ESPN's 50 greatest college wide receivers of the past 50 years

ESPN - 50 Greatest College WRs

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You could make the case that the seeds of the modern football passing game, college and pro, were planted around 50 years ago.

Bill Walsh was tweaking the Cincinnati Bengals' offense and crafting what would become the West Coast offense. Don Coryell took what would be known as his Air Coryell offense to the big time, jumping from San Diego State to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1973. LaVell Edwards took over as BYU head coach in 1972 and, figuring he had to do something radical to succeed there, took to the air. They would become three of the most influential figures in the modernization of football.

It would take a while for these ideas to percolate to the top of college football, which would be ruled by the wishbone and old-school physicality for a few more years to come. But mad scientists were tinkering.

Let's commemorate the occasion, then, by celebrating the wide receivers the top division of college football has produced over these past five decades. Here are the top 50.

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1. Randy Moss (Marshall) (96-97)
2. Larry Fitzgerald (Pitt) (02-03)
3. DEVONTA SMITH (ALABAMA) (17-20)
4. Justin Blackmon (Oklahoma St) (09-10)
5. Desmond Howard (Michigan) (89-91)
6. Michael Crabtree (Texas Tech) (07-08)
7. Johnny Rodgers (Nebraska) (70-72)
8. Tim Brown (Notre Dame) (84-87)
9. Calvin Johnson (Georgia Tech) (04-06)
10. Keyshawn Johnson (USC) (94-95)

14. Ja'Marr Chase (LSU) (18-19)
15. Reidel Anthony (Florida) (94-96)
17. Josh Reed (LSU) (99-01)
20. Wendell Davis (LSU) (85-87)
25. Amari Cooper (Alabama) (12-14)
32. Mike Evans (Texas A&M) (12-13)
33. Wes Chandler (Florida) (74-77)
39. Ozzie Newsome (Alabama) (74-77)
41. Danario Alexander (Missouri) (06-09)
44. AJ Green (Georgia) (08-10)