PFB Staff Ranks the Top 5 Wide Receivers in Oklahoma State History

[extreme Bill Belichick voice] We’re on to the wide receivers.

On Monday, our staff ranked the top five running backs in Oklahoma State history based on who we think is worthy of such acclaim. We’re back with another staff poll ranking the program’s top five receivers of all time.

One thing to note: our staff is comprised entirely of millennials. So the majority of our exposure to OSU football consists of games played in the 1990s, 2000s, 2010 and now 2020s. That said, we’ve done the leg work to make sure our list is inclusive of all the great talents historically. Boomers may see things differently, and that’s fine, but we’ve done what we think is the best job ranking all the receivers regardless of when they played.

Let’s do this!

1. Justin Blackmon

The undisputed GOAT of OSU receivers — and maybe of all college receivers — both past and present. Blackmon is one of two receivers (joining Michael Crabtree) to win the Biletnikoff Award twice in his career, and Blackmon’s 233 receptions and 3,304 yards receiving across the 2010 and 2011 seasons remains one of the best runs for a college player in recent decades.

2. Rashaun Woods

You could argue Dez or Hart Lee or even James Washington deserves to be here — but you would, of course, be wrong. Woods remains the all-time leader in career receptions for OSU all-time with 293, and the Rashaun is still open phrase — the product of an all-time Bedlam showing in 2002 — remains one of the all-time greats. His 7-TD game vs. SMU in 2003 remains one of the most legendary showings of all-time, too.

3. Dez Bryant

If we were ranking this list strictly off icon status, Dez might be No. 1. He ranks just eighth on the all-time receiving yards list and his 1,480 yards receiving in 2008 was only the sixth-most during a season, but he was among the most fun players to watch of the last two decades, and his legendary Cowboys career helped OSU consistently recruit big-time talents from Texas (and specifically at WR).

4. James Washington

Washington’s 4,472 career receiving yards stands No. 1 on the all-time list for OSU and may not be soon topped. The former Biletnikoff winner was a special downfield threat who helped unlock Mason Rudolph, forming one of the best 1-2 punches on offense of the Mike Gundy era. He had a ton of legendary showings, but I’ll always remember his breakout showing vs. Baylor in 2014 — the official start of the Rudolph era — quite fondly. He finished with only four receptions but converted it to 114 yards and a score.

5. Hart Lee Dykes

My dad is a boomer and he — along with everyone in his age group and even the Gen Xers — swear by Dykes’ talents and would match him up with anyone on this list. So I’m here to represent the boomers to sneak him in at No. 5 on this list, even if my own ballot doesn’t reflect as much. He’s still fourth on the all-time receiving yards and receiving touchdowns list for OSU despite playing in only 41 games — fewer than Washington and Woods ahead of him.

Honorable mentions

Tylan Wallace: I had Tylan at No. 5 on my ballot but he narrowly missed our top five staff ranking. He was consistently one of the best downfield playmakers who thrived in contested catch situations. His appearance on You Got Mossed was pretty great, too, and very much deserved.

Turns out, @DeAndreHopkins has been Mossing people since way back when. 👀

It's time for #YouGotMossed! pic.twitter.com/ncm3JCiPXQ

— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) October 28, 2018

Adarius Bowman: Adarius Bowman being an honorable mention shows just how deep OSU’s history at receiver is. His name remains all over the record books, and he still holds the record for most receiving yards in a single game with 300 against Kansas in 2006.

What ifs

Tyron Siren goes OSU first? I very vividly remember derailing a family vacation while trying to follow the commitment of then-five-star recruit Tyron Johnson, who was the No. 1 receiver recruit in the class. Johnson committed during an All-American game and was down to LSU and OSU, before staying in-state to sign with the Tigers. He finished his college career at OSU and was a mesmerizing talent, but I’ll always wonder what would have happened had he began his career with the Cowboys. The Rudolph-to-Washington connection very well could’ve been the Rudolph-to-Tyron connection if their rapport had been built earlier.

CJ Moore? After watching Moore at Tulsa Union in 2017 or 2018, I convinced myself he was a special talent who could be on the level of his family Tracy Moore. After he signed with OSU, I convinced myself he was the next Randy Moss. He was neither. Moore flamed out at OSU and wound up with only four career receptions for 81 yards. In an alternate universe I still believe he becomes the first-ever three-time winner of the Biletnikoff and you can not convince me otherwise.

What if Tyreek was used differently? That 2014 OSU offense — led by Daxx Garman for most of the season — was a tire fire wrapped inside a dumpster. So I can’t totally fault OSU for using him mostly as a running back and return specialist, just given how desperate they were to get their best playmaker the ball consistently. But man …. what if OSU had used Tyreek — now considered one of the most special talents in NFL history at receiver — as a consistent receiver? It’s still crazy to think he played a full year and finished with only 31 receptions to 102 rushing attempts.

Individual ballots

Marshall Scott

RANK	Receivers
1	Justin Blackmon
2	Rashaun Woods
3	James Washington
4	Dez Bryant
5	Hart Lee Dykes
6	Tylan Wallace
7	Adarius Bowman

Kyle Boone

RANK	Receivers
1	Justin Blackmon
2	Rashaun Woods
3	James Washington
4	Dez Bryant
5	Tylan Wallace
6	Hart Lee Dykes
7	Adarius Bowman

Kyle Cox

RANK	Receivers
1	Justin Blackmon
2	Dez Bryant
3	Rashaun Woods
4	Hart Lee Dykes
5	Tylan Wallace
6	Adarius Bowman
7	James Washington