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Thebestever:thepassreceivers
Franz Beard - Managing Editor | May 3, 2009 | 2 Comments
Percy Harvin ranks as one of the greatest wide receivers in the history of the Southeastern Conference/Gator Country Photo by Tim Casey.
When Percy Harvin burst onto the college football scene in 2006 as a do-it-all wide receiver who was as comfortable running a deep pass route as he was taking snaps at tailback, the first thing long-time Florida and Southeastern Conference observers thought of was Wes Sandy Chandler. Chandlers talents were never fully exploited at Florida until late in his senior year when he played tailback, wide receiver and quarterback. He was a tremendous all-around player but it was at wide receiver where Chandler was almost unstoppable.
Chandler played in the option era when nearly every successful team in the Southeastern Conference ran some sort of option. The Gators ran the wishbone so Chandler had to make the most of limited pass receiving opportunities. Chandlers career numbers equal one good season for Texas Tech All-American Michael Crabtree, recently a first round selection in the NFL Draft but in his era, Chandler was the one guy that kept defensive coordinators up all night trying to find schemes that would stop him.
If numbers alone determined the best ever receiver in the SEC, neither West Chandler or second place Ozzie Newsome of Alabama would be in the top ten. Like Chandler, Newsome played in the wishbone era so he had to make the best out of limited chances to catch the ball and show what he could do. Numbers alone dont do either of them justice which is why they rank 1-2 as the best in league history.
Here is the Gator Country list of the ten best receivers (wide receivers/tight ends) in SEC history.
1. WES CHANDLER, FLORIDA: If you saw him play, then you cant disagree that hes the best ever in the SEC. He had blazing speed but he never looked like he was running all that hard. Nobody ever caught him from behind, though. He was Percy Harvin BEFORE there was Percy Harvin. His only handicap is that he played for Douglas Adair Dickey, who waited until his senior year to fully utilize all his abilities. As a senior, he was a wide receiver/tailback/quarterback. For most of his career the Gators ran the wishbone so the pass receiving numbers of 92 catches for 1,963 yards and 22 touchdowns (an average of 21.3 yards per catch) are pretty remarkable. Chandler also finished his career with 356 rushing yards and 477 kick return yards. Chandler was a two-time All-American selection (1976-77). He went on to have an outstanding professional football career, finishing with 559 catches for 8,966 yards and 56 touchdowns.
2. OZZIE NEWSOME, ALABAMA: He was a hybrid tight end/wide receiver and a complete mismatch that nobody could cover. Alabama ran the wishbone so his numbers could have been even better if he had played in an era of wide open offenses. Still, he caught 102 passes for 2,070 yards, the second best average per catch in the history of the SEC. Newsome was a long strider with deceptive speed that enabled him to blow by unsuspecting defensive backs. He was equally effective playing a traditional tight end role or flexed out wide. He went on to have a sensational 13-year career in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns, catching 662 passes for 7,980 yards and 47 touchdowns. He is a member of the College Football and Pro Football halls of fame.
3. PERCY HARVIN, FLORIDA: Harvin was the perfect hybrid, a receiver who could stretch the field vertically and a running back who could turn a tiny crease into a 40-yard gain. In his recently completed junior year, Harvin caught 40 passes for 633 yards and seven touchdowns and ran 70 times for 659 yards (9.4 per carry) and 10 touchdowns. His career numbers are 133 catches for 1,939 yards and 13 touchdowns and 1,851 rushing yards for 19 touchdowns. Harvin averaged 14.5 yards per catch and 9.5 per rush, averaging 11.5 yards every time he touched the ball. A two-time first team All-American in 2007 and 2008, Harvin played a significant role in Floridas national championships in 2006 and 2008. In Floridas national championship win over Oklahoma back in January, Harvin caught five passes for 49 yards and ran nine times for 121 yards and a touchdown.
4. TERRY BEASLEY, AUBURN: Beasley is regarded as one of the three best players in Auburn history behind Heisman Trophy winners Bo Jackson and Pat Sullivan. A two-time All-America selection as a wide receiver, he made the catches that turned Pat Sullivan into a Heisman Trophy quarterback. Blessed with sprinters speed, Beasley proved to be a consistent deep threat but he could make the tough catches across the middle, too. Beasley caught 141 passes for 2,507 yards and 29 touchdowns in his Auburn career. Member of the College Football Hall of Fame.
5. CARLOS ALVAREZ, FLORIDA: The combination of knee injuries and Douglas Adair Dickey kept his numbers from being greater but theyre really impressive --- 172 catches for 2,563 yards and 19 touchdowns. His first catch as a collegian was a 78-yard touchdown from John Reaves against Houston in 1969. As a sophomore, he was first team All-American with 88 catches for 1,329 yards and 12 touchdowns, leading the Gators to a 9-1-1 record. Doug Dickey became the head coach at Florida in 1970, changing the Gators from a pro-style to an option team so the numbers were never the same. Alvarez was a three-time Academic All-American and is a member of the Academic All-American Hall of Fame.
6. WENDELL DAVIS, LSU: A two-time All-American in 1986 and 1987, Davis was a sure handed receiver known for making the tough catches look easy. He had the speed to go deep but spent most of his time running medium routes in the middle of the field. He was tough and very capable of handling the contact, but he could also blow by a corner to catch the deep ball. In his LSU career he caught 183 passes for 2,708 yards and 19 touchdowns. He was on his way to a record-setting pro football career with the Chicago Bears when he tore both patella tendons on the same play on Philadelphias infamously slick Astroturf. That career-ending injury in 1993.
7. DON HUTSON, ALABAMA: The other end on those Alabama teams that starred Hutson was this fellow named Bear Bryant, who ended up being a pretty fair football coach. Hutson was the most prolific receiver of his era and then became one of the great stars of the National Football League, where he caught 488 passes for 7,991 yards and 99 touchdowns for the Green Bay Packers, records that stood for more than 20 years. Hutsons best college season was 1934 when he led Alabama to a national championship and a win over Stanford in the Rose Bowl. Hutson caught six passes for 165 yards and two touchdowns in that game. Hutson was also considered the best defensive back in the Southeastern Conference during his Alabama career. Member of the College and Pro Football halls of fame.
8. IKE HILLIARD, FLORIDA: Hilliards stop and go change of directions that got him into the end zone against Florida State in the 1996 national championship game will go down as one of the greatest plays in the history of the Southeastern Conference. The nephew of former LSU great Dalton Hilliard, Ike left Louisiana for Florida because Steve Spurrier promised him a shot at wide receiver. LSU was recruiting him as a cornerback. Hilliard started all three seasons he was at Florida, finishing with 126 catches for 2,214 yards and 29 touchdowns. He caught 47 passes for 900 yards and 10 touchdowns as a junior in 1996 and he caught 15 touchdown passes as a sophomore. Hilliard was selected first team All-American as a junior. In his ongoing NFL career, Hilliard has caught 546 passes for 6,397 yards and 35 touchdowns.
9. DAVID PALMER, ALABAMA: Like Chandler and Harvin, Palmer was a hybrid who could do it all. In his Alabama career he played wide receiver, tailback and quarterback plus he was one of the nations most dangerous kick returners. In his Alabama career, Palmer rushed for 598 yards, caught 102 passes for 1,611 yards, returned 83 punts for 866 yards and 36 kickoffs for 866 yards. A valuable contributor on Alabamas 1992 unbeaten national championship team, Palmer was a first team All-American in 1993 when he ran for 278 yards, caught 61 passes for 1,000 yards, ran back kickoffs for 439 yards and had 244 yards on punt returns.
10. EARL BENNETT, VANDERBILT: An All-America selection in 2006, Bennett is the Southeastern Conferences all-time leading receiver. In is career he caught 236 passes (28 more than second place Craig Yeast of Kentucky) for 2,852 yards and 20 touchdowns. Bennett had three consecutive seasons with at least 75 pass receptions. His best year was 2006 when he caught 82 passes for 1,146 yards and six touchdowns while playing on a losing team.
HONORABLE MENTION: David Bailey, Alabama; Ray Perkins, Alabama; Dennis Homan, Alabama; Wayne Wheeler, Alabama; Chuck Dicus, Arkansas; Bobby Crockett, Arkansas; Anthony Lucas, Arkansas; Jimmy Phillips, Auburn; Frank Sanders, Auburn; Charlie Casey, Florida; Richard Trapp, Florida; Cris Collinsworth, Florida; Willie Jackson, Florida; Chris Doering, Florida; Reidel Anthony, Florida; Jacquez Green, Florida; Jabar Gaffney, Florida; Brice Hunter, Georgia; Hines Ward, Georgia; Terrence Edwards, Georgia; Craig Yeast, Kentucky; Derek Abney, Kentucky; James Whalen, Kentucky; Todd Kinchen, LSU; Billy Truax, LSU; Michael Clayton, LSU; Sammy Miller, Mississippi State; David Smith, Mississippi State; Eric Moulds, Mississippi State; Barney Poole, Ole Miss; Sterling Sharpe, South Carolina; Sidney Rice, South Carolina; Hank Lauricella, Tennessee; Larry Seivers, Tennessee; Donte Stallworth; Tennessee; Joey Kent, Tennessee; Donte Stallworth, Tennessee; Jason Whitten, Tennessee; Bob Goodridge, Vanderbilt; Boo Mitchell, Vanderbilt; Dan Stricker, Vanderbilt.
Franz Beard - Managing Editor | May 3, 2009 | 2 Comments
Percy Harvin ranks as one of the greatest wide receivers in the history of the Southeastern Conference/Gator Country Photo by Tim Casey.
When Percy Harvin burst onto the college football scene in 2006 as a do-it-all wide receiver who was as comfortable running a deep pass route as he was taking snaps at tailback, the first thing long-time Florida and Southeastern Conference observers thought of was Wes Sandy Chandler. Chandlers talents were never fully exploited at Florida until late in his senior year when he played tailback, wide receiver and quarterback. He was a tremendous all-around player but it was at wide receiver where Chandler was almost unstoppable.
Chandler played in the option era when nearly every successful team in the Southeastern Conference ran some sort of option. The Gators ran the wishbone so Chandler had to make the most of limited pass receiving opportunities. Chandlers career numbers equal one good season for Texas Tech All-American Michael Crabtree, recently a first round selection in the NFL Draft but in his era, Chandler was the one guy that kept defensive coordinators up all night trying to find schemes that would stop him.
If numbers alone determined the best ever receiver in the SEC, neither West Chandler or second place Ozzie Newsome of Alabama would be in the top ten. Like Chandler, Newsome played in the wishbone era so he had to make the best out of limited chances to catch the ball and show what he could do. Numbers alone dont do either of them justice which is why they rank 1-2 as the best in league history.
Here is the Gator Country list of the ten best receivers (wide receivers/tight ends) in SEC history.
1. WES CHANDLER, FLORIDA: If you saw him play, then you cant disagree that hes the best ever in the SEC. He had blazing speed but he never looked like he was running all that hard. Nobody ever caught him from behind, though. He was Percy Harvin BEFORE there was Percy Harvin. His only handicap is that he played for Douglas Adair Dickey, who waited until his senior year to fully utilize all his abilities. As a senior, he was a wide receiver/tailback/quarterback. For most of his career the Gators ran the wishbone so the pass receiving numbers of 92 catches for 1,963 yards and 22 touchdowns (an average of 21.3 yards per catch) are pretty remarkable. Chandler also finished his career with 356 rushing yards and 477 kick return yards. Chandler was a two-time All-American selection (1976-77). He went on to have an outstanding professional football career, finishing with 559 catches for 8,966 yards and 56 touchdowns.
2. OZZIE NEWSOME, ALABAMA: He was a hybrid tight end/wide receiver and a complete mismatch that nobody could cover. Alabama ran the wishbone so his numbers could have been even better if he had played in an era of wide open offenses. Still, he caught 102 passes for 2,070 yards, the second best average per catch in the history of the SEC. Newsome was a long strider with deceptive speed that enabled him to blow by unsuspecting defensive backs. He was equally effective playing a traditional tight end role or flexed out wide. He went on to have a sensational 13-year career in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns, catching 662 passes for 7,980 yards and 47 touchdowns. He is a member of the College Football and Pro Football halls of fame.
3. PERCY HARVIN, FLORIDA: Harvin was the perfect hybrid, a receiver who could stretch the field vertically and a running back who could turn a tiny crease into a 40-yard gain. In his recently completed junior year, Harvin caught 40 passes for 633 yards and seven touchdowns and ran 70 times for 659 yards (9.4 per carry) and 10 touchdowns. His career numbers are 133 catches for 1,939 yards and 13 touchdowns and 1,851 rushing yards for 19 touchdowns. Harvin averaged 14.5 yards per catch and 9.5 per rush, averaging 11.5 yards every time he touched the ball. A two-time first team All-American in 2007 and 2008, Harvin played a significant role in Floridas national championships in 2006 and 2008. In Floridas national championship win over Oklahoma back in January, Harvin caught five passes for 49 yards and ran nine times for 121 yards and a touchdown.
4. TERRY BEASLEY, AUBURN: Beasley is regarded as one of the three best players in Auburn history behind Heisman Trophy winners Bo Jackson and Pat Sullivan. A two-time All-America selection as a wide receiver, he made the catches that turned Pat Sullivan into a Heisman Trophy quarterback. Blessed with sprinters speed, Beasley proved to be a consistent deep threat but he could make the tough catches across the middle, too. Beasley caught 141 passes for 2,507 yards and 29 touchdowns in his Auburn career. Member of the College Football Hall of Fame.
5. CARLOS ALVAREZ, FLORIDA: The combination of knee injuries and Douglas Adair Dickey kept his numbers from being greater but theyre really impressive --- 172 catches for 2,563 yards and 19 touchdowns. His first catch as a collegian was a 78-yard touchdown from John Reaves against Houston in 1969. As a sophomore, he was first team All-American with 88 catches for 1,329 yards and 12 touchdowns, leading the Gators to a 9-1-1 record. Doug Dickey became the head coach at Florida in 1970, changing the Gators from a pro-style to an option team so the numbers were never the same. Alvarez was a three-time Academic All-American and is a member of the Academic All-American Hall of Fame.
6. WENDELL DAVIS, LSU: A two-time All-American in 1986 and 1987, Davis was a sure handed receiver known for making the tough catches look easy. He had the speed to go deep but spent most of his time running medium routes in the middle of the field. He was tough and very capable of handling the contact, but he could also blow by a corner to catch the deep ball. In his LSU career he caught 183 passes for 2,708 yards and 19 touchdowns. He was on his way to a record-setting pro football career with the Chicago Bears when he tore both patella tendons on the same play on Philadelphias infamously slick Astroturf. That career-ending injury in 1993.
7. DON HUTSON, ALABAMA: The other end on those Alabama teams that starred Hutson was this fellow named Bear Bryant, who ended up being a pretty fair football coach. Hutson was the most prolific receiver of his era and then became one of the great stars of the National Football League, where he caught 488 passes for 7,991 yards and 99 touchdowns for the Green Bay Packers, records that stood for more than 20 years. Hutsons best college season was 1934 when he led Alabama to a national championship and a win over Stanford in the Rose Bowl. Hutson caught six passes for 165 yards and two touchdowns in that game. Hutson was also considered the best defensive back in the Southeastern Conference during his Alabama career. Member of the College and Pro Football halls of fame.
8. IKE HILLIARD, FLORIDA: Hilliards stop and go change of directions that got him into the end zone against Florida State in the 1996 national championship game will go down as one of the greatest plays in the history of the Southeastern Conference. The nephew of former LSU great Dalton Hilliard, Ike left Louisiana for Florida because Steve Spurrier promised him a shot at wide receiver. LSU was recruiting him as a cornerback. Hilliard started all three seasons he was at Florida, finishing with 126 catches for 2,214 yards and 29 touchdowns. He caught 47 passes for 900 yards and 10 touchdowns as a junior in 1996 and he caught 15 touchdown passes as a sophomore. Hilliard was selected first team All-American as a junior. In his ongoing NFL career, Hilliard has caught 546 passes for 6,397 yards and 35 touchdowns.
9. DAVID PALMER, ALABAMA: Like Chandler and Harvin, Palmer was a hybrid who could do it all. In his Alabama career he played wide receiver, tailback and quarterback plus he was one of the nations most dangerous kick returners. In his Alabama career, Palmer rushed for 598 yards, caught 102 passes for 1,611 yards, returned 83 punts for 866 yards and 36 kickoffs for 866 yards. A valuable contributor on Alabamas 1992 unbeaten national championship team, Palmer was a first team All-American in 1993 when he ran for 278 yards, caught 61 passes for 1,000 yards, ran back kickoffs for 439 yards and had 244 yards on punt returns.
10. EARL BENNETT, VANDERBILT: An All-America selection in 2006, Bennett is the Southeastern Conferences all-time leading receiver. In is career he caught 236 passes (28 more than second place Craig Yeast of Kentucky) for 2,852 yards and 20 touchdowns. Bennett had three consecutive seasons with at least 75 pass receptions. His best year was 2006 when he caught 82 passes for 1,146 yards and six touchdowns while playing on a losing team.
HONORABLE MENTION: David Bailey, Alabama; Ray Perkins, Alabama; Dennis Homan, Alabama; Wayne Wheeler, Alabama; Chuck Dicus, Arkansas; Bobby Crockett, Arkansas; Anthony Lucas, Arkansas; Jimmy Phillips, Auburn; Frank Sanders, Auburn; Charlie Casey, Florida; Richard Trapp, Florida; Cris Collinsworth, Florida; Willie Jackson, Florida; Chris Doering, Florida; Reidel Anthony, Florida; Jacquez Green, Florida; Jabar Gaffney, Florida; Brice Hunter, Georgia; Hines Ward, Georgia; Terrence Edwards, Georgia; Craig Yeast, Kentucky; Derek Abney, Kentucky; James Whalen, Kentucky; Todd Kinchen, LSU; Billy Truax, LSU; Michael Clayton, LSU; Sammy Miller, Mississippi State; David Smith, Mississippi State; Eric Moulds, Mississippi State; Barney Poole, Ole Miss; Sterling Sharpe, South Carolina; Sidney Rice, South Carolina; Hank Lauricella, Tennessee; Larry Seivers, Tennessee; Donte Stallworth; Tennessee; Joey Kent, Tennessee; Donte Stallworth, Tennessee; Jason Whitten, Tennessee; Bob Goodridge, Vanderbilt; Boo Mitchell, Vanderbilt; Dan Stricker, Vanderbilt.
