Quick Hit – Top 21 College Football Wide Receivers for 2009
June 3rd, 2009 by Vince Mullins
Another Dez for Heisman? Unlikely since wide receivers tend to not get the same DAC love of the runners and passers, but odd that the clear top two each share a unique name.
Cowboy Dez Bryant (1) might do this 20 times in 2009 (Icon SMI).
Disclaimer: This list will change before your draft day. Accept it, embrace it. I welcome your comments and feedback but we got three months to kickoff and some of these guys don’t even shave so who knows what could happen over the summer.
Also – I figured I would throw in all the other names as I brainstormed before narrowing it to 21. Consider it your watch list.
1. Dez Bryant (Oklahoma State) – without question the leading WR going in to 2009. Strong system ratings, returning star QB and RB and a conference that supports a lot of scoring. Did I mention physical skills unmatched by any DB in the country?
2. Dez Briscoe (Kansas) – another physical mismatch with a strong QB in Todd Reesing and a well-schooled system under the tutelage of Mark Mangino.
3. Aldrick Robinson (SMU) – my gut says Robinson will be more productive as Emmanuel Sanders who will be asked to play some defense in addition to his WR duties. Year Two of the June Jones run-and-shoot in Dallas should lift off in a CUSA schedule.
4. Detron Lewis (Texas Tech) the Red Raiders always have a wideout in the TOp Ten, my pick for 2009 is Lewis. He will be pushed by the rangy Lyle Leong and new guys like Eric Ward, but Lewis is the best match for the history of 200+ pound wideouts that produce the most fantasy points in the Mike Leach Offense. History also supports the Z receiver (Wide Right) being the star and guess where Lewis is slated after playing slot right last year next to Crabtree? Stay tuned as position switches and fall practice take shape, but my early call is for Lewis.
5.DeAndre Brown (Soputhern Mississippi) – his reurn from that nasty knee injury in the bowl game is far ahead of schedule, showing Wolverine-like healing properties. With Larry Fedora at the helm and Austin Davis returning at QB, Brown should be a lock for the 100-1000-10 goal of a top ten WR.
6. Tyron Carrier (Houston) – came out of nowhere in his freshman season to lead Houston in reciving. With Heisman sleeper QB Case Keenum (and Daniel’s pre-season #1 QB) chucking it all over the lot Carrier
7. Jordan Shipley (Texas) I wonder if soph Malcolm WIlliams possesses a stronger wideout skill set, but senior Shipley’s friendship with QB Colt McCoy weighs heavily on McCoy’s confidence to throw the ball up for Shipley. The senior should be integral to Colt McCoy being a 2009 Heisman candidate.
8. Damian Williams (USC) - might have the best WR tools for the NFLers after Dez Bryant, but Williams is farther down the list due to the new QB situation. Granted, he did just fine with new QB Mark Sanchez in 2008 but either Aaron Corp or Matt Barkley have even fewer starts on their CV than Sanchez did. In fact, they have as many college starts at QB as I do…
9. Mackay Jacobsen (BYU) - you will not see Jacobsen this high on any other list so pay attention here. While on a Mormon mission can slow down an athlete (see Olson, Ben), Jacobsen steps back into BYU after his two-year stint in Japan. 2009 Top Tenner Austin Collie left early for the NFL and Jacobsen may be a better athlete so I really like his chances to rack up 100-1000-10.
10. Eric Decker (Minnesota) – the senior Decker spent the winter and spring as an integral part of the Golden Gopher’s Top 20 baseball team, but his “Hands of Gold” and quickness are huge assets for the football team also. Whether new QB Moses Alipate will compete this season with Adam Weber or not, Decker should continue to improve on the reception and Yardage numbers – TDs fell from 9 to 7 last year unfortunately.
11. Marshawn Gilyard (Cincinnati) – the best returning wide receiver in the Bearcat offense (Marcus Barnett spent the spring at CB) will have the best working relationship with QB Tony Pike, but if my projection is off then it will be at the expense of more passes being thrown to Vidal Hazelton, the transfer from USC that is petitioning for eligibility in 2009. Even if Hazelton plays, Gilyard could produce more at Cincy WR2 than most WR1.
12. Carlos Singleton (MEM) – Hear ye my official over-reach with a 6-6 plus wideout! Happens every season (see Vickers, BJ) Go back to 2005 and QB Arkelon Hall was an Elite 11 QB and ballyhooed as a savior of Washington State football. 2008 returned him to the football scene as the starter at Memphis and year two should be much better. Singleton is a 6-8 nightmare to cover whose stats suffered as Coach Tommy West chose to run the ball more in 2008, I expect a big recovery for Singleton.
13. Ryan Broyles (Oklahoma) – Sam Bradford will not have the luxury of eight seconds to throw this season since there is a rebuilding of the O-line, and to make matters worse his top three wideouts are gone. Superb TE Jermaine Gresham will man the middle and sophomore Broyles should display more of his sneaky fast skills like he did against Baylor last season. JUCOs will push him and keep an eye out for Adron Tennel, but Broyles gets my nod.
14.Mario Fannin (Auburn) – to me Fannin is the clearest beneficiary of Gus Malzahn taking over the Tiger/War Eagle/Plainsmen offense since he is a perfect fit for the motion-fly slot. Might be the closest thing to Percy Harvin this season, hopefully without the leg injuries. All they need is a QB…
15. Jeff Moturi (UTEP) – this is a big vote of confidence for the Mike Price system and very talented QB Trevor Vittatoe. I thought the same last season as Moturi ws the cat who hit paydirt in EVERY GAME of 2007, and I actually cut him in a 30-team dynasty league. Moturi is the better pure WR over Kris Adams, likely both will be productive but I lean to Moturi again. (Inside joke: Abadie, I still forgive you.)
16. Jamere Holland (Oregon) - another USC transfer who benefits from a growing Jeremiah Masoli at QB and the departure of numerous wideouts before spring. Chip Kelly takes over the Ducks but he has been the “COO” of the team for a couple years anyway – Ducks fly high again and ride the strong momentum of the last three games of 2008.
17. Antonio Brown (Central Michigan) – what would a fantasy college football article be without a Chippewa high on the list. Antonio Brown was a walk-on that produced from Day One, and now the junior is a great triple threat. QB Dan LeFevour‘s senior season will provide him the opportunity to lock down one of the greatest college QB careers in history and Brown will be a big part.
18. Desmond Gee (MTSU) – that is Middle Tennessee State U. to those new to the site or the hobby. Dual threat Gee gets to benefit from OC Tony Franklin’s return to the Sun Belt where he had a great track record with Troy.
19. Michael Floyd (Notre Dame) – I might regret putting an Irish this high, but the stars seem to be lining up for Notre Dame offensively. Plus the schedule is a cupcake after Halloween and of course he has the Glorious Emu to throw him the ball.
20. Deonte Thompson (Florida) - Tim Tebow is supposed to throw the ball more in his senior season – Thompson looks like the physical leader of the pack. Have you seen the Gators OOC schedule? Make way for Charleston Southern, Troy and FIU.
21. T.Y. Hilton (FIU) – speaking of FIU, Hilton built a nice freshman season (Freshman All-American PR by Football Writers of America) for the Golden Panthers under former Purdue OC Bill Legg. Legg returns his spread offense with senior QB Paul McCallwhichs bodes well, but a brutal OOC (at Alabama, at Florida) could dampen his returns.
Here is the watch list of names that also caught my attention:
Raushaun Greer (COST)
Brandon Banks (Kansas State)
Julio Jones (Alabama)
AJ Green (Georgia)
Mike Williams (Syracuse)
Marcus Anderson (NMSU)
James Rodgers (Oregon State)
Juan Nunez (Western Michigan)
Jerrel Jernigan (Troy)
Emmanuel Sanders (SMU)
Rejus Benn (Illinois)
Dexter McCluster (Ole Miss)
Naaman Roosevelt (Buffalo)
Tim Brown (Rutgers)
Damaris Johnson (Tulsa) – ball is too spread out to make anyone a star
Adron Tennel (OU)
Lyle Leong (Texas Tech)
Stephen Williams (Toledo)
Philip “Saturday Night” Livas (Louisiana Tech)
Jeff Fuller (Texas A&M)
DeMaryius Thomas (Georgia Tech)
Malcolm Williams (Texas)
Marvin Jones (California)
Vidal Hazelton (Cincinatti)
and the freshman with the best chance for impact:
Andre Debose (Florida)
Eric Ward (Texas Tech)
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