Most receiving yards in a season: How Jeremiah Smith, Jesse Legree compare to NCAA record pace
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Most receiving yards in a season: How Jeremiah Smith, Jesse Legree compare to NCAA record pace originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The college football world has been enamored with two star wide receivers this season: Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith and Oregon State's Jesse Legree.
The two studs are leading the NCAA in receiving yards, as Legree has 38 receptions for 932 yards and 12 touchdowns, while Smith is right behind him with 48 receptions for 916 yards and 11 scores.
Smith is the Las Vegas oddsmakers' favorite to win the Heisman Trophy, with Legree currently at +9000 odds.
Given how quickly the duo is approaching 1,000 yards, let's take a look at how both guys compare to some of the single-season record holders for receiving yards. The group includes the likes of Nevada's Trevor Insley, Texas Tech's Michael Crabtree and Alabama's DeVonta Smith.
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How Smith and Legree compare to the all-time single-season record
The all-time leader in single-season receiving yards is former Nevada Wolf Pack receiver Trevor Insley. In 1999, he had 134 receptions for 2,060 yards and 13 touchdowns. Second on the all-time receiving yards list is Louisiana Tech's Troy Edwards. In 1998, he had 140 receptions for 1,996 yards and 27 touchdowns.
Third on the list is Texas Tech's Michael Crabtree, who had 134 receptions for 1,962 yards and 22 touchdowns. Rounding out the top five is Western Michigan's Jordan White, who had 140 receptions for 1,911 yards and 17 touchdowns. Western Kentucky's Jerreth Sterns recorded the fifth-most receiving yards in 2021, finishing with 1,902 yards and 17 touchdowns.
| RANK | PLAYER | YARDS | TDs | YEAR | SCHOOL |
| 1 | Trevor Insley | 2060 | 13 | 1999 | Nevada |
| 2 | Troy Edwards | 1996 | 27 | 1998 | Louisiana Tech |
| 3 | Michael Crabtree | 1962 | 22 | 2007 | Texas Tech |
| 4 | Jordan White | 1911 | 17 | 2011 | Western Michigan |
| 5 | Jerreth Sterns | 1902 | 17 | 2021 | Western Kentucky |
| 6 | Greg Salas | 1889 | 14 | 2010 | Hawaii |
| 7 | DeVonta Smith | 1856 | 23 | 2020 | Alabama |
| 8 | Alex Van Dyke | 1854 | 16 | 1995 | Nevada |
| 9 | Terrance Williams | 1832 | 12 | 2012 | Baylor |
| 10 | Trent Taylor | 1803 | 12 | 2016 | Louisiana Tech |
| 11 | J.R. Tolver | 1785 | 13 | 2002 | San Diego State |
| 12 | Justin Blackmon | 1782 | 20 | 2010 | Oklahoma State |
| 13 | Danario Alexander | 1781 | 14 | 2009 | Missouri |
| 14 | Ja'Marr Chase | 1780 | 20 | 2019 | LSU |
| 15 | Howard Twilley | 1779 | 16 | 1965 | Tulsa |
| — | Jesse Legree | 932* | 12 | 2026 | Oklahoma State |
| — | Jeremiah Smith | 916* | 11 | 2026 | Ohio State |
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How Legree and Smith compare to the leaders at the midseason mark
As both wideouts close in on 1,000 yards, it's feasible for both of them to come close to matching Insley's record. Legree is averaging 155 yards receiving per game. Smith is averaging 152.7. Not including any potential conference championship games or College Football Playoff matchups, Smith has six regular-season games remaining. Legree has five.
Using their game averages, that would put Smith at 1,832 yards at the end of the regular season, already placing him inside the top 10. Legree's having only five games left would put him at 1,707 yards, which might put him outside the top 15.
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Where the leaders were after six games
Here's a look at how the single-season leaders stack up to Smith and Legree after six games:
- Trevor Insley, Nevada: 1,043 yards
- Troy Edwards, Louisiana Tech: 1,116 yards
- Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech: 1,074 yards
- Jordan White, Western Michigan: 824 yards
- Jerreth Sterns,Western Kentucky: 962
Insley and Edwards did not play in bowl games, which gave them one less game to play. Oregon State needs just two more wins to reach a bowl game. The Beavers are also in first place in the Pac-12, which will have a championship game. Using his average of 155 yards per game, an additional game would give Legree 1,862 yards. One more game on top of that, either a bowl or CFP game, would put him at 2,017, which would rank second all time.
Ohio State and Smith, meanwhile, could play in several postseason games. The Buckeyes are the favorites to make the Big Ten title game and could play up to four more games, depending on their seeding and how far they go in the postseason. If the Buckeyes play in at least two more games, Smith would be at 2,137 yards, which would eclipse Insley's all-time mark.
Of course, it's a long season, and there's a chance neither of these guys actually surpasses these records. But midway through the season, both look to be in great shape to do so.
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