College Football 2011: Wide Receiver Report Card for the Top 50 Teams
It's that time of year again: the time for report cards.
The running backs have already received their grades.
Its time to move on to the wide receivers.
Every lethal offensive attack requires great wide receivers and college football is always chocked full of game-changing athletes at the position.
Who are this year's best wide receiver units?
Follow along as we hand out grades for wide receivers of the nation's top 50 teams.
(Rankings courtesy of Athlon Sports College Football Preview magazine)
1. Alabama
1 of 50
Roll Tide should be solid at receiver this season with returning starters Marquis Maze and Darius Hanks.
The receiving unit will also be aided by junior college transfer Duron Carter who began his career at Ohio State.
Redshirt junior Brandon Gibson will provide depth.
Grade: A
2. Oklahoma
2 of 50
The Sooners receiving unit will be one of the best in the nation with the return of one of the nation's best players in Ryan Broyles.
Sophomore Kenny Stills set the Oklahoma school record for receptions and receiving yards by a freshman last season.
Senior DeJuan Miller figures to be a key part of the rotation after suffering a season-ending knee injury last season after only six games.
Grade: A
3. Oregon
3 of 50
The Ducks will be thin at receiver this year with only one returning starter in Lavasier Tuinei.
Sophomore Josh Huff returns after finishing the season second on the team with 1,086 all-purpose yards as a true freshman.
Former walk-on and Eugene-native Justin Hoffman will also be a starter in Chip Kelly's offense.
Grade: B+
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4. Florida State
4 of 50
Florida State looks to be solid at receiver with returning starters Bert Reed, Rodney Smith and Taiwan Easterling.
Bert Reed led the Seminoles in receptions (58) and receiving yards (614) in 2010.
Taiwan Easterling is coming off a tremendous 2010 season which saw him haul in 41 receptions for 541 yards and four scores.
Grade: A
5. Boise State
5 of 50
The Broncos face the challenge of replacing standout receivers Titus Young and Austin Pettis from a year ago.
Tyler Shoemaker is the lone returning starter from last season when he grabbed 32 receptions for 582 yards and five scores.
Geraldo Hiwat, a native of The Netherlands, will surprise in 2011 after accumulating 11 receptions for 160 yards last season.
Kirby Moore figures to be a fixture at receiver after redshirting his sophomore season.
Grade: B
6. Notre Dame
6 of 50
The fate of the Irish offense is resting on the shoulders of Michael Floyd who has been indefinitely suspended from the team.
It is up to coach Brian Kelly to reinstate him if he feels Michael Floyd has changed his attitude following an arrest for DUI in March.
This is an "A" unit with Floyd, but dips to a "B" without him.
Sophomore T.J. Jones is a returning starter who caught 23 passes for 306 yards and three scores last season as a true freshman.
Theo Riddick is another returning starter after making an easy transition from running back to receiver before going down with a severe ankle sprain last season.
Grade: A
7. Virginia Tech
7 of 50
The Hokies aren't much of a passing team, but they return two outstanding receivers in Jarrett Boykin and Danny Coale.
Jarrett Boykin is coming off an excellent 2010 season that saw him haul in 53 receptions for 847 yards and six scores.
Danny Coale also had a great season with 39 receptions for 732 yards and three scores.
Grade: A
8. LSU
8 of 50
Les Miles' LSU squad features one of the SEC's best receiver duos in juniors Russell Shepard and Rueben Randle.
Russell Shepard had an outstanding 2010 season at receiver, his first at any position other than quarterback.
Rueben Randle, another returning starter, had 31 receptions for 525 yards last season.
Redshirt freshman Jakhari Gore and sophomore James Wright will provide depth.
Grade: A
9. Ohio State
9 of 50
The Buckeyes receiving corps took a hit with the suspension of senior DeVier Posey for the first five games of this season.
Sophomores Corey Brown and Chris Fields will anchor this unit in his absence.
Redshirt freshman T.Y. Williams also figures to be a fixture in the rotation.
The grade for this unit is impacted by DeVier Posey's suspension.
Grade: B
10. Nebraska
10 of 50
Nebraska's receiving unit will be led by returning starter Brandon Kinnie who caught 44 passes for 494 yards and five scores last season.
Sophomore Quincy Enunwa will be a starter for Bo Pelini's squad, but lacks experience as he only caught one pass last season.
Grade: B-
11. Texas A&M
11 of 50
The Aggie receiving unit will be one of the best in the Big 12 this season as they will be anchored by the return of Jeff Fuller and Ryan Swope.
Jeff Fuller is coming off a 2010 season in which he hauled in 72 receptions for 1,066 yards and and 12 touchdowns.
Ryan Swope also had a great 2010 season, grabbing 72 passes for 825 yards and four touchdowns.
Uzoma Nwachukwu will be the third receiver in the starting rotation.
Grade: A
12. Oklahoma State
12 of 50
Offensive coordinator Todd Monken should be all smiles as he will have Justin Blackmon to center the passing game around.
Justin Blackmon won last season's Biletnikoff Award as the nation's top receiver after finishing the regular season with 111 receptions for 1,782 yards and 20 touchdowns.
Isaiah Anderson, Michael Harrison and Hubert Anyiam should be great complements to Justin Blackmon.
Grade: A
13. Stanford
13 of 50
The Cardinal will miss Doug Baldwin and Ryan Whalen, but Chris Owusu and Griff Whalen are ready to fill their shoes.
Chris Owusu finished last season with 25 receptions for 396 yard and three scores.
Griff Whalen had a relatively productive season, finishing with 17 receptions for 249 yards and one score.
Jamal-Rashad Patterson and Drew Terrell also figure to be in the mix at receiver.
Grade: B
14. Georgia
14 of 50
The 'Dawgs will certainly miss A.J. Green and Kris Durham, but there's still plenty of talent at receiver.
Juniors Tavarres King and Marlon Brown will be the top targets for standout quarterback Aaron Murray.
Tavarres King put up solid numbers last season, finishing with 27 receptions for 504 yards and three scores.
Marlon Brown, originally a tight end at Georgia, only had 11 receptions for 133 yards and one touchdown, but figures to significantly improve those numbers this season.
Grade: B
15. TCU
15 of 50
Most offenses suffer from the loss of all starting receivers from the previous season, but that won't be the case for Gary Patterson's TCU squad.
Josh Boyce, Antoine Hicks, and Skye Dawson will lead the Horned Frogs at receiver this fall.
Josh Boyce put up the biggest numbers of the three last season, amassing 646 yards on 34 receptions to go along with six touchdowns.
Antoine Hicks had 13 receptions for 175 yards and two touchdowns in limited playing time.
Speedster Skye Dawson finished with 12 receptions for 170 yards.
Grade: B+
16. Arkansas
16 of 50
The Razorbacks' receiving unit is one of the best in the nation heading into the 2011 season.
Anchoring the unit will be seniors Jarius Wright, Joe Adams and Greg Childs.
Joe Adams is the leading returning receiver after amassing 813 yards on 50 receptions and six touchdowns.
Greg Childs, the most lethal threat of the unit, finished last season with 46 receptions for 659 yards and six scores.
Jarius Wright also had a fantastic season statistically with 42 receptions for 788 yards and five touchdowns.
Grade: A+
17. West Virginia
17 of 50
New head coach Dana Holgorsen is hoping to implement as explosive an offense in Morgantown as he had at Oklahoma State.
That potent attack started with the receivers.
The Mountaineers will be running a four-receiver set, with Stedman Bailey being the only returning starter.
Tavon Austin will be making the switch from running back to receiver in the new scheme.
Stedman Bailey finished last season with 24 receptions for 317 yards and four touchdowns.
Grade: B
18. Florida
18 of 50
Offensive coordinator Charlie Weis, a Super Bowl-winning coordinator in the NFL, will hope to implement a lethal attack in his first season in Gainesville.
He'll have two returning starters at receiver in Frankie Hammond and Deonte Thompson.
Frankie Hammond should have a great season in 2011 after he finished last year with 22 receptions for 276 yards and three touchdowns.
Deonte Thompson had a great season, compiling 570 yards on 38 receptions and one touchdown.
Quinton Dunbar and Andre Debose will also contribute to the passing game.
Grade: A-
19. Miami
19 of 50
The Hurricanes will miss Leonard Hankerson in Al Golden's first season as head coach, but LaRon Byrd and Travis Benjamin now sit atop the depth chart.
Travis Benjamin had a great 2010 season, finishing with 43 receptions for 743 yards and three touchdowns.
His counterpart, LaRon Byrd, also had an outstanding season, amassing 41 receptions for 441 yards and and one touchdown.
Both players will have to prove that they are capable of playing in full-time roles without making the same number of mental mistakes as they did a year ago.
Grade: B+
20. USC
20 of 50
The Trojans will have plenty of firepower at receiver in Lane Kiffin's second season at the helm.
Robert Woods, Kyle Prater and George Farmer will be the top targets for quarterback Matt Barkley.
Robert Woods is the returning leading receiver, having amassed 792 yards on 65 receptions and six touchdowns last season.
Both Kyle Prater and George Farmer redshirted last season and have yet to see the field, but both are sure to be explosive players.
Grade: A-
21. South Carolina
21 of 50
Steve Spurrier's receiving unit will be bolstered by the return of one of the nation's top receivers in Alshon Jeffery.
He had a stellar 2010 campaign, finishing the season with 88 receptions for 1,517 yards and nine touchdowns.
D.L. Moore and Jason Barnes will complement him at the position.
Grade: A
22. Michigan State
22 of 50
Michigan State's receiving unit will be one of the best in the Big Ten this season.
B.J. Cunningham, Keshawn Martin and Keith Nichol will lead the unit.
B.J. Cunningham is the leading returning receiver after he finished last season with 50 receptions for 611 yards and nine touchdowns.
Keshawn Martin had a solid season, amassing 394 yards on 32 receptions and one touchdown.
Grade: A-
23. Wisconsin
23 of 50
Despite offensive coordinator Paul Chryst putting even more of an emphasis on the run game this season, the receivers will still be a critical part of the offense.
The unit will feature Jared Abbrederis and Nick Toon as the starting receivers in two tight-end sets run by the Badgers.
Nick Toon is the leading returning receiver for Bret Bielema's squad after compiling 36 receptions for 459 yards and three touchdowns last season.
Grade: B
24. Texas
24 of 50
The offensive struggles Texas endured in 2010 were not what Longhorns fans are used to.
Those same struggles may continue as the team has a very young group of receivers heading into this season.
Mike Davis is the leading returning receiver for Mack Brown's squad after he reeled in 47 receptions for 478 yards and two touchdowns a season ago.
Speedster Marquise Goodwin, also a member of the Texas track-and-field team, will be a main target for quarterback Garrett Gilbert.
Grade: B
25. Missouri
25 of 50
Missouri's passing game may be one of the best in the Big 12 this season, with all three starting receivers from last season returning.
Seniors Jerrell Jackson and Wes Kemp will be tough match-ups for most secondaries in the conference.
T.J. Moe is the leading returning receiver after hauling in 92 receptions for 1,045 yards and six touchdowns last season.
Marcus Lucas, Brandon Gerau and Bud Sasser will add depth.
Grade: A
26. Iowa
26 of 50
Incoming starting quarterback James Vandenberg may have jitters during games this season, but those fears should be quelled by the return of receiver Marvin McNutt.
He and fellow receivers Kennan Davis, Don Shumpert and Kevonte Martin-Manley make for a solid group of receivers for offensive coordinator Ken O'Keefe's unit.
Marvin McNutt had a great season in 2010, bringing in 53 receptions for 861 yards and eight touchdowns.
Grade: B+
27. Mississippi State
27 of 50
The Rebels certainly didn't have a great passing attack last season, as running back Brandon Bolden is the leading returning receiver for Houston Nutt's team.
Mississippi State's receiving group will be led by Melvin Harris and Ja-Mes Logan.
Vincent Sanders and Philander Moore will add depth.
Grade: B-
28. Arizona State
28 of 50
Dennis Erickson's Sun Devils offense will be bolstered by the return of senior receiver Mike Willie.
Other targets for quarterback Brock Osweiler will be seniors Aaron Pflugrad and Gerell Robinson.
Mike Willie is coming off a solid 2010 campaign which saw him bring in 36 receptions for 442 yards and six touchdowns.
Grade: B+
29. Air Force
29 of 50
Air Force certainly isn't known for its passing attack, but head coach Troy Calhoun has emphasized the passing game during his time in Colorado Springs.
Senior Jonathan Warzeka is the Falcons' leading returning receiver after he caught 18 passes for 406 yards and three touchdowns.
Alongside Jonathan Warzeka will be fellow senior Zach Kauth.
Grade: B
30. Penn State
30 of 50
Penn State's receiving unit will be a solid one this season with returning starters Derek Moye and Justin Brown on the field.
Derek Moye is the team's leading returning receiver after he snagged 53 receptions for 885 yards and eight touchdowns last season.
Sophomores Brandon Moseby-Felder, Curtis Drake and Shawney Kersey will add depth to the unit.
Grade: A
31. North Carolina State
31 of 50
Offensive coordinator Dana Bible faces the challenge of replacing all of his starting receivers from a year ago.
However, upper-classmen T.J. Graham, Tobais Palmer and Jay Smith will look to impress in 2011.
Quintin Payton, Bryan Underwood and Steven Howard will also compete for playing time this season.
Grade: B
32. Illinois
32 of 50
The Fighting Illini will rely on senior A.J. Jenkins to lead a young group of receivers this year.
A.J. Jenkins had an outstanding 2010 season that saw him reel in 56 receptions for 746 yards and seven touchdowns.
Ryan Lankford, Darius Millines and Fred Sykes also figure to be in the rotation at receiver this season.
Grade: B
33. Maryland
33 of 50
New head coach Randy Edsall has inherited a talented group of receivers led by Quintin McCree.
Kevin Dorsey and Ronnie Tyler will also be reliable targets for quarterback Danny O'Brien.
Quintin McCree is the team's leading returning receiver after he finished last season with 16 receptions for 188 yards and one score.
Grade: B
34. Brigham Young
34 of 50
The Cougars' receiving unit will be a solid one this fall as Cody Hoffman and McKay Jacobson, both starters last season, will be on the field.
The offense is centered around the two running backs, but the receivers should see more passes come their way as Jake Heaps will be in his second year as the starting quarterback.
Spencer Hafoka and Ross Apo figure to compete for playing time heading into the season.
Grade: B
35. South Florida
35 of 50
Evan Landi is the lone returning starter for the Bulls' receiving unit.
Senior A.J. Love will be the other starting receiver alongside him in Skip Holtz's second season in Tampa.
Sophomores Sterling Griffin and Terrence Mitchell will also see the field this season.
Grade: B
36. North Carolina
36 of 50
Butch Davis' Tar Heels squad has a very talented receiving unit which is headed by senior Dwight Jones.
Erik Highsmith is the other returning starter of the unit.
Dwight Jones is coming off a great 2010 season in which he grabbed 62 receptions for 946 yards and four touchdowns.
Jheranie Boyd will also be in the starting rotation at receiver.
Grade: B+
37. Tennessee
37 of 50
Sophomores Da'Rick Rogers and Justin Hunter will anchor the receiving unit this season.
They will be very reliable targets for quarterback Tyler Bray.
The coaching staff is hoping to give each of those receivers a more prominent role this season, as the team's leading returning receiver is running back Tauren Poole.
Grade: B
38. Clemson
38 of 50
The Tigers receivers will play a large role in the team's offense this season as sophomore quarterback Tahj Boyd steps into the starting role behind a veteran offensive line.
Sophomore DeAndre Hopkins had a stellar 2010 season that saw him finish the season with 637 yards on 52 receptions and four touchdowns.
Lining up alongside him will be returning starter Jaron Brown.
Grade: A-
39. Texas Tech
39 of 50
Texas Tech's high-octane offense relies heavily on the receivers, as five-wide sets are common in offensive coordinator Neal Brown's scheme.
The four receivers who are likely to be on the field for the season's first snap are Eric Ward, Austin Zouzalik, Alex Torres and Darrin Moore.
Alex Torres is the team's leading returning receiver as he hauled in 39 receptions for 481 yards and three touchdowns a year ago.
Grade: B+
40. Michigan
40 of 50
New head coach Brady Hoke has implemented a pro-style attack in Ann Arbor and the receiving unit will be the biggest beneficiary of that change.
Returning starters Roy Roundtree, Junior Hemingway and Darryl Stonum figure to be a large part of the new scheme.
Roy Roundtree is the Wolverines' leading returning receiver, having caught 72 receptions for 935 yards and seven touchdowns a year ago.
Grade: A-
41. Pittsburgh
41 of 50
After a tumultuous offseason, former Tulsa coach Todd Graham was named to the same position at Pitt.
He brings a high-octane offensive scheme along with him.
The receivers will surely be tested in the new system.
Mike Shanahan is the lone returning starter after hauling in 43 receptions for 589 yards and one score last season.
Devin Street and Cameron Saddler are also reliable receivers who should see a lot of passes coming their way from quarterback Tino Sunseri.
Grade: B
42. Auburn
42 of 50
Auburn's receiving unit will be relied upon to be great leaders in the offense with Barrett Trotter taking the reins at quarterback.
Emory Blake is the team's leading returning receiver after amassing 554 yards on 33 receptions and eight touchdowns a season ago.
Quindarius Carr and DeAngelo Benton will line up alongside Emory Blake this season.
Grade: B+
43. Syracuse
43 of 50
Head coach Doug Marrone and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett will look to emphasize the passing game more this season.
Receivers Van Chew and Marcus Sales figure to have more prominent roles in the offense now that quarterback Ryan Nassib is more comfortable in his role.
Van Chew is the leading returning receiver for the Orange after he reeled in 41 receptions for 611 yards and five scores last season.
Grade: B
44. Washington
44 of 50
Keith Price has taken the reins at quarterback and will rely upon receivers Jermaine Kearse and Devin Aguilar to make plays.
Jermaine Kearse is coming off one of the best seasons in school history, having racked up 1,005 yards on 63 receptions and 12 touchdowns.
True freshman Kasen Williams and junior James Johnson will also be called upon to provide depth at the position.
Grade: B+
45. Boston College
45 of 50
The Eagles' receiving unit looks to be a weak one in 2011 as Ifeanyi Momah and Clyde Lee will be called upon to be leaders in the passing game.
Bobby Swigert is the team's leading returning receiver after he compiled 39 receptions for 504 yards and four touchdowns.
Sophomore Colin Larmond has been touted as a great receiver and will look to impress this season.
Grade: B-
46. Northwestern
46 of 50
The Wildcats passing attack may be a potent one this season as Jeremy Ebert and Demetrius Fields are both returning starters.
Jeremy Ebert reeled in 62 receptions for 953 yards and eight touchdowns last season.
Both receivers should have outstanding 2011 seasons as quarterback Dan Persa returns behind a veteran offensive line.
Grade: A-
47. Baylor
47 of 50
Baylor's receivers are expected to contend as one of the best units in the Big 12.
Kendall Wright and Lanear Sampson are returning starters who will be reliable targets for quarterback Robert Griffin.
Kendall Wright is coming off a great 2010 season that saw him snag 78 passes for 952 yards and seven touchdowns.
Grade: A
48. Utah
48 of 50
The Utes receivers will certainly miss the presence of Shaky Smithson, but there is still plenty of talent at the position.
DeVonte Christopher and redshirt freshman Dres Anderson figure to be quarterback Jordan Wynn's main targets.
DeVonte Christopher is the leading returning receiver for the Utes after hauling in 39 receptions for 660 yards and six touchdowns last season.
Grade: B+
49. SMU
49 of 50
Head coach and offensive coordinator June Jones' run n' shoot offense will be in full gear this season with receivers Cole Beasley and Darius Johnson returning as starters from a year ago.
Cole Beasley had a monster 2010 season, racking up 87 receptions for 1,060 yards and six touchdowns.
He and Darius Johnson will look to improve on their numbers from last season.
True freshman Arrius Holleman was a highly-touted prospect who is expected to contribute right away.
Grade: A
50. Georgia Tech
50 of 50
Head coach Paul Johnson's triple-option attack has been questioned in the last two seasons, so his receivers will need to step up to take the heat off of him.
Upperclassmen Stephen Hill and Tyler Melton hope to do just that.
Stephen Hill is the Jackets' leading returning receiver after amassing 291 yards on 15 receptions and three touchdowns last season.
Grade: C+
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