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Five Stats On The Underrated Career of Dillon Stoner

An ode to a great Cowboy.

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Dillon Stoner this week, I’m deeply sad to report, hinted that his Perry Ellis-like career at Oklahoma State will come to an end after the Cheez-It Bowl. It’ll be the capper of an underrated career from the in-state Cowboy who never got a ton of praise or accolades, but was as consistent and steady as they come.

So to celebrate Stoner’s accomplishments and his career I culled together five notable stats that Stoner put together at Oklahoma State. I was shocked pleasantly surprised at what I found.

1. Top-10 In Career Receiving Yards

Put some respect on the kid’s name! Stoner is top-10 all-time in career receiving yards at OSU. With 2,335 yards, he jumped comfortably to No. 9 — leapfrogging Josh Stewart and Adarius Bowman with his 530 receiving yards this season. He needs only 90 yards in the bowl game to tie Dez Bryant at No. 8. Dez Bryant!

RANK PLAYER YEARS Total Yards
1 James Washington 2014-2017 4472
2 Rashaun Woods 2000-2003 4414
3 Justin Blackmon 2009-2011 3564
4 Hart Lee Dykes 1985-1988 3510
5 Tylan Wallace 2017-2020 3384
6 D’Juan Woods 2003-2006 2695
7 Marcell Ateman 2013-2017 2466
8 Dez Bryant 2007-2009 2425
9 Dillon Stoner 2016-2020 2335
10 Josh Stewart 2011-2013 2204

He and Marcell Ateman are the only two on the top-10 list to crack the top eight despite never leading an OSU team in a single-season in receiving yards. If that’s not a perfect Dillon Stoner stat then I don’t know what is. He was the epitome of consistency and longevity.

2. Top-10 (!) In Punt Return Yards Since At Least 2000

I won’t lie, this one surprised me. Stoner finished his career eighth all-time in punt return yardage (among players since 2000). He had the third-lowest punt return average of everyone in the top-10 — ahead of only Josh Cooper and Jalen McCleskey — despite having the third-most punt return attempts. (There’s not a stat on fair-catch attempts but I’m guessing he leads the list in that category.)

RANK PLAYER TOT GAMES TOT RETURNS PUNT RET YDS PUNT RET AVG PUNT RET TDS
1 Gabe Lindsay 32 61 812 13.3 2
2 Perrish Cox 48 60 694 11.6 2
3 Terrance Davis-Bryant 33 54 630 11.7 0
4 Darrent Williams 15 22 482 21.9 3
5 Josh Stewart 37 25 438 17.5 2
6 Dez Bryant 27 22 431 19.6 3
7 Dillon Stoner 50 55 372 6.8 0
8 Josh Cooper 37 38 256 6.7 1
9 Tyreek Hill 12 27 256 9.5 1
10 Jalen McCleskey 42 33 191 5.8 1

Stoner wasn’t ever an electric return man in the punt game or kickoff game but there’s no mystery as to why he was a Gundy favorite. He rarely fumbled and was as reliable as they come.

3. Exclusive, Versatile Company

Only eight players over the last two decades at Oklahoma State — all running backs or receivers — recorded at least one punt return, one kickoff return, one rushing attempt and one passing attempt over the course of their career. Stoner is among the eight, and the only of the bunch — which includes Bo Bowling, Terrance Davis Bryant, Jalen McCleskey, Joseph Randle, Brandon Sheperd, Josh Stewart and Tylan Wallace — to have thrown for a touchdown. He finished his career 2-of-4 passing for 5 yards with a remarkable 143.0 quarterback rating. (He probably could’ve been quarterback at Jenks High School but between playing receiver, safety, punter and kick holder, it’s fair to assume his duties were maxed out.)

4. Top-10 in Receptions

Over the course of his career, Stoner caught 186 passes, putting him just outside the top-five (!) all-time in OSU’s total receptions leaders. Only Rashaun Woods (293), Justin Blackmon (252), James Washington (226), Hart Lee Dykes (211) and Tylan Wallace (199) have more.

5. That Baylor breakout!

For a player who averaged fewer than 50 yards receiving per game during his career, Stoner’s Baylor bonanza — where he recorded a career-high 247 yards receiving, three touchdowns and eight catches — will never not be an absolutely legendary moment. It was the third-most receiving yards in a single game in program history and was the highest single-game receiving yardage total for a major conference player all season.

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