Top 25 College Football 'Home Run Hitters'

The excitement for the return of football continues to build, with exactly seven weeks until the start of the 2011 college football season. In this slideshow, we break down the best offensive playmakers in the land with a countdown of the top "home run hitters" in college football. This description (in my mind, at least) is most apt for players that score touchdowns in bunches, but there's also the "threat to score whenever they touch the ball" factor for some of these players whose TD totals don't knock your socks off.

This list excludes quarterbacks and is only based on current FBS schools. For those of you college fantasy football players, look to draft these players early, especially in leagues that reward bonus points for long plays.

25. WR Marquis Maze, Alabama

He is a legitimate deep threat with blazing speed and improved hands. Maze has gained 15.2 yards per catch in his 80 career receptions.

With Julio Jones gone to greener pastures, it is now Maze’s turn to make jaws drop in Tuscaloosa. He has never caught more than five passes in a game, but he will be a top target in the Tide’s passing attack, along with fellow senior Darius Hanks.

24. WR Dwight Jones, North Carolina

He’s certainly a streaky player, but when he’s on there aren’t many wideouts better than the 6'4", 225-pound Jones. With UNC’s other top receivers no longer with the team, Jones should be targeted many more times in 2011.

Jones had two monster games last year. The first one was a 198-yard, two-touchdown performance at Virginia. One of those scores went for 81 yards. Three weeks later, he gained 233 yards at Florida State, which included a 67-yard TD grab. In five road games in 2010, Jones finished with 669 yards (133.8 per game) and three of his four touchdowns.

23. RB Lance Dunbar, North Texas

You might not have ever seen him play, but Dunbar is legit. His career 6.1 yards-per-carry average ranks third among all FBS running backs. At 5'9" and weighing 203 pounds, Dunbar is rock solid. He also scored 14 touchdowns in his final eight games last year, which included an 83-yard scamper versus Louisiana-Monroe.

And before you dismiss these numbers as a product of the Sun Belt, he actually had his best game of the season against a Big 12 school. In the Mean Green’s 49-41 season-ending loss to Kansas State, Dunbar rushed 22 times for 270 yards (12.3 YPC) and three touchdowns, while adding another TD on the receiving end.

His speed is certainly aided by artificial turf, and Dunbar will only play one game on a grass field this year, when North Texas visits Alabama on Sept. 17.

22. RB Jeff Demps, Florida

Despite numerous injuries in his career, Demps is still one of the fastest players in college football. He has gained 7.1 yards per carry in his career while racking up four runs of at least 60 yards.

In 2010, he dashed for a 72-yard score against Miami University, and then busted out with a 54-yard kick return and a 62-yard TD run in the same game against South Florida. The touchdown was huge, as it snapped a 7-7 tie in the third quarter.

With Charlie Weis now in Gainesville, look for Demps to bust some more long scoring plays in 2011. 

21. WR Joe Adams, Arkanasas

Adams has an uncanny ability to gain yards after the catch, which helped him average 15.2 yards per play last year that ranked second in the SEC. He also has the ability to play well against top-notch competition, scoring a touchdown against Texas A&M, Auburn, LSU and Ohio State last year. His nine grabs in the Sugar Bowl versus the Buckeyes marked a career high.

He’s also a top-notch return man, posting the nation’s longest punt return of the 2010 season, a 97-yarder against Ole Miss that you can see here (with a killer block near midfield) on You Tube. 

20. RB Isaiah Pead, Cincinnati

With a whopping 6.6 yards per carry in his career, Pead is certainly explosive. He scored five touchdowns in a 69-38 drubbing of Rutgers last year. The senior also torched Oklahoma last year for 169 rushing yards on 21 carries (8.0 YPC).

With two excellent offensive teammates in QB Zach Collaros and WR D.J. Woods, the 5'11", 198-pound Pead isn’t always the focal point of opposing defenses, which is exactly the way Pead wants it. 

19. WR Roy Roundtree, Michigan

The Wolverines’ new multiple-set offense under Brady Hoke could be an adjustment for QB Denard Robinson, but it would behoove the team to allow Roundtree to get as many targets as humanly possible.

Roundtree dominated down the stretch last season, starting with his 75-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage of the 67-65 triple-OT win over Illinois last year. Roundtree gained 246 receiving yards that day, then caught 27 more passes (three for touchdowns) in the final four games of the season. 

18. WR T.Y. Hilton, Florida International

FIU is not on national television too much, but as you can see by this You Tube punt return touchdown versus Kansas in 2008 (his first play of his college career), Hilton is a player.

The 5'10", 183-pound senior is even better now. Last year Hilton had a 95-yard kickoff return TD versus Louisiana-Monroe and an 80-yard touchdown run against Troy. He finished the season with 1,130 yards from scrimmage (848 receiving, 282 rushing) with another 959 return yards.

Speaking of which, Hilton has five career scores off kick returns (four kickoffs, one punt).

17. WR Marvin McNutt, Iowa

Not only does he have a tremendous name, but McNutt is now the best offensive player for Iowa this year. Standing 6'4" and weighing 215 pounds, this guy is a beast. He has scored eight touchdowns in each of the past two seasons, and had a run of getting into the end zone for six straight games last year, all versus Big Ten opponents.

He also has big-play ability, with a 66-yard gain against Iowa State last year and a 92-yard touchdown reception against Indiana in 2009. He has averaged a stellar 17.6 yards per reception in his career.

16. RB Doug Martin, Boise State

Kellen Moore and the passing game gets most of the pub in Idaho, but Boise State fans realize just how valuable Martin is to their team. Last year he rushed for 1,260 yards and 12 scores, averaging 6.3 yards per carry.

If you’re not convinced of Martin’s explosiveness, check out the ankle-breaking moves with Martin’s 79-yard TD catch-and-run in the fourth quarter versus Nevada last year, courtesy of You Tube.

Two games later versus Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl, with Boise State trailing 3-0 midway through the second quarter, Martin broke the game open with this 84-yard dash.  

15. WR Patrick Edwards, Houston

He caught 71 passes for 1,100 yards and 13 touchdowns last year, and that was without Case Keenum for the most part. If Keenum stays healthy in 2011, there’s no telling how high Edwards’ numbers can jump.

The 5'9", 175-pound junior actually caught 85 passes in 2009 as a sophomore, but only gained 12.0 yards per reception. He was more of a big-play threat in 2010, averaging 15.5 yards per catch as he improved his ability to gain yards after the catch. He’s also a talented return man, tallying a 74-yard punt return TD at Memphis last year.

14. RB Ray Graham, Pittsburgh

He had the most all-purpose yards in a single FBS game last year, racking up 374 total yards against Florida International. Graham rushed for 277, had 78 yards of kick returns and gained another 19 yards through the air.

Although he never rushed for more than 90 yards for the remainder of the season, much of that had to do with the presence of Dion Lewis. All totaled, Graham finished 2010 with 922 rushing yards, 6.2 yards per carry and 10 total TD. He could very well be the best running back in the Big East this season. 

13. WR Jarius Wright, Arkansas

Although he’s the third option in the passing game with fellow WR stud teammates Greg Childs and Joe Adams, Wright is the big-play receiver with a gaudy highest career 17.8 yards-per-catch average. He reportedly ran a 4.27 in the 40-yard dash in March.

He came on strong at the end of last season, catching all five of his touchdowns in the final six games. Over that span, he gained 450 yards on 23 catches, which equates to a whopping 19.6 YPC average. Nine of his receptions last year went for 25 or more yards, including an 89-yard TD catch against Mississippi State.

It will be interesting to see how Wright adjusts to life after Ryan Mallett, but Tyler Wilson appears to be a capable replacement under center. Arkansas also has a strong rushing attack with Knile Davis, which also reduces Wright’s play-making opportunities. 

12. RB Onterio McCalebb, Auburn

Despite never getting more than a dozen carries in any game last year, McCalebb still finished with 810 rushing yards and a crazy 8.5 yards-per-carry average. His 99-yard kick return against Arkansas was pretty special, but the biggest reason he’s on this list is for his game-winning 70-yard touchdown scamper with just over five minutes left in a tie game versus mighty LSU last year.

You can see for yourself with this two-minute piece put together by AuburnAthletics at this link on You Tube, made better with an appearance from Bo Jackson.

11. WR Juron Criner, Arizona

Although his mysterious medical condition could reportedly keep him off the field this season, Criner has certainly earned a place on this list. He led the Pac-10 in both catches (6.3 per game) and receiving yards (94.9 per game) last year, getting into the end zone 11 times.  He had at least six catches in eight different games last year and scored touchdowns in eight of his final 10 games.

His signature “home run” moment came against Oregon when he hauled in an 85-yard TD catch. Best wishes to Criner to get healthy and add more highlights this year to his already impressive resume.

10. RB Chris Polk, Washington

After seeing the way Polk ran the football at the end of last season, Huskies fans are excited to watch him dominate in his upcoming junior campaign. Polk rushed for 685 yards (6.4 per carry) and five touchdowns in his final four games, helping lead his team to wins in all four contests.

Included in the late-season surge was a 284-yard effort at rival Washington State, which featured a 72-yard rush and a 57-yard rushing touchdown. With Jake Locker now playing on Sundays, this offense centers around Polk and his breakaway speed.

9. WR Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma

Any guy that catches 131 passes in a single season has to be considered a home run hitter. Broyles scored on 14 of those grabs, gaining 1,622 yards in the process (third best in FBS). He now has 266 career receptions for 3,429 yards and 35 touchdowns.

His longest touchdown in 2010 was an 81-yarder versus Colorado, which was a big part of his career-best 208 receiving yards that game. Broyles is also an amazing punt returner, with a career average of 11.2 yards per return. In 2009 versus rival Oklahoma State, he returned eight punts for an insane 209 yards (26.1 average) and a touchdown.

8. RB Cyrus Gray, Texas A&M

His 84-yard touchdown run against Texas last Thanksgiving clinched his spot on this list. He later scored on a 48-yard TD burst as part of his 223-yard performance against his rival Longhorns. You can check them out on YouTube here.

Gray averaged 134 rushing yards per game in his final seven contests, tallying at least 100 yards in all seven games, which included Oklahoma, Nebraska and LSU as his opposing defenses. He also scored four times at Baylor during a 42-30 victory.

7. RB Marcus Lattimore, South Carolina

He’s only a sophomore, but Lattimore is already one of the top five rushers in college football. He posted SIX multi-touchdown games last season with three scores apiece versus Alabama, Florida, Kentucky and Troy.

Lattimore finished with 19 total touchdowns and 1,609 yards from scrimmage as a freshman, and there’s no reason to think he can’t surpass those numbers in 2011. He’s also helped greatly by having WR Alshon Jeffery as a teammate, which prevents opposing defenses from stacking the box against Lattimore too often.

6. WR Michael Floyd, Notre Dame

He is already Notre Dame’s all-time leader in TD receptions with 28, despite only logging 30 games. Assuming that he will be re-instead in August from his DUI-related suspension, Floyd should continue to make all kinds of plays with a healthy Dayne Crist throwing him the football.

The 6'3", 227-pound Floyd has been consistently excellent, with at least 80 receiving yards in 19 career games. This includes 13 contests in which he’s gained 100 or more yards.

5. WR Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina

The junior has been named to some first team All-American squads in preview magazines, which could happen if his quarterback, Stephen Garcia, manages to remain suspension-free this season. He has shown on numerous occasions that he only needs one hand to catch a pass, like the grab against Kentucky in 2009 shown here on You Tube.

Jeffery, whose 1,517 receiving yards ranked fourth in the nation, had three very long gains last year. He caught a 69-yard pass at Auburn, hauled in 72-yard TD grab at Vanderbilt and scored a game-winning 70-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter versus Tennessee.

4. WR Damaris Johnson, Tulsa

The 5'7" Johnson had FOUR games with at least 280 all-purpose yards last season, including three of his final five opponents (Rice, UTEP and Hawaii).

He finished the season with 13 total touchdowns and 10.2 yards per carry (55 rushes, 560 yards). He’s also the favorite target of a very good QB in G.J. Kinne, and ended the 2010 campaign in style with 30 catches for 549 yards and four touchdowns in his final six games. Also, Johnson’s 12.7 yards per punt return and 26.6 yards per kick return were both among the Top 25 in the nation last year.

If you haven’t seen him play, Johnson will get to face some of the best competition in the land this year as Tulsa plays Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Boise State during the non-conference portion of its schedule.

3. RB LaMichael James, Oregon

As last year’s FBS leader in both rushing yards (1,731) and total touchdowns (24), James’ inclusion on this list is not surprising. He has as good a chance as any to win the Heisman this year.

James has 13 multi-TD efforts in two collegiate seasons and carries an impressive 6.3 yards per carry in his career. He caught an 84-yard touchdown pass against Washington State, but his opponent was much more impressive during this 76-yard score against Stanford last year.

This video from You Tube won’t win any Emmys, but it shows a pretty good angle of the TD run versus the Cardinal.

2. WR Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State

The FBS leader in receiving touchdowns (20) by a wide margin is back for another season of creating sleepless night for opposing defensive coordinators.

Blackmon caught 111 passes last year for 1,782 yards (16.1 average), including two touchdown grabs of 80-plus yards. He caught an 81-yard TD pass against Tulsa, and then grabbed an 80-yarder against Nebraska.

With talented QB Brandon Weeden chucking the pigskin, there’s no reason to think Blackmon’s home run total will decrease in 2011. 

1. RB Trent Richardson, Alabama

He’s been billed as both the strongest and fastest player on his national championship-caliber team. At 225 pounds, Richardson is packs quite a wallop. He also gained 15-plus yards on 36 different plays last year.

Despite being in the same backfield as Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram last year, Richardson still scored 11 total touchdowns and averaged 6.3 yards per carry. He also sports a career 26.2-yard average in returning kicks. He ran for a 65-yard touchdown at Tennessee last year, and also scored on an 85-yard TD catch and run against Ole Miss.

But his most impressive long TD was a 52-yard beauty against Arkansas in 2009, as seen here on You Tube.