Storyline Countdown No. 7: Which Wide Receiver Will Emerge as the No. 1 Option?

PFB’s countdown to football season by counting down the 15 most intriguing storylines continues today with a look at the No. 7 storyline we’re tracking going into 2018.

Storyline rank: No. 7
Storyline: Which WR will emerge as the No. 1 option?

Why this matters: Since Oklahoma State flipped its offense in 2010, it has only gone two seasons without a 1,000-yard receiver. The first was 2013 when Tracy Moore led the team with 738 receiving yards, but it almost didn’t matter because OSU still should have won the Big 12 with the best defense in school history. The second was in 2014 when Jerry Rice in his prime probably couldn’t have eked out a 1,000-yard season.

Of course OSU has also had NFL draft picks manning the No. 1 slot at receiver in most of those seasons. They may or may not have that this year, but with a defense that probably won’t be as good as 2013’s, a defined hierarchy of receivers will be important to the Pokes’ overall success.

How it could play out: I legitimately don’t know. Here are the 2017 numbers for what we presume will be OSU’s top four guys going into the year.

• Jalen McCleskey: 50 rec. | 645 yards | 12.9 YPC | 5 TD
• Dillon Stoner 44 rec. | 576 yards | 13.1 YPC | 6 TD
• Tyron Johnson: 18 rec. | 293 yards | 16.3 YPC | 3 TD
• Tylan Wallace: 7 rec. | 118 yards | 16.9 YPC | 0 TD

I could be talked into any of them leading this team in any of those four categories. Tyron probably has the most raw ability (Carson nods violently). Stoner and McCleskey are probably the most trustworthy and consistent (and they definitely know the playbook best). And Tylan might end up having the best college career of all of them.

Mike Gundy’s thoughts: The head ball coach brought something up earlier this month that made me rethink the way I was considering OSU’s receivers. Essentially, that because last year’s were so good, they overshadowed the fact that this year’s crop might be slightly less good but still awesome. Like, if last year was a 10 at WR, this year might be a 9, which is good enough, at least at that position to contend for the Big 12.

“It’s interesting that if you remove the guys that we had last year that are in the NFL. Just take those three guys and if you look at the circumstances, that was a very unusual class of wide receivers. People would look at us very differently at wide receivers this year. They are kind of just seeing them as what’s left. I have a lot of confidence in 1 and 17 and 13, I think those guys can make plays. The timing for the quarterback at this time is pretty good for a guy that’s just stepping in after having three guys going into the NFL.”

My thoughts: I wouldn’t bet any amount of money or my existence on it, but I suppose I think Stoner will eventually emerge as WR1 in this offense. It might make more sense for somebody on the outside like Tyron, given Corn Baron’s big boy arm, but I’m enamored with Stoner’s versatility. Ultimately, the safest bet is that there won’t actually be a true WR1, and that OSU is more likely to have four guys with between 500-1,000 yards than one guy over 1,000 yards. But in the race to the 1K marker, I’ll take the guy The President endorsed last December.

“I’m very proud of that guy,” Washington said of No. 17. “Since he came in, he’s been a hard worker, so it’s not like he shocked me with his effort, because I always knew he had it in him. I’m looking forward to seeing what he does these next few years.”

Previous Countdowns

No. 15: How will OSU use all its running backs in 2018?
No. 14: Will Rodarius Williams and A.J. Green have to play as much as they did in 2017?
No. 13: Is Tyron Johnson the X-Factor for OSU?
No. 12: Which Cowboy Back Will Emerge for OSU?
No. 11: How does a reloading year shape expectations?
No. 10: Why is Mike Yurcich not more beloved in Stillwater?
No. 9: How much better will the offensive line be in 2018?
No. 8: Who will be “the guy” on defense?