The Greatest NFL Wide Receivers of All Time: Top Ten List

NFL Wide Receiver is one of the more graceful positions in all of sports. The best wide receivers are able to get open, catch the football, and shake tacklers en route to The House. Elite receivers develop unique chemistry with the quarterback and emerge as go-to-guys in the clutch. Signal callers look towards these receivers to not only move the chains, but also break games wide open.

Receivers are generally categorized as either possession types, or speedsters. Possession receivers are recognized for their size, physicality, and skills to find soft pockets within coverage to make receptions. Meanwhile, speedsters are electric performers that stretch the defense with sub 4.4 - 40 speed and athletic ability. At prime, the best of the best wideouts integrate possession and spend elements into their games. At maturity, formerly young colts transition into crafty veterans that know what it means to pick up first downs and extend drives.

Of course, old timers and "purists" often write off wide receivers as prima donnas. By definition, split ends and flankers must wave to signal for attention while running patterns. This job description translates into an eclectic bunch of personalities that demand the spotlight both on and off the field. NFL wideouts from Chad Ochocinco to Michael Irvin have been associated with showboating and run-ins with the law. Because of their prevalence for negative headlines, certain antics may very well be the nature of the wide receiver beast.

Filtering down the thousands of wide receivers that have passed through the NFL ranks into a top-ten list is one daunting challenge. Comparing players across eras is nearly impossible and this dynamic list will always be up for debate. Super Bowl trophies, yards after catch, and quarterback play have been taken into consideration.

Certainly, even casual fans recognize Jerry Rice as the greatest wide receiver of all time. The difficulty lies with ordering numbers two through ten. Honorable mention goes to Cris Carter-owner of arguably the greatest hands in the business.

#10 Greatest NFL Wide Receiver of All Time: James Lofton

James Lofton rivals Randy Moss as the most athletically gifted wide receiver of all time. Lofton is pure speed-recognized for his long strides and sub 4.3 jets that torched defenses for 16 seasons, most notably in Green Bay and Buffalo. James Lofton starred as a track star at Stanford, where he prepared for his NFL career beneath the tutelage of offensive guru Bill Walsh. He was to retire as the NFL's all-time leader in receiving yards with 14,004.

Lofton's statistics showcase the fact that this man is about the big play. During the 1983 and 1984 seasons, Lofton averaged 22 yards per catch for the Packers. In fact, Lofton averaged more than 15 yards per catch in 14 out of his 16 NFL seasons. Despite these numbers James Lofton is historically dismissed from the greatest wide receiver of all time conversation.

Lofton's annual reception totals never surpassed 75, as he was rarely willing to go underneath. Further, his Packer career overlapped the early eighties and the dead era for football at Green Bay. Today's fans identify James Lofton as the man that lost three straight Super Bowls in Buffalo-opposite Andre Reed.

#9 Greatest NFL Wide Receiver of All Time: Marvin Harrison

Marvin Harrison is precision. #88 rivals his quarterback Peyton Manning in terms of his consistency and approach to the game. The two have been so good for so long that the numbers are almost boring. Marvin Harrison logged 1102 catches during his thirteen-year career with the Colts, placing him second on the all time list behind Jerry Rice.

2002 marks Harrison's signature campaign-where he tallied 143 catches for 1,722 yards. This statistic shattered Herman Moore's 1995 single-season record by twenty catches. During his prime years, Harrison's slight build and quickness out of his breaks were an impossible cover. Corners and safeties could not jump Harrison's routes because his outs and hitches were indistinguishable from fly patterns through the first five to ten yards. This attention to detail takes a page from the Manning playbook, and the two are one of the more prolific combinations of all time.

Of course, Manning is also hailed as one of the greats. Manning's ability to deliver the football subtracts from Harrison's legacy. Indeed, Peyton Manning has transformed the likes of Pierre Garcon and Brandon Stokley into prime time performers. Off the field, Harrison's involvement in regards to a 2008 North Philadelphia murder has called into question his perception as a mild-mannered NFL employee.

#8 Greatest NFL Wide Receiver of All Time: Steve Largent

Steve Largent is a bit more than your garden-variety possession receiver. I feel that Largent is dismissed as a possession guy because of his choirboy looks and lack of National exposure. Of course, media types often lump white wide receivers into the possession category. However, Largent's skill set is more synonymous with Giant Steve Smith than Wes Welker or the lanky Ed McCaffery.

Steve Largent retired as the NFL career leader in receptions, yards, and touchdown catches through sheer grit. This wide receiver was drafted as the 117^th pick in the 1976 draft, as an afterthought. Largent lacked straight-line speed, yet emerged as a tough assignment because of his quickness and willingness to work the middle.

Of course, Largent was adept at using his quickness and tenacity to break tackles after the catch for extra yards. These talents translate into his 16 yards per catch career total-highlighted by his 1979 season. That year, Largent hooked up with Jim Zorn for 66 catches and 1,237 yards, and an 18.7 YPC average.

Unfortunately, Steve Largent's NFL career labors in relative obscurity. The career Seahawk toiled within the shadows of the Pacific Northwest, alongside its much more celebrated AFC West rivals. Contrary to snake bitten Seattle, the Chargers, Broncos, Chiefs and Raiders all touched AFL or NFL Glory at some point.

#7 Greatest NFL Wide Receiver of All Time: Terrell Owens

NFL purists will scoff at the notion of Terrell Owens sitting atop any greatest wide receivers of all time debate. Owens is caricatured as a diva, more so concerned with glamour than he is with winning. The man is associated with the word "touches" and constant demands for the football. Of the field, he plays into the media hype with driveway sit-ups, crocodile tears, and shouting matches directed at teammates. These hysterics have led to bitter divorces at San Francisco, Philadelphia, and Dallas.

Beyond the traveling circus, Owens is a 6'3 230 pound specimen. In the passing game, he is too physical to be covered by corners and too fast to be matched up against safeties. Owens uses his body to shield defenders to make catches, before powering through opponents to the sticks. Terrell Owens is a future Hall of Famer, who currently ranks as sixth and third of all time on the receptions (1,006) and yards (14,951) lists.

Despite his physical prowess and gamesmanship coming off injury in Super Bowl XXXIX, Owens is degraded as "soft." Terrell Owens has led the NFL in drops as a Dallas Cowboy and often plays peak-a-boo before going alligator arms across the middle. Of course, T.O. fans will insist that he is just misunderstood.

#6 Greatest NFL Wide Receiver of All Time: Lynn Swann

Lynn Swann finished his Hall of Fame career with 336 catches for 5,462 yards and 51 touchdowns. These numbers are rather pedestrian compared to the high-octane offenses of the modern era. Of course, his efforts to bring home four Super Bowl rings will always galvanize Swann's production for Steeler Nation.

In Super Bowl X, Swann caught four catches for 161 yards and MVP honors. His Super Bowl X showing included his diving shoestring catch that has become part of NFL lore. Vintage Swann went airborne, prior to becoming entangled with Cowboy Mark Washington to snag Terry Bradshaw's deep bomb at the last second. Lynn Swann's name is synonymous with speed, agility and grace.

Still, Swann never topped the 1,000-yard mark in any one season during the Golden Era for smash mouth football. We may only speculate in regards to his legacy were he to have performed with different teammates amidst a different era.

#5 Greatest NFL Wide Receiver of All Time: Michael Irvin

Michael Irvin is Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde to the game of football. On the field, Michael Irvin is a winner-recognized by his tireless work ethic and enthusiasm to get down and dirty at wide receiver. Michael Irvin sacrifices his body to block, catch balls across the middle, and maul cornerbacks at the line of scrimmage. Off the field, Michael Irvin has been charged with cocaine possession and battery, alongside allegations of sexual assault. Despite his prevalence for being at the wrong place at the wrong time, Irvin is recognized as a mentor for younger NFL players and student-athletes at the University of Miami.

Indeed, the Playmaker burnished his reputation as a flamboyant gamer at The U. Irvin finished his three-year career as the most decorated Hurricane wide out-with one National Championship. In the pros, Michael Irvin would be reunited with Head Coach Jimmy Johnson, and win three Super Bowls to go with 11,904 receiving yards as a Dallas Cowboy.

Irvin performed as an integral member of the nineties Dallas triplets that included Emmitt Smith and Troy Aikman as its other two members. Dallas' offensive attack rejected gimmicks and simply destroyed competition by fielding better talent. NFL fans can recall Pat Summerall's Aikman to Michael Irvin monotone throughout those epic Cowboys / 49'ers match-ups:

Michael Irvin...Across the middle...He's got it...Shaking loose into the secondary... Touchdown...Aikman to Michael Irvin.

#4 Greatest NFL Wide Receiver of All Time: Tim Brown

Tim Brown is best described as the poor man's version of Jerry Rice. Mr. Raider returned kicks, took reverses, and caught passes as a threat to score from anywhere on the football field at any time. Brown, Notre Dame Heisman Trophy winner, racked up 1,094 catches to go for 14,934 yards and 100 touchdowns. In 1988, the 22-year old rookie actually led the NFL in all-purpose yards with 2,317.

As a receiver, Tim Brown could run short, intermediate, and deep routes. Brown combined the speed to blaze past cornerbacks alongside the physical mettle to curl up into short zones and duel with linebackers. Brown excelled as a skilled wide receiver in Oakland and Los Angeles. His knowledge of the position stood in sharp contrast to Al Davis' predisposition to strap shoulder pads onto track stars and get vertical.

Tim Brown's career may not resonate with the casual fan because of the dysfunction at Raider Nation. Still, Tim Brown has showcased as much natural talent as any man to ever split out wide of the formation-not named Randy Moss.

#3 Greatest NFL Wide Receiver of All Time: Randy Moss

Randy "The Freak" Moss rivals Deion Sanders and Bo Jackson as the greatest athletes to wear the NFL shield. The 6'4 Randy Moss has been clocked at a 4.25 / 40 and also lettered in basketball, baseball and track and field as a schoolboy in West Virginia. Extracurricular concerns landed Moss at Marshall University-where he won the Fred Biletnikoff Award and became a stalwart of the highlight reel circus. Moss' athletic gifts enabled him to leap past defenders for deep bombs, hurdle felled bodies, and outrace any corner into the end zone. Still, Moss' NFL Draft stock plummeted, due to his track record for immaturity off the gridiron. The Minnesota Vikings finally took Moss as the 21^st overall pick in the 1998 Draft. From there, Moss has built his career by proving the naysayers wrong.

Randy Moss teamed with Cris Carter and Jake Reed to take the League by storm in 1998. Moss tallied 1,313 yards on 69 catches for 17 scores as part of the record-setting 1998 Vikings. Moss' 17 touchdowns broke the rookie record and contributed to 556 total points scored for 15-1 Minnesota that season. At receiver, Moss transformed the likes of Randall Cunningham, Brad Johnson and Geoff George from washed-up has-beens into ageless wonders at quarterback.

The NFL had never seen anything like this. Randy Moss could turn a quick screen into 70 yards and an all out dash to paydirt. Nevermind double and triple-coverage. Throw it up, and Moss would go get it.

After his Minnesota breakout and Oakland debacle, Randy Moss took his show on the road to New England. The 2007 Patriots were to score 589 total points-breaking his 1998 Vikings records. Randy Moss snagged a record 23 touchdown passes for Tom Brady, at the forefront of 18-1.

Beyond his physical gifts, Moss is a student of the game. Randy Moss' ability to read coverage and get open is historically underrated. In fact, Bill "The Hood" Belichick describes Moss as the most intelligent receiver that he has coached.

Of course, concerns about his work ethic continue to dog Moss. Randy Moss is known for taking plays off, refusing to block, and mailing it in across the middle. For these reasons, Randy Moss cannot top Jerry Rice as the greatest wide receiver of all time.

#2 Greatest NFL Wide Receiver of All Time: Don Hutson

Don Hutson is hailed as the man that introduced football to the forward pass. Hutson dominated his end, or wide receiver role, like no other man has lorded over any position in all of sports. His post corners, slants, and square-in routes unlocked the potential for wide receivers to impact the game.

This Packer led the NFL in receptions and yardage for seven and eight of his eleven seasons, respectively. Hutson retired as the all-time leader in every significant wide receiver metric and his records stood for decades. This statistical dominance resonates with football fans of any era.

In 1942, Hutson caught 74 balls for 1,211 yards and 17 touchdowns-over 11 games. Hutson's totals are roughly triple the output of his second-place competitors that season. Pop Ivy made 27 catches for the Chicago Cardinals and Ray McLean accounted for 571 yards receiving for the Bears.

Of course, any debate centered upon Don Hutson must recognize the fact that NFL passing games of his time were primitive, at best. Hutson is clearly one of the greatest players to ever wear football cleats. However, his legacy must be weighted against the fact that the opposing defenses of the 1940's were far from sophisticated.

#1 Greatest NFL Wide Receiver of All Time: Jerry Rice

For Jerry Rice, Hollywood could not have scripted a better story. Rice, the son of a bricklayer, was never offered an NCAA Division I-A scholarship out of high school. He was to then star at wide receiver for tiny Mississippi Valley State University-putting up video game-like numbers in Division I-AA. Despite his collegiate accolades, NFL scouts dismissed Rice as too small and too slow to make it big at the professional level.

Bill Walsh and the San Francisco 49'ers, however, came calling with the sixteenth pick in the 1985 Draft. Walsh installed Jerry Rice as his key component of the West Coast offense. This system is predicated upon short timing routes and mismatches-allowing the receiver to earn chunks of yardage after the catch. This marriage made in heaven featured an offensive guru dialing up the pass, Joe Montana delivering the football with touch, and Rice torching defenses on his way to amassing four Super Bowl rings and every single record attainable by a wide receiver.

Jerry Rice could do it all, and the case may be made that he is the greatest of all time in every facet of the position. Jerry Rice's record 1,549 career receptions demonstrate his knack for getting open and catching the football. Meanwhile, his record 208 career touchdowns highlight his nose for the end zone and the big play. In fact, the term "YAC," or yards after catch, arrived into the football lexicon as a product of Rice's play being colored by John Madden's commentary.

Rice, the San Francisco Treat, once scored 22 touchdowns-in a 12-game 1987 strike-shortened season. Further, Rice also hauled in 122 catches for 1,848 yards as a 33-year old in 1995. The numbers are unreal; and serve to showcase the possibilities of a man driven by work.

Rice's workout regimen only adds to the legend. #80 was known to sprint 2.5 miles worth of Bay Area hills per session, hit the bike immediately prior to game time, and leave other professional athletes in tatters after participating within his five hour workouts. This dedication served as the foundation for Rice's 20-year NFL career, 22,895 receiving yards, and iconic status as one of the world's premier athletes.

Jerry Rice is the greatest NFL wide receiver of all time.

The Greatest NFL Wide Receivers of All Time - Top Ten List, Sources:

The Official Website of Jerry Rice, http://www.jerryricefootball.com/

NFL Statistics, http://www.pro-football-reference.com/

Pro Football Hall of Fame, http://www.profootballhof.com/

Kofi Bofah, The Top Ten Greatest NFL Quarterbacks of All Time, http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2114049/the_top_ten_greatest_nfl_quarterbacks.html?cat=14