2007 Fantasy All-Americans: Wide Receivers

December 5th, 2007 by Vince Mullins

At Fantasy College Blitz, our All-American teams will differ form the most well-known and accepted lists – and we expect and embrace that every year. Our voting is transparent and open to praise and criticism – our teams are three deep, each with two QBs, three RBs and WRs, and one each TE, K, and D.

The NCAA recognizes five All-American teams – Football Coaches, The Sporting News, The Football Writers, Associated Press and Walter Camp. Our goal is for our awards to be as respected as those organizations that have been recognizing athletes for decades. Our goal is simply to highlight the most productive and consistent statistical performances in college football. We don’t care if it happens in Gainesville, Athens, Ypsilanti or Laramie – you put up the numbers and we will find you.

In that vane, we will announce a different position each day this week (QB, RB, WR, Others) and finish with our Player of the Year Award on Saturday.

Thursday means we announce the 2007 All-American Wide Receivers:
First Team

Mike Crabtree, Texas Tech Red Raiders – never before has a freshman come out the box like Crabtree (right, Icon SMI) in 2007 – multiple TDs in his first six games on his way to a huge 125 catch and 21 TD season. Did I mention he also led the nation in yards per game at 155? Like Tebow, another unanimous first-teamer.

Jordy Nelson, Kansas State Wildcats – Somehow John Huss and I both saw a high reward/ low risk pick in Nelson - neither of us thought that this would happen in his senior year. Nelson closed a big gap with Crabtree on his way to his own 122 catch and 1600 yard year and shooting way up the NFL Draft boards.

James Hardy, Indiana Hoosiers – many times I have called him the most consistent TD maker at this position, and he feasted on a weak Big Ten schedule to deliver 16 TDs, good for second in the nation. He disappointed a bit on the yardage front with only 1075 yards in 12 games, but had only one horrible game against Wisconsin.

Second Team

Chad Hall, Air Force Falcons - the “Mile High Slash” had to make one of our lists. Literally from the bowels of the Falcons depth chart (a former QB who listed at WR), Hall exploded on the scene in October when he switched to RB. Hall achieved 99 yards or better in the last nine games and TDs in all but one of those. His signature game was at Colorado State, with four TDs and 268 yards from scrimmage.

Jeremy Maclin, Missouri Tigers - While he may not show this high on many of the receiving yards only list, the multi-talented Maclin (right, Icon SMI) was the real spark plug for the Tiger title run. Our Matt Ryan specifically points out the freshman had TDs rushing, receiving, and returning, plus a passing two-point conversion as evidence of the nightmares he caused opposing coaches. One-thousand yards receiving and returning in the same year.

Davone Bess, Hawaii Warriors - Finally, a Hawaii receiver! Bess repeats on our Second team with another 101-catch, 1213 yards and 12 TDs for the BCS-bound Warriors.

Third Team

Dante Love, Ball State Cardinals – much love for the diminutive wideout in tiny Muncie, Indiana. Casual football fans will know him for dropping the winning TD pass in the Nebraska game, fantasy gods like all of us know him as a consistent performer who delivered strong games every week. Almost had 1000 return yards to match his 1400 yards from scrimmage. This junior and QB Nate Davis should absolutely tear up the MAC in 2008.

Ryan Grice-Mullin, Hawaii Warriors – another member of the Ohana, Grice-Mullin recovered nicely from an injury-riddled 2006 to finish fourth in yards per game while grabbing 100 balls himself.

Jarrett Dillard, Rice Owls – Last year Dillard was a unanimous first-team pick here at Fantasy College Blitz. In 2007, Vince Mullins stirred up some controversy by predicting a big fall from his 21 TD season due to a new coach. All hell broke loose in the Forum. Dillard has a horrible September. Then Rice broke out Houston. Vince recommended that readers pursue Dillard vigorously. Dillard rips off seven straight games over 85 yards and eleven TDs in the final seven to get back onto our All-American list. What a year.

Our Votes

TOTAL, then votes by Drew Smith, Vince Mullins, John Huss, Daniel Freer, Jason Collette, Matt Ryan

Mike Crabtree 60 all tens!
Jordy Nelson 50 8 9 8 8 8 9
James Hardy 43 6 8 6 6 9 8
Chad Hall 35 9 3 9 9 0 5
Jeremy Maclin 27 7 0 7 7 0 6
Davone Bess 23 5 7 3 2 6 0
Dante Love 20 4 4 5 3 4 0
Ryan Grice-Mullin 18 3 6 1 0 7 1
Jarrett Dillard 17 0 5 2 5 5 0
Casey Fitzgerald 12 0 2 4 4 0 2
Percy Harvin 7 0 0 0 0 0 7
Harry Douglas 4 0 0 0 0 0 4
Mario Manningham 3 0 0 0 0 0 3
Jason Rivers 3 0 0 0 0 3 0
Brennan Marion 3 2 0 0 0 1 0
Malcolm Kelly 2 0 0 0 0 2 0
Brandon Gibson 1 0 1 0 0 0 0
Marcus Barnett 1 0 0 0 1 0 0