Stormin in Norman
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Oklahoma football: Stadium Talk ranks former OU WR third best all-time

By Chip Rouse

Nov 5, 2011; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners receiver Ryan Broyles (85) runs after a catch while being defended Texas A&M Aggies during the second half at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 5, 2011; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners receiver Ryan Broyles (85) runs after a catch while being defended Texas A&M Aggies during the second half at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /
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If asked to create a list of — let alone rank — the greatest college wide receivers of all time, even the most dedicated Oklahoma football fan probably wouldn’t include a former Sooner on that list.

Although Oklahoma has produced some outstanding wide receivers, a good number of whom fall in the present century — when considering the best of the best who played football at Oklahoma, the wide receiver position does not come readily to mind.

Although OU operates today out of a more balanced offensive system, blending both the passing game along with running the football, it wasn’t always that way. The Sooners will forever be linked to Bud Wilkinson’s Split-T offense and, of course, the Wishbone offense. Barry Switzer didn’t invent the Wishbone, but he sure as heck perfected it. Both of these offenses were run heavy, which is why OU’s first three Heisman winners were all running backs.

In the 2000s, Oklahoma has become known for producing outstanding college quarterbacks. Four Heisman Trophy winners, another who won college football’s most prestigious individual honor after leaving OU (Caleb Williams) and a pair of Heisman runners-up will do that for you.

But circling back to the original premise for this article, Oklahoma is not a place you would typically identify with the all-time best of college wide receivers.

The social media sports website StadiumTalk.com has ranked the top-25 college wide receivers of all time, based on career receiving yardage. In what was a huge surprise to me, former Oklahoma star Ryan Broyles is No. 3 on the list. The top five on the list might surprise you as well:

No. 1 Corey Davis, Western Michigan (2013-16), 5,278 yards, 332 receptions, 32 TDs

No. 2 Trevor Insley, Nevada (1996-99), 5,005 yards, 298 receptions, 35 TDs

No. 3 Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma (2008-11), 4,586 yards, 349 receptions, 45 TDs

No. 4 Justin Hardy, East Carolina (2011-14), 4,541 yards, 387 receptions, 36 TDs

No. 5 Marcus Harris, Wyoming (1993-96), 4,518 yards, 259 receptions, 38 TDs

Here is an excerpt of what Stadium Talk had this to say about Broyles’ accomplishments at OU:

"“One of the smallest players on this list at 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds, Broyles was a two-time All-American at Oklahoma and set an FBS career receptions record as a senior in 2011.“Broyles missed the final four games of his senior season after tearing his ACL. Had he kept going or stayed a little ahead of the pace he was on, he would have had a shot at the NCAA receiving yards record.”"

The staff at Stadium Talk created a similar list earlier this year for the top 20 college tight ends of all time. The Sooners placed two on this list, headed by No. 1 Keith Jackson (1984-87). Mark Andrews (2015-17) is No. 6. It surprised me that former Sooner Jermaine Gresham (2006-09) was not on the list.

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