Greatest College Football WR of All Time

[BamaInHoustonRTR]

Calvin Johnson.

 

[podsox]

Honestly, I think Blackmon might be at the very top. What he did in college football is nothing short of amazing.

Oh and Dez... How in the fuck did OSU get both of these guys....Hell lets not forget about Rashawn Woods. Held the record for 7td's in a single game.

he was an absolute freak in college. I expect his name to become a household one in the nfl once he gets a qb or leaves the jags. off the field problems might do him in as well

 

[TROJAN-MAN]

Lynn Swann

You beat me to it Lynn Swann, did you know that Fred Lynn & Lynn Swann were room mates at SC

 

[bravesfan]

Calvin Johnson, if he played anywhere but Georgia Tech....he was be far more recognized

btw, Chan Gailey was still the coach and they werent running the triple option....Instead Reggie Ball was his QB

 

[WizardHawk]

A name most of you wouldn't know and few would name is Mario Bailey. Still holds many records at UW and was a key player in the '91 championship team. That year he had 62 receptions for 1,037 yards and 18 TD's. Reggie Williams passed him up in a few stats here, but Mario was the complete WR and had an outstanding 3 year career.

 

[trojanfan12]

You beat me to it Lynn Swann, did you know that Fred Lynn & Lynn Swann were room mates at SC

Did not know that. Pretty cool.

 

[Hook'Em0608]

BCS era

AQ schools

Larry Fitzgerald
Calvin Johnson
Michael Crabtree
Peter Warrick
Justin Blackmon

Special Guys who played all over

Percy Harvin
Tavon Austin
James Rodgers

Non-Aq

Troy Edwards
Roddy White
Greg Jennings
Jarrett Dillard
Antonio Brown

It's hard to compare WR's from the days before the spread took over.

 

[HammerDown]

 

[Lance Armstrong]

Michael Irvin
Calvin Johnson
Justin Blackmon
AJ Green
Tim Brown
Larry Fitzgerald

 

[KingKoolKat75]

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

Obviously I'm looking for collegiate greatness, and not NFL greatness.

While both could match or be absurdly different, all we are looking for here is the greatest college football WR of all time

QB, RB, DL, LB, all seemed pointless. I'm thinking this question will make people think. (Jerry Rice is off the table. Not only did he play at Mississippi Valley State, but I'm sure that less than 1% of people ever saw him play in college.).

I'm trying to form an opinion on this one, and it is tough.

There's a lot of fantastic WRs that were great NFL receivers and just OK college receivers.

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

Calvin Johnson, if he played anywhere but Georgia Tech....he was be far more recognized

btw, Chan Gailey was still the coach and they werent running the triple option....Instead Reggie Ball was his QB

That's a big distinction here. There were a lot of players that were good in college but not elite until they hit the NFL, and a lot of elite college players that were just good in the NFL. Since it seems we're talking best CFB WR, then I don't think it can be Calvin.

 

[ericd7633]

That's a big distinction here. There were a lot of players that were good in college but not elite until they hit the NFL, and a lot of elite college players that were just good in the NFL. Since it seems we're talking best CFB WR, then I don't think it can be Calvin.

Calvin was a freshman all-american, two time 1st team all-american and won the Biletnikoff his junior year before turning pro. He doesn't have the gaudy numbers of a Crabtree or Blackmon, but he's right up there IMO.

 

[outofyourmind]

Steve Largent
Wes Welker

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

Calvin was a freshman all-american, two time 1st team all-american and won the Biletnikoff his junior year before turning pro. He doesn't have the gaudy numbers of a Crabtree or Blackmon, but he's right up there IMO.

He was a good, if not great, college WR. But is he one of the top 5 best of all time? I don't think so. I'd argue that someone like Michael Floyd was better in college than Calvin Johnson.

 

[jwolt92]

Wanted to be just like him playing pee-wee football. Most of those moves don't work as well when you're a slow white kid who can't jump

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

A guy that comes to mind within the last 20 years is Ryan Broyles. But there are just so many great college receivers, it's really hard to pick just one and I suspect everyone is going to pick one during their lifetime.

 

[ericd7633]

He was a good, if not great, college WR. But is he one of the top 5 best of all time? I don't think so. I'd argue that someone like Michael Floyd was better in college than Calvin Johnson.

I think playing at Ga. Tech obviously hurts him. He did light up ND in the opener in 06. He also played with a below average QB his entire career(Reggie Ball)

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

I think playing at Ga. Tech obviously hurts him. He did light up ND in the opener in 06. He also played with a below average QB his entire career(Reggie Ball)

True, but that's just part of college (or even the NFL). What if a guy like Denard Robinson started as a RB or WR on another team like Alabama, Oregon or even Ohio State during that same 4 year stretch? He did what he did on some pretty god awful Michigan teams.

I think Calvin is a bit unique in that I think he was good in college but even better as a pro. That's pretty rare.

 

[ericd7633]

True, but that's just part of college (or even the NFL). What if a guy like Denard Robinson started as a RB or WR on another team like Alabama, Oregon or even Ohio State during that same 4 year stretch? He did what he did on some pretty god awful Michigan teams.

I think Calvin is a bit unique in that I think he was good in college but even better as a pro. That's pretty rare.

I would tend to agree with that. In part because he probably wasn't utilized as much as he should have been. Taking the stats out the equation and just basing it on pure talent, I'd consider him at least a top 10 CFP WR of all time. In my lifetime he's probably top 5. With Fitzgerald among that group.

I'd honestly probably go in my lifetime of recollection : Johnson, Fitzgerald, Blackmon, Edwards, Moss(Late 90's to present)