Jeremiah Smith may be the most electric wide receiver in college football right now, but ESPN’s new ranking of the greatest pass catchers of the last 50 years says there’s still one name above him.
Smith landed at No. 2 on the network’s list of the top 60 receivers from that span. The Ohio State standout has already put together a jaw-dropping run, piling up 211 catches, 3,474 yards and 38 receiving touchdowns.
He’s also viewed as a heavy favorite for the Heisman Trophy, and ESPN says he has a realistic chance to break the FBS single-season receiving yards record. If Smith were to stay at Ohio State for four seasons, the Buckeyes’ record book might not have many untouched pages left.
The No. 1 spot went to Randy Moss, whose college production came far from the Power Four spotlight. Before becoming an NFL star, most notably with the Minnesota Vikings, Moss dominated at Marshall. He played in FCS in 1996 and then in the MAC after Marshall moved up in 1997, finishing with 174 receptions, 3,529 yards and 54 touchdowns in only two seasons before heading to the pros.
Moss’ blend of size, speed and explosive playmaking made him different from everyone else. His 1997 season was especially outrageous: 90 catches, 1,647 yards and 25 touchdowns. Even at Marshall, away from the center of the college football map, he still finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting in his final season, behind Charles Woodson, Peyton Manning and Ryan Leaf.
Smith was the only active college player on ESPN’s list, and the only current receiver to crack the top 60. Right behind him in the top five were Pittsburgh’s Larry Fitzgerald, Alabama’s DeVonta Smith and Oklahoma State’s Justin Blackmon.
The rest of the top 10 featured several familiar names: Michigan star and ESPN broadcaster Desmond Howard, Texas Tech’s Michael Crabtree, Notre Dame’s Tim Brown, Georgia Tech’s Calvin Johnson and former Ohio State receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.
The ranking also included a few names that stand out for reasons beyond football, among them Wyoming’s Ryan Yarbrough and Kirk Gibson, who was an elite receiver at Michigan State before becoming a future MLB Most Valable Player. Author Bill Connelly said he built the list around talent and production, which is why some big names, including Julio Jones, did not make the cut. Connelly said Jones “wasn't asked to do enough in Tuscaloosa.”
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