There are some that would say that Michael Floyd wasn’t even the best receiver on the field on the evening Notre Dame took on USC. And Floyd failed to even surpass the thirty yard mark against the Trojans; which gave the critics more ammunition. Of course, he made up for it yesterday with a 120+ yards receiving and a touchdown versus Navy. Yeah, it’s Navy, but we know what issues the Irish have had with them lately.
Floyd will surpass the thousand yard mark for the second consecutive season. His ability to block down the field to create big plays for others will be vital in the NFL. His size is also coveted by general managers at the next level. Some others deserve to be mentioned in the conversation, but none surpass him in terms of potential.
Robert Woods is a tremendous playmaker for Southern Cal. He is just a smidgen over six feet, so he may be utilized more like Percy Harvin at the next level. He will be a factor on a team, but he will not be on the field every down like Floyd will be.
Ryan Broyles is putting up videogame numbers for the Oklahoma Sooners. He has surpassed nine hundred yards and reached the end zone nine times already this season. He does, however, play in the Big Twelve. It certainly is not the SEC in terms of the defenses that he faces. This hometown hero is diminutive-coming in at under six feet and not even two hundred pounds. He also has Landry Jones tossing him the ball. This Heisman hopeful is accurate with a strong arm. It would be any receiver’s dream to catch the ball from a man who can get the ball in the right spot like he can.
I don’t even have to leave the Sooner state to cite the next contender. Justin Blackmon is a major factor for the Oklahoma State Cowboys in Stillwater. Garth Brooks may not like the fact that the team plays second fiddle statewide, but Blackmon is an elite pass catcher. He had already accumulated more than two thousand yards and twenty two touchdowns before his junior season even started. He does have the same negative aspects as his counterpart in Broyles. It is difficult to argue with his accomplishments, but that is different than projecting what he will do at the next level. Blackmon is probably the #1 prospect at the position. South Carolina’s Alshon Jeffrey is the second highest ranked.
Patrick Edwards has averaged over a hundred thirty three yards a game for the University of Houston. Case Keenum put up seventy-three points against Rice this week. Edwards has already gone over the thousand yard mark this season and Keenum is one of the quarterbacks that will be mentioned along his counterparts Andre Ware and David Klinger throughout history. The fact that Edwards plays in Conference USA will be held against him. It will be necessary for him to turn the heads of the executives at the NFL combine. His forty time and performance there will make or break his draft aspirations.