ESPN recently ranked the top-50 college football wide receivers of the last 50 years and the Georgia Bulldogs had one player make the list.
That player was Georgia great A.J. Green, who is arguably the most purely talented receiver in Georgia history.
Green checked in at No. 44 on the list.
On Green, ESPN’s Bill Connelly wrote:
Years: 2008-10
Career Stats: 166 catches, 2,619 yards, 23 TDs (also: 105 rushing yards)Despite playing basically only 2.5 seasons, the former five-star recruit from Summerville, South Carolina, was one of the sport’s steadiest stars, catching between 53 and 57 balls for between 808 and 963 yards in each of his three seasons.
Green likely would have been higher on this list if not for his four-game suspension to start the 2010 season after admitting to selling his 2009 Independence Bowl Jersey for $1,000.
But what is there not to say about Green? From his amazing one-handed catches to his prime-time performances, this guy was an absolute beast. If he didn’t declare for the NFL draft after his junior season, he would undoubtedly hold every Georgia receiving record in the book. In just 2.5 seasons with Georgia, Green managed to place fourth in career receptions (166), second in career receiving yards (2,619), and second in career TD receptions (23). He also holds the Georgia record for most receptions by a freshman with 56 back in 2008. In 2009 and 2010, Green was named as a first-team All-American. He went on to be the fourth pick in the 2011 NFL draft (Bengals) and a seven-time Pro Bowler.
#PlayOfTheDay (2010): Georgia's AJ Green makes a spectacular one-handed catch for the TD against Colorado. pic.twitter.com/qgSROd8XoA
— Pick Six Previews (@PickSixPreviews) May 7, 2020
A total of 10 former SEC stars made the list.
- No. 3 – DeVonta Smith, Alabama
- No. 14 – Ja’Marr Chase, LSU
- No. 15 – Reidel Anthony, Florida
- No. 17 – Josh Reed, LSU
- No. 20 – Wendell Davis, LSU
- No. 25 – Amari Cooper, Alabama
- No. 32 – Mike Evans, Texas A&M
- No. 33 – Wes Chandler, Florida
- No. 39 – Ozzie Newsome, Alabama
- No. 44 – A.J. Green, Georgia
No. 1 on the list was Marshall’s Randy Moss.
Should Georgia’s Terrence Edwards have made the list?
He is the only receiver in school history to record over 1,000 receiving yards in a season (1,004 in 2002) and over 3,000 receiving yards in a career (3,093). He holds both records for UGA. Edwards was even the SEC leader in receiving yards for about 10 years until Vanderbilt wide receiver Jordan Matthews broke his mark in 2013.
