30 best college football wide receivers of the 21st century

1. DeVonta Smith – Alabama Crimson Tide

DeVonta Smith is the only receiver on this list that played college football in 2020. He ended up blowing up his profile as much as any receiver in history. He won the Heisman Trophy while playing for the National Champion Alabama Crimson Tide. Smith is one of four wide receivers to ever win the Heisman. He’s the only wide receiver in this century to win the award. To do it in such a strange year is even more impressive.

Where can one start with explaining Smith? He was really good his junior year, catching 68 balls for 1,268 yards. He also hauled in 14 touchdowns. He’s in the top five in both single-season receiving touchdowns (23 in 2020) and career receiving touchdowns (46). Then, in his senior season, he had 117 catches, 1,856 yards and 23 touchdowns.

Now, let’s talk about what he just did in the National Championship Game against Ohio State. His stat line goes as follows: 12 catches for 215 yards and three touchdowns. He didn’t play after the third quarter because Alabama was crushing them and he hurt his hand. He single-handedly blew up the defense of the second-best team in the country in the biggest game of the year. His 12 catches and three touchdowns are championship game records.

Smith’s legacy isn’t written fully written yet. He has an NFL career coming next, but he’ll almost definitely become a College Football Hall of Famer in due time and there aren’t many players to ever play college football as dominant as Smith.

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