Why Dillon Stoner Should Be a Top Target for OSU in 2018

Every quarterback needs “that guy.”

When you have to get a first down, he’s the one you throw the ball to. For Mason Rudolph that was Marcell Ateman last year. For Brandon Weeden that was Josh Cooper.

For whomever is taking snaps behind center this upcoming season, that should be redshirt sophomore receiver Dillon Stoner.

Allow Pro Football Focus to make my first point. This season, Stoner will return with the Big 12’s best passer rating when targeted.

Leading all returning Big 12 WRs in passer rating when targeted – Dillon Stoner of Oklahoma State pic.twitter.com/oA1RsbQZLB

— PFF College (@PFF_College) May 7, 2018

In 2017, Stoner caught 44 of 57 passes for a team-leading 77.2 percent catch rate. He finished the season fourth in catches and receiving yards and third in receiving touchdowns.

He was also one of Mason Rudolph’s favorite and most reliable third down targets.

Rudolph had good reason to look Stoner’s way on third downs. Of his 15 targets, Stoner caught nine of them (60 percent) with eight of those receptions converting a first down.

Stoner had some memorable moments last season. Maybe none was bigger than catching the game-winning touchdown against Iowa State. Throw in two 100-yard games (Pitt & Kansas) and a touchdown catch in each of the last three games and I would consider that a very successful second season.

Now, with James Washington and Marcell Ateman gone, there is plenty of reason to believe Stoner will take another step forward.

With comments Coach Gundy made about Stoner before the Camping World Bowl last season, I’d be shocked if he doesn’t get plenty of opportunities to make that happen.

“Stoner is reliable,” Gundy said according to NewsOK. “He’s in the right place all the time. He’s a good one. We’d like to take a lot like him.”

Stoner might not be the most flashy name on the receiver depth chart with the likes of Tyron Johnson, Tylan Wallace and even newcomers like C.J. Moore, but I would be shocked if he ended the season fourth in receptions and receiving yards for a second straight year.

When this season’s quarterback — be it Cornelius, Brown, Sanders, or Wudtee — needs to pick up that third and 8 to keep Oklahoma State’s hopes of beating Texas or TCU or Boise State alive, I hope he sets his eye on No. 17 this year.