2010 FBS Positional Analysis: Wide Receivers

NCAA Football Betting Lines

07/07/2010 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - They are often the brashest of players, but it seems these days those who play with a swagger elevate their game and by nature their teams to new heights. Whether they go by wide receiver, flanker or any other name, these players can change the momentum of a game with one play.

Here are the top wideouts heading into the 2010 season.

A.J. GREEN, GEORGIA

Perhaps the top "difference maker" on the outside in all of the FBS, Green can do it all. At 6-foot-4, 205 pounds, there isn't much to dislike about this Bulldog. Plenty of speed and great hands separate him from the rest of field. A two-time All-SEC First Team selection, Green is coming off a 2009 campaign in which he hauled in 53 balls for 808 yards and six touchdowns. Those numbers were slightly off his amazing freshman season (56 receptions for 963 yards and eight TDs), but a lot of that had to do with injuries and the Bulldogs' lack of consistency as a whole last year (8-5). If Georgia is to return to SEC glory in 2010, expect Green to be the main reason why.

MICHAEL FLOYD, NOTRE DAME

The definition of a big play wideout. The Irish have something special in Floyd, who will probably jump ship to the NFL following this season. With great size (6-3, 220) and athleticism, it is awfully tough to contain him down the field. Last season, he played in just seven games before breaking his collarbone, and still finished with 44 receptions for 795 yards and nine TDs. There will be a new QB in South Bend to go with a new coaching staff and new system, but if Brian Kelly is to bring the Irish back to prominence, Floyd is the kind of building block to start with.

JONATHAN BALDWIN, PITTSBURGH

Showed immediate promise as a freshman in 2008, averaging 22.4 yards per catch on 18 receptions. Baldwin took it to a higher level as a sophomore, grabbing 57 balls for 1,111 yards and eight TDs. At 6-5, 225 pounds, he has the size that keeps NFL scouts drooling. Whether he takes the next step and becomes a household name this year depends a lot on the quarterback situation at Pittsburgh. Baldwin enjoyed great success with a veteran signal-caller last season and will need to form a solid foundation early on with the Panthers' new QB if he is to put up big numbers again. Pittsburgh will once again rely heavily on the run, but when the team goes vertical, Baldwin will be the target more often than not.

JULIO JONES, ALABAMA

Yes, the Crimson Tide won the national championship last season, but it took the extremely gifted Jones quite awhile to get going and be a regular contributor. The 6-4, 211-pounder struggled with injuries in 2009, after being named the SEC Freshman of the Year and earning All-American honors in 2008. His 24 receptions for 331 yards and three TDs this past season certainly aren't the kind of numbers that jump out at you, but, make no mistake, when he's healthy, he rivals the best in the game. The Crimson Tide have some holes to fill this year, but the offensive side of the ball will remain potent. A devastating ground game led by reigning Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram should open things up for Jones down the field, providing he is able to suit up all season long.

RYAN BROYLES, OKLAHOMA

Broyles won't scare defenders with his size (5-11, 183), but still creates mismatches. The Sooners had a down year in 2009, but Broyles didn't. Despite a quarterback change resulting in the loss of the then-reigning Heisman Trophy winner, Broyles still put up huge numbers, hauling in a school-record 89 balls for 1,120 yards and a school-record-tying 15 TDs, dwarfing his 2008 season, when he set the school record for receiving yards by a freshman (687). The OU offense will be much better this season with a "veteran" sophomore QB under center. The Sooners will return to national prominence in 2010 and Broyles will have a big hand in that.

JAMES CLEVELAND, HOUSTON

Cleveland has finally found a home at Houston. A former Iowa Hawkeye who spent a season at Trinity Valley Community College, the 6-1, 205-pounder settled in with the Cougars last season and formed an immediate connection with standout QB Case Keenum while being tabbed the 2009 Conference USA Newcomer of the Year. Did Cleveland benefit from the system in Houston? Who cares. His first year couldn't have gone much better, as he caught just about everything thrown his way, resulting in 104 receptions for 1,214 yards and 14 TDs. He has the kind of size to be effective at the next level and another big year in the FBS ranks could have him climb the draft boards at a rapid pace. Houston will be in the hunt for the Conference USA crown, and look for the Keenum-to-Cleveland connection to be front and center along the way.

JERMAINE KEARSE, WASHINGTON

There hasn't been much to cheer about as a Washington fan the last couple of years, but the potential of the 6-2, 200-pound Kearse is certainly reason for optimism in 2010. An All-Pac-10 Second Team selection as a sophomore, Kearse led the team in receptions (50), receiving yards (866) and TDs (eight) in 2009. He has one of the game's top quarterbacks in Jake Locker back in the fold, so look for another increase in numbers. Whether his production helps the rebuilding Huskies add to their modest five-win total from 2009 remains to be seen, but the talented Kearse must be accounted for at all times.

JAMES RODGERS, OREGON STATE

This talented Beaver is overshadowed by his little brother (running back Jacquizz Rodgers) in Corvallis, but is certainly a game-changer in his own right. A versatile player, the elder Rodgers is one of the Pac-10's elite wideouts, who doesn't mind getting involved in the ground game, return game, or as a blocker, despite his diminutive size (5-7, 188). Last season, Rodgers was an All-Pac-10 First Team selection after setting a school record with 91 receptions, going for 1,034 yards with nine TDs. He also set OSU's single- season record for all-purpose yardage (2,328). A tough non-conference slate that includes TCU and Boise State may hinder the team's ability to exceed last season's eight-win total, but with the ultra-talented Rodgers' brothers on the field, anything is possible.

GREG SALAS, HAWAII

Playing in the WAC usually won't help a player in terms of national attention. Add to that the fact that he plays well off the mainland at the University of Hawaii and you can understand how this talented wideout has gone overlooked week-in and week-out. As a junior in 2009, Salas was among the nation's leaders, finishing with 106 receptions for 1,590 yards and eight TDs, leading the WAC in both receptions and receiving yards per game (fourth in the nation at 122.3 ypg). He plays the slot position for the Warriors and the 6-2 California native is as reliable an outlet as there is in FBS. Hawaii finished just under .500 last year (6-7) and if the team is to earn a winning season in 2010, you can bet Salas' fingerprints will be all over it.

TITUS YOUNG, BOISE STATE

A key cog for one of college football's most prolific offenses, Young burst on the scene as a junior in 2009, hauling in 79 balls for 1,041 yards and 10 TDs and becoming a go-to-guy for All-American QB Kellen Moore. Having Austin Pettis (63 balls for 855 yards and 14 TDs) on the other side doesn't hurt either, but Young is much more versatile, scoring three more TDs on the ground and another two on kick returns, while earning All-WAC First Team honors in 2009 as both a receiver and return specialist. What Young lacks in size (5-11, 170), he more than makes up for in playmaking ability. The Broncos could finish their stay in the WAC (they're moving to the Mountain West in 2011) with a national championship run. Look for Young to be a difference maker on a weekly basis.

OTHERS TO KEEP AN EYE ON: Austin Pettis (Boise State), Deonte Thompson (Florida), Leonard Hankerson (Miami-Florida), Alshon Jeffrey (South Carolina), Devier Posey (Ohio State), Niles Paul (Nebraska).

Pacific-10 Conference odds

Teams that should be in: Stanford

Oregon and USC get their tickets punched after taking care of business this weekend. Yes, the Trojans' computer numbers aren't great, but there's no way the third-place team in this league is getting nixed. Grudgingly, I added Arizona after consultation with our Bracketologist. I don't know that Arizona will lose its last three (including a Pac-10 quarterfinal game), and even if the Cats do, I still can't see how they'd be left out, given the overall profile. That said, it bears watching, as three more L's would leave them at 18-12 (9-9) and on a 6-11 skid entering the Dance. It would be nice to see the Wildcats get at least one W in the Bay Area next week, as Cincinnati (albeit without Armein Kirkland and with a worse profile) was axed after a similar slide last season. I just couldn't rationalize having some of the other teams as locks and not having Arizona in that category -- there just aren't enough good teams behind the Cats to threaten their spot, it seems. Stanford has its fate in its own hands with the Arizona schools coming to the Farm to close out the regular season next weekend.

Should be in:

Stanford [17-10 (9-7), RPI: 40, SOS: 21] No shame in not getting a win in L.A., but that makes the home game against Arizona State a must-win ahead of what could be an intriguing meeting with Arizona should the Cats lose at Cal. Getting to 11 Pac-10 wins would make Selection Sunday much more comfortable, but 10's probably more than enough this season. The Cardinal have nonconference wins over Texas Tech and at Virginia to lean on, although they also lost badly to Air Force and Santa Clara at home.

Southeastern Conference odds

Work left to do: Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Mississippi State It looks more and more possible that no one from the SEC West will make the NCAAs. How weird is that? Tennessee and Vandy move into the locks category after more good work this weekend. Kentucky stays there, although it would be smart for the Cats to handle Georgia at home Wednesday ahead of a trip to the Swamp. Could a disaster scenario (two more L's and a first-round SEC tourney exit) somehow dislodge the Cats despite their incredible computer numbers? Still unlikely, but not worth chancing it. Work left to do: Alabama [19-9 (6-8), RPI: 43, SOS: 47] The tough L at Tennessee was understandable, and even created some hope. Unfortunately, that hope was dashed by a home loss to Auburn, which leaves the Tide in some real trouble. There's still no signature win on the profile (no, Kentucky doesn't count), and the computer profile is weakening rapidly. The Tide conceivably could beat Ole Miss and win at Miss. State to get to 8-8 and clinch at least a share of the West crown, but that's probably not enough right now. The Tide will need to do some work in the SEC tourney. Georgia [16-10 (8-6), RPI: 52, SOS: 23] This is the team with the best chance to make it from this section right now. The Bulldogs rebounded from a terrible performance at Ole Miss to beat down Miss. State. Now they are at Kentucky (king of the RPI 51-100 win) and home to Tennessee. That would be worth a lot of computer points to get both (which is doable), as both teams are in the top 11 in RPI. Finishing at least 9-7 is an absolute must, and I would feel much better about the Dawgs' chances if they got both to get to 10 SEC wins. They also beat Gonzaga, but lost to ACC bubblers Georgia Tech and Clemson. Mississippi [18-10 (7-7), RPI: 63, SOS: 79] Like everyone else in this division, Ole Miss gacked up a chance to stake a claim, losing by double figures at South Carolina. Even 9-7 likely is not nearly enough with a nonconference profile devoid of anything notable. Mississippi State [16-11 (7-7), RPI: 66, SOS: 37] With a chance to get in the mix, these Bulldogs were leashed by their Georgia counterparts. Could they get to 9-7? I guess -- although winning at Arkansas, then beating Alabama is no lock -- but would that mean all that much for a team with this overall profile? Probably not. There's nothing of note (on the good side) in the nonconference profile.

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