Ranking the Big12 receiving - DO

[CaliforniaCowboy]

Wow... looks like if we can stop the run, then we'll have a decent chance against much of our league including (BU, A&M, and Texas); and (CU, ISU).

I'm starting to think that 5 conference wins is very doable.



By John Helsley

•1. Texas Tech. Michael Crabtree is the premier pass catcher in the country and there's budding talent all around for Tech's four- and five-wide sets. Mike Leach has a full array of weapons for his best offense yet.

•2. Missouri. Jeremy Maclin provided thrills as a freshman and figures to get more involved in 2008. Chase Coffman no longer has to share attention with Martin Rucker at tight end.

•3. Oklahoma. Senior Juaquin Iglesias broke out with his best season a year ago. Tight end Jermaine Gresham could be a monster. There's a mix of veterans (Manuel Johnson, Quentin Chaney) and youngsters (Ryan Broyles, Brandon Caleb, Adron Tennell) forming a deep group of wideouts.

•4. Oklahoma State. Sophomore Dez Bryant should be a star in the Cowboys' spread attack. Brandon Pettigrew ranks right alongside the league's (and nation's) top tight ends. The Cowboys need some youngsters to arrive. Artrell Woods, returning from injury, could provide a boost.

•5. Kansas. They Jayhawks lost their top WR and TE, Oklahoma products Marcus Henry and Derek Fine, but will reload with wideout Dexton Fields, Dezmon Briscoe and others.

•6. Texas. Five of the top eight receivers from a year ago are gone, including Limas Sweed and Jermichael Finley. Quan Cosby and Jordan Shipley are proven, if unspectacular. Youngsters must come through.

•7. Baylor. So the Bears aren't bad everywhere. All that passing the past few years developed some talent out wide. Four of the top five receivers return and David Gettis has the talent to be a gamebreaker.

•8. Colorado. The Buffs have a young, yet hyped group of wide receivers from recent recruiting classes. They need it to show up.

•9. Nebraska. Four seniors moved on, leaving Nate Swift as the top returner — with three touchdowns.

•10. Kansas State. The loss of WR Jordy Nelson hurts, although Deon Murphy was named Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year last season.

•11. Iowa State. Gone is Todd Blythe, the program's all-time leading receiver. A pair of Okies — Edmond North's Marquis Hamilton and Northeast's Houston Jones — could play key roles.

•12. Texas A&M. Dennis Franchione's option offense didn't forward the passing game in College Station. Mike Sherman did land a top talent in WR Jeff Fuller in last year's recruiting class.

By John Helsley

[SkiPoke]

There's no surprise Helsley ranks OU's receivers over OSU's, but I think Dez Bryant is better than Inglesias any day.

Here's another Helsley gem: "Tight End Jermaine Greasham COULD be a monster."
YEAH! SO COULD I!
(His odds are better than mine, but still...it's speculation only.)

Brandon Pettigrew has proven he's a monster already.

The rest of OSU and OU receivers are a mixed bag of results and potential. Of course, OU's form "a deep group" while OSU's "need to arrive".

I didn't know any of those Swooners had proven themselves at anything other than stealing gasoline.

These are the things that make watching OU lose so enjoyable.

[cactusjack]

:pete::ousucksnana:lol.....post more often SkiPoke. I like your style.

[wood911]

Actually I don't think anybody proved they could steal gasoliine, they proved they could get caught trying to steal gasoline!:rollseyes:

[topdaug]

There's no surprise Helsley ranks OU's receivers over OSU's, but I think Dez Bryant is better than Inglesias any day.

Here's another Helsley gem: "Tight End Jermaine Greasham COULD be a monster."
YEAH! SO COULD I!
(His odds are better than mine, but still...it's speculation only.)

Brandon Pettigrew has proven he's a monster already.

The rest of OSU and OU receivers are a mixed bag of results and potential. Of course, OU's form "a deep group" while OSU's "need to arrive".

I didn't know any of those Swooners had proven themselves at anything other than stealing gasoline.

These are the things that make watching OU lose so enjoyable.

No one's going to argue that Dez is the better deep threat than Iglesias...Juaquin is a solid possession receiver, but is generally pretty unspectacular...so, I'll give you Dez over Iggy...

Pettigrew and Gresham are a wash...Gresham is a much bigger threat in the red zone than Pettigrew right now, but BP is the better overall tight end...but, the OU coaches have shown that they're more than willing to get the ball to their TE, especially in the goal-to-go situations....

Manuel Johnson and Quentin Chaney both have some experience and Manny came along pretty nicely last year...he was the only reason OU was in it towards the end of the Tech disaster last year...both teams are pretty unproven in the back, but I think the loss of Bowman hurt OSU's depth more than the loss of Kelly did to OU....just my opinion....

[JonforOSU]

No one's going to argue that Dez is the better deep threat than Iglesias...Juaquin is a solid possession receiver, but is generally pretty unspectacular...so, I'll give you Dez over Iggy...

Pettigrew and Gresham are a wash...Gresham is a much bigger threat in the red zone than Pettigrew right now, but BP is the better overall tight end...but, the OU coaches have shown that they're more than willing to get the ball to their TE, especially in the goal-to-go situations....

Manuel Johnson and Quentin Chaney both have some experience and Manny came along pretty nicely last year...he was the only reason OU was in it towards the end of the Tech disaster last year...both teams are pretty unproven in the back, but I think the loss of Bowman hurt OSU's depth more than the loss of Kelly did to OU....just my opinion....

You say Gresham is a red zone threat? True, he is. But Pettigrew is a threat from 60 yards and in, daug. I'm from Ardmore, so I like to route on the hometown kids. I hope Jermaine does well.

Pettigrew is much more developed as a football player. Uses his body better, has better hands, better blocker and more play-making ability. Jermaine is a true talent, I expect him to have a breakout year this year. Pettigrew is the better tight end though.

[wood911]

Dez is without a doubt the best at either school based on performance and the type of catches he has made. HE can probably be talked about in the same sentence as Crabtree. OU does have more proven talent at this point but they really haven't shown a killer threat, just good solid players. Cowboys at this point have had some guys looking really good but not so much in a game. By the end of the year it's anybody's guess who will have the better receivers or should I say the most productive. I'm still anxious for some of these guys to break out: Will Cole, Damian Davis, Artrell Woods, Josh Cooper, Bo Bowling. I'm sure I'm missing somebody but there been a bunch of young guys who have shown some promise.

[wjones]

Dez is better than Crabtree.

[cowboystover]

what kind of seasons do you think that crabtree and dez would have if the roles were switched...crabtree as a cowboy and dez as an RR

dez would have destroyed it in Lubbock!!!!

[CaliforniaCowboy]

not to be contrary, but Dez has a lot of knocks on him... mostly trying hard on every play (especially those not in his direction) and blocking.

I can't honestly say how Crabtree does in those areas, but for all the natrual talent that Dez has, he has some major hurdles to overcome to be elite, IMO.

How the two guys are used is so different in these two systems, I don't think that you can make a direct comparison.... Crabtree is very consistent and an everydown receiver, while Dez seems to have a knack for the spectacular catch and occasional big play ability.

Based on last season, I think it's pretty much a wash in terms of contribution, but I think Crabtree gave better effort. Dez can put this whole discussion behind him (and us) with a monster season this year, but he's going to have to actually do it first on every down, before I start anointing him the best anything.