have him tied for 6th, while he ranks 12th in the nation in receiving yards.
Sep 20, 2025; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; TCU Horned Frogs wide receiver Eric McAlister (1) celebrates in front of SMU Mustangs safety Abdul Muhammad (27) after McAlister scores a touchdown during the second half at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
He was a three-star recruit out of Azle High School when he committed to Boise State. After redshirting his first season before seeing the field in his next two years, McAlister transferred to TCU. Since then, he has become a phenom in the college football world. Leading TCU in receiving, McAlister was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week and the Walker Camp National Player of the Week following his electric performance against the SMU Mustangs.
In his first season since transferring from Idaho, Jordan Dwyer has quickly become a reliable target for quarterback Josh Hoover. This season, Dwyer has hauled in 468 receiving yards (8th in the Big 12) and is averaging 14.6 yards per catch. He announced himself with aplomb in the season opener against North Carolina, hauling in nine catches for 136 yards and a touchdown. He followed up his dominant performance by tallying 89 yards and a score against Abilene Christian, but his production would see a drop in the coming weeks.
Jordan Dwyer (7) looks for more yardage in a battle against the Baylor Bears on Saturday, Oct. 18, at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas. / Brian McLean – On Assignment Photo/KillerFrogs.com for TCU On SI
He managed no more than three catches in the four weeks leading up to Baylor, when he caught seven catches for 111 yards and a touchdown. He has quickly built a tangible rapport with Hoover and is experiencing the fruits of his labor firsthand. Following the Frogs’, Hoover gave credit to Dwyer for his performance and his effort during the week. He said, “That last week or two, he didn’t have as much production in our offense as he would like to have, and I was proud of the way he bounced back this week. We worked really hard this week to get on the same page, and I’m really proud of his performance today.”
The senior from Tomball, Texas, just might be the grittiest wide receiver on the roster. Joseph Manjack IV has hit a stride in his first season in Fort Worth after spending his freshman season at USC and the previous three seasons at the University of Houston.
Manjack transferred to TCU after earning a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Houston in December 2024. He tallied 351 receiving yards, which was down over 200 yards from the season prior. So far this season, he has registered 309 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 14.7 yards per reception. He shined in the Frogs’ home opener against Abilene Christian, reeling in four catches for 114 yards. Manjack continues to be a potent piece of the TCU offense and will continue to play an integral role the rest of the season.
DJ Rogers has been an under-the-radar threat for the TCU offense this season. While sharing the field with Chase Curtis, Rogers gets the bulk of the tight end work. He has 23 catches for 226 yards and two touchdowns. It is already the most receiving yards he has had in a single season, and he’s tied his touchdown total from last year with five games to play in the regular season.
Sep 26, 2025; Tempe, Arizona, USA; TCU Horned Frogs tight end DJ Rogers (0) stiff arms Arizona State Sun Devils safety Adrian Wilson (6) in the first half at Mountain America Stadium, Home of the ASU Sun Devils. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Reiner-Imagn Images / Jacob Reiner-Imagn Images
Rogers was a big recruit for the Frogs as he was the 8th-ranked tight end in the country. During his commitment process, Rogers chose TCU over several top programs, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Ohio State, Texas, and USC.
While McAlister, Dwyer, Manjack, and Rogers put TCU in an exclusive group of the top receiving teams in the nation, talents like senior Chase Curtis and freshman Ed Small play fundamental roles in the Frogs’ success on offense.
Well, Sonny Dykes, the coaching staff, and the program as a whole have executed the task of building around players who fit their system, and more importantly, the culture. They are selfless, relentless, hard-working, team players who fight on every snap. The Frogs have the kind of depth that is needed to tackle such a physically demanding and unforgiving Big 12 schedule.
This year’s team shows glimpses of what TCU was in 2022. Before the Frogs’ Fiesta Bowl win against Michigan, Dykes was asked about growing up around his father, Spike Dykes, and the game of football. He said, “I think my dad loved teams that were unselfish. That was one of the things that he talked about all the time, was it’s amazing what can be accomplished when the people didn’t care who got the credit.”
This team has that. And while talent is undeniably a large part of success in college football, so is the heart of those on the field.
The TCU Horned Frogs (5-2, 2-2 Big 12) will take on the West Virginia Mountaineers on Saturday at 5:00 p.m. CT from Milan Puskar Stadium. Streaming is available on ESPN+.