Who Is Your Favorite Wolverine WR/s ever?

Submitted by MgoViper on

As the season draws near, i like to reflect back on the glorious history of our fine university. Taking a moment to enjoy the accompliments, amazing plays and vast history...

At this moment in time im looking at footage of WR play for the University of Michigan.  I have a couple of favorites. Here are some clips on my favorites:

Desmond Howard:

Braylon Edwards:

Finally...Mario Manningham:

Who are you Favorites?

bringthewood

June 19th, 2010 at 5:45 PM ^

I don't remember Carter dropping passes (they did not throw that much so he had to make do with what he got), and he could kill one-on-one coverage.  Started as a Freshman which was fairly hard to do back then.  

Braylon sticks out because of MSU but had some drops along the way.  Of course Desmond. Lesser light favorites were John Kolesar and Jim Smith - Smith was at Michigan in the during the mid-1970s.  Smith was the third WR behind Lynn Swann and John Stallworth with the Pittsburgh Steelers and I think went to a few Superbowls. 

Chairman Mao

June 19th, 2010 at 6:43 PM ^

I had just started to become aware of recruiting and who the incoming freshman were. I had by chance stumbled upon The Big 33 game on TV in which a young Stevie Breaston was playing for Pennsylvania. If I remember correctly he had the first two touches of the ball for Pennsylvania, one a kickoff return for a touchdown and one a reverse for a touchdown. I remember being so excited for him to be a Wolverine. I also remember being a bit surprised that he was white as every time I read his name on the list of incoming freshman I assumed he was white because his name was Steve. I talked him up so much after that game and during his red-shirt year. I wanted him to be awesome because I felt like i discovered him and offered him a scholarship. Anyway,  he turned out to be pretty decent. If my friends had a dollar for every time I mentioned I saw Breaston play in high school after he made a big play, they'd be rich.

Oscar Goldman

June 19th, 2010 at 3:43 PM ^

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfQIzPKrj3Y

Loved Hayes as a kid, and this catch sure helped (Thanks for that drop Tyrone - odd choice for #1, no?)

Also, despite the controversy lately, hard not to love Braylon in my opinion - the epic performance vs. MSU I will never forget.

Other notables (including TE's):  Tuman, Riemersma, Terrell, Avant and Super Mario for his torching of ND in particular.  I think Roy is my present fave.

Blue boy johnson

June 19th, 2010 at 3:49 PM ^

Jim Smith of course. I can remember like yesterday his 77 yard scamper for a TD against Wisconsin on the first play from scrimmage back in 75'. Bo called the same play to start the game the next week against somebody(I can't remember who), and the play gained 7 yards.

EDIT I can hear Ufer write now saying "God Bless Jimmy Smith, from Blue Island, Illinois. Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Smith for the birth of your son!"

Blue boy johnson

June 19th, 2010 at 4:51 PM ^

That game sucked, was that the game Bobby Wood missed a winning field goal? Heartbreaking:(

EDIT It was actually the Indiana game that Jimmy Smith scampered 77 yards for a TD in 75'. Played Minnesota the next week and Jim Smith had 5 carries for 15 yards with a long of 7, so I may be correct on that front.

Kalamazoo Blue

June 19th, 2010 at 5:15 PM ^

Forgive me for not just forwarding to the 8:05 mark. I had to watch the whole thing again. I was a senior that year and I'll never forget Kolesar's catch.

It was all the better because it came just after Chris Carter made that 36 yeard TD catch on 4th down to bring OSU back to within 3. Kolesar's catch was the dagger in the their heart.

He's definitely on my short list of favorite M receivers ever.

MGoShoe

June 19th, 2010 at 5:49 PM ^

...was my freshman year.  My seat that day was even with the west sideline.  In my mind's eye I can still see Kolesar streaking toward the corner of the end zone running right at me.

The play was a thing of beauty and thinking about it still quickens my pulse. 

And, no need to apologize for watching the whole thing.  I did as well.

befuggled

June 19th, 2010 at 5:44 PM ^

Go to about 7:00 to see the heroics. Ohio State has just scored to go up 31-27 with under 2 minutes to play. Kolesar takes the kickoff back to the Ohio State 41, and then catches the game winner (after an incompletion, I think).

Section 1

June 19th, 2010 at 4:14 PM ^

My personal favorite was the finest wide reciever Michigan had ever seen up to that time, whose records were only broken when more games were added to the season and when freshman eligibility turned players into 4-year players. 

Jack Clancy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Clancy

Clancy might be the best and smoothest route-runner we've ever had, and the most versatile athlete we've ever featured at wideout, with perhaps the asterisk exception of Charles Woodson.  I don't ever recall Clancy dropping a catchable ball.   He was actually Michigan's first star wideout, since previous eras featured only "ends" in the mold of Oosterbaan and Ron Kramer.

Wolfman

June 19th, 2010 at 4:34 PM ^

I think Jim Smith should be mentioned as perhaps the pioneer of the modern wrs that have gone thru the university. Prior to all our future NFL qbs, he set the standard for AC and those to follow, having a prettty decent career with the Steelers after being utilized only marginally in our then "run dominated" offenses. 

All those mentioned deserve recognition, and I'm glad you added Clancy. He was special. I don't think any of us got to watch Crazy Legs, and that was a very unusual situation, playing both at WI and UM. 

I guess, based on production less mistakes, you could argue AC and DH due to both having close to  25% of their receptions going for six. Right behind would be BE, only due to his many nationally watched drops. Yeah, he made up for them normally, but I can't recall the other two making many at all of the same nature. 

Nice of you to add Jack though and not let him be just a footnote. 

Marley Nowell

June 19th, 2010 at 3:50 PM ^

Avant is my favorite WR because of the 2005 season (my senior year).  I just remember game after game where Avant was wide open on a routine route and had to make a ridiculous jump or dive as Henne was desperately trying to throw the ball to tacopants.  Jason Avant was the one bright spot of that season.

Steve Lorenz

June 19th, 2010 at 3:56 PM ^

I've always liked Derrick Alexander. He's been forgotten to an extent as far as the greats go. I also really liked Adrian Arrington and David Terrell. 

mgolf4

June 19th, 2010 at 4:00 PM ^

1. Desmond Howard

2. Mercury Hayes

3. Jason Avant

4. M. Walker, A. Toomer, M. Manningham, A. Arrington, D. Terrell, S. Breaston

Just my list - I'm probably too young to put AC.

 

edit/ 10 years from now I hope I can add Ricardo Miller to this list.

Mr. Robot

June 19th, 2010 at 10:49 PM ^

But I think Steve Breaston deserves a mention. Not only a solid reciever, but an AWESOME kick returner. Penn State 2005 probably doesn't happen if Breaston doesn't return to the 40-something on the kickoff.

Magnus

June 19th, 2010 at 4:29 PM ^

Braylon Edwards was the single most dominant receiver in my time as a Michigan fan.  It has to be him.  He was a lot of fun to watch his senior year, which was after he got over the habit of dropping 50% of the passes thrown his way.

03 Blue 07

June 19th, 2010 at 5:29 PM ^

I just think that season- his senior year- he was phenomenal. He was a mismatch on every play. What made his performance against MSU so incredible wasn't just the stats, but the way he made the last two TD catches in regulation. They were passes where he simply out-talented the man guarding him, and they were truly spectacular. God, I loved Braylon.

Special mention: Marquise Walker's 2001 season. Navarre was not good that year, and Marquise was so clutch for us. You knew the ball was going to him, the opposing team knew it, and he still managed to make the play time and again. He had one hell of a season, especially given that he didn't have the type of natural speed of a Braylon or even David Terrell.

KidA2112

June 19th, 2010 at 4:53 PM ^

AC was the first one I remember and he was the best.

You could make a fine Top 20 list with all the guys that came through Michigan.

Kolesar/McMurtry

Howard/Alexander

Hayes/Toomer

Walker/Terrel

Edwards/Avant/Breston

Streets didn't put up great numbers but his 2Td's against WSU and his quick slant TD run against osu were a few of the biggest plays in Michigan history

Marcus Knight was a good one as well

briangoblue

June 19th, 2010 at 5:17 PM ^

In my dad's house it was understood that AC was the gold standard, and Braylon as a senior was the epitome of "man among boys," but my favorite was Steve Breaston. Granted, a lot of that comes from his super heroics in the return game, but he was a guy that was exciting every time he touched the ball and was perhaps the most dangerous weapon on the field despite looking a little like Urkel off it. 

HoldTheRope

June 19th, 2010 at 5:43 PM ^

Other than the obvious picks like Braylon, Desmond, etc., I've always really liked Tai Streets. Whenever we needed a big play, it seemed like he was there to make it. The '98 Rose Bowl was a thing of beauty.

Although they are obviously not on the same level, talent-wise, I think Odoms and Roundtree could quickly shoot up my list with a couple more good seasons. Odoms isn't the flashiest guy but I love the way he plays.

MGoKalamazoo

June 19th, 2010 at 6:00 PM ^

Edwards is the obvious choice. As a kid growing up I thought Derrik Alexander was a beast. My parents kept the poster I had of him make a crasy ridiculous catch against Purdue and have it posted in my dad's Michigan Man Cave.

Crime Reporter

June 19th, 2010 at 6:50 PM ^

His plays remain my earliest memories as a young Michigan fan.

In the 90s, aside from Howard, my favorites were David Terrell and Derrick Alexander.

This decade, I'd say Braylon, Breaston, Avant and Manningham.

We've had some good ones.

Tha Stunna

June 19th, 2010 at 7:38 PM ^

Gotta go with Arrington.  He was perpetually overshadowed by Manningham to most people, but he was on the money when it counted and he was the only one that caught Mallett's passes with any consistency...  He really went out witha bang in the Citrus Bowl - a shame he didn't stick around for his last year, freshman quarterback or not.