Top 15 College Wide Receivers

SI Staff | Nov 2, 2006

Top 15 College Wide Receivers /

Top 15 College Wide Receivers

Ted Ginn Jr.

One of the fastest players in college football -- he was a high school national champion in the 110 high hurdles -- Ginn may be the most dangerous open-field player in the game today. And the respect that he commands from opposing defenses opens up the field for fellow Buckeyes Anthony Gonzalez and Brian Robiskie.

Jason Hill

The 6-foot-1 210-pounder returned for his senior year to polish up before taking his game to the next level. With seven scores this season, Hill has 32 career touchdown receptions -- trailing only USC's Dwayne Jarrett on the Pac-10's all-time list.

Sammie Stroughter

In his first year starting, Stroughter has provided Beavers QB Matt Moore with a consistent deep target after the graduation of the school's all-time receiving leader, Mike Hass. Stroughter had a huge game in Oregon State's upset win over USC, compiling 127 yards on eight catches.

Jarett Dillard

Just 5-foot-11, 160 pounds, Dillard flourishes in Rice's spread offense; the sophomore leads the nation with 12 touchdown catches. But he hasn't been cleaning up only against Conference USA DBs -- over a three-week span in September, Dillard burned UCLA, Texas and Florida State for a combined 23 catches, 306 yards and three touchdowns.

James Hardy

At 5-4, Indiana is just one win away from becoming bowl eligible, and Hardy has played a huge role in the Hoosiers' surprising success. He burst on the scene with a solid freshman campaign in 2005 (61 catches for 893 yards and 10 touchdowns), and he's become downright nasty in Year 2. The 6-foot-7 216-pounder hauled in four touchdown catches in Indiana's 46-21 drubbing of Michigan State.

DeSean Jackson

One of the most explosive all-around players in college football, Jackson headlines Cal's talented group of receivers. Jackson has been relatively quiet the last two weeks, but he had eight TD receptions during the first six games of the season. His exciting playing style has earned him comparisons to Rocket Ismail and Desmond Howard.

Steve Smith

While Dwayne Jarrett has become a bona fide superstar, his partner in crime, Smith, flies under the national radar. But Smith averages 97.3 receiving yards per game (fifth nationally). Anyone who tuned into USC's upset loss to Oregon State gained an instant appreciation for Smith, who hauled in 11 passes for 258 yards and two touchdowns.

Jaison Williams

In the pass-happy Pac-10, Williams is the conference's only receiver averaging more than 100 yards per game (102.6). At 6-foot-5, 243 pounds, Williams makes NFL scouts drool. His precise route-running has made him a perfect replacement for Demetrius Williams as the Ducks' No. 1 receiver.

Sidney Rice

Last season Rice entered the year as a redshirt freshman coming off a knee injury ... and he proceeded to set single-season school records for receiving yards (1,143) and touchdown catches (13). With South Carolina's ball-control offense -- a foreign concept to Steve Spurrier -- Rice's numbers are down this season, but he's always a big-play threat.

Robert Meachem

A huge recruit coming out of high school, Meachem has really come into his own in his third year at Tennessee. He's averaging 108.5 yards per game (fourth nationally) and has been an integral piece in the Vols' resurgence after 2005's 5-6 campaign.

Adarius Bowman

D'Juan Woods entered the year as the Cowboys' unquestioned No. 1 target, but Bowman has taken over the role. Against Kansas, the North Carolina transfer caught 13 balls for 300 yards (a Big 12 record) and four touchdowns.

Mario Manningham

After a promising true freshman season, Super Mario went nuts in the first six games of this season, hauling in 24 catches for 527 yards and nine touchdowns. Manningham has missed the last three games with an injured right knee, and the Michigan offense has definitely lost its luster, but he's expected to play in the next couple of weeks.

Jeff Samardzija

After coming out of nowhere and rewriting the Notre Dame record books last season, Samardzija has enjoyed solid production (43 catches, 509 yards and seven touchdowns) in his final season at Notre Dame. And as evidenced by his 45-yard, game-winning touchdown against UCLA, he's always had a flair for the dramatic.

Dwayne Jarrett

At 6-foot-5, 210 pounds, the acrobatic Jarrett creates a mismatch against pretty much any corner in college football. His stats are down this season -- partially due to missed time for an injured shoulder -- but his career numbers are astounding: 177 catches for 2,458 yards and 33 touchdowns (a Pac-10 record).

Calvin Johnson

Very rarely does a physical specimen of Johnson's caliber come through the college ranks. Combing tight-end size (6-foot-5, 235 pounds) with burner speed (4.4 40) and stellar hands, Johnson is clearly the top receiver in college football and is projected as a top-three pick in the 2007 NFL draft.

Published Nov 2, 2006

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