The Best Freshman Wide Receiver Ever
The talent of the nations most intriguing freshman wide receivers is undeniable. Top-10 picks (possibly Top-5) awaits Alabama's Ryan Williams and Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith. ESPN has called Smith a generational talent at the position, and Williams has a huge NIL deal and celebrity followers. Are either of them the best freshman wide receiver ever?
Neither player leads the nation in receptions, yards, or touchdowns. The leader in all three of those stats is San Jose State's Nick Nash. The senior wideout has 80 receptions for 995 yards and 12 touchdowns. Williams has 35 receptions for 702 yards and 7 touchdowns. Smith has 35 receptions for 623 yards and 8 touchdowns. The numbers put up by Michael Crabtree in his freshman season at Texas Tech dwarfs all three players.
The Best Freshman Wide Receiver Ever
Crabtree wasn't a receiver in high school. He played quarterback for David W Carter High School in Dallas, TX. He only threw 100 passes as a senior, connecting on 45 of them, for 870 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also had a 100 carries for 646 yards and 9 touchdowns. He was given a prospect score of 4-stars by Rivals, and position classified as Athlete.
After a visit with the Kansas Jayhawks, Crabtree committed to Texas Tech in 2006. He decided to redshirt as a true freshman, and learn the receiver position. Bobby Knight approached Crabtree to gauge his interest in basketball for the Red Raiders (He averaged 21 ppg in high school). He opted to just play football.
Crabtree's redshirt freshman year got off to a hot start. He scored 3 touchdowns in five of his first six games. He had over 200 yards receiving twice. By the end of the season, Crabtree had set the NCAA record for most 100 yard games by a freshman (11), most receptions by a freshman (134), most receiving yards by a freshman (1,962), and most receiving touchdowns by a freshman (22).
By those standards, his sophomore year was a step backwards. He had 97 reception for 1,165 yards, and 19 touchdowns. He was the 10th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. He played 11 seasons in the league, amassing almost 7,500 yards and over 50 touchdowns.
There's no telling how the college careers and inevitable pro careers of Smith and Williams will play out. The only thing for certain, is that no matter what their stats look like by the end of the season, neither will be considered the greatest freshman wide receiver in NCAA history.