Where does Nate Swift rank?

Pedro Guerrero

Pedro Guerrero

Team HuskerBoard
Since Swift finished his career #1 in receptions for a career & season (receiver), #2 in yardage for a season & career, TD’s for a season & career. Where does he rank among the top receivers to ever come through Nebraska? He has to be up there right? Rodgers, Fryer and Purify were better in my opinion. If Rodgers would have played 4 years he would still have the reception record, Fryer was the #1 pick in the NFL draft and Purify if he would have had one more year and less drinks would have put up mad stats. I would take Swift over Davison and probably anyone else besides the three I mentioned. So here is how I see it:

1. Johnny Rodgers

2. Irving Fryer

3. Maurice Purify

4. Nate Swift

5. Matt Davison

Also what receiver from the past do you think would have been a lot better in this offense compared to the option based attack? The one that stands out in my mind is Kenny Cheatham. I think in this offense we the pass is more utilized that guy would have been money. I also think in the current system Newcombe and Baul would have been awesome slot receivers.

 
Purify makes #3 only on potential, IMO. he never was reliable as a team player while at NU, as was Swift........by far!

Swift's value to the team was huge, compared to Purify!

 
Hunter94 said:
Purify makes #3 only on potential, IMO. he never was reliable as a team player while at NU, as was Swift........by far!

Swift's value to the team was huge, compared to Purify!
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Agreed. Purify should not be on the list. I would put Swift as # 3 all time. Honestly, the kid was great. Wonderful player who gave his all and performed really, really well. Actually, there is a rather big drop-off after Swift --- the gap between #3 and #4 is big.

 
Davison huh? I guess one maraculous catch can raise your profile quite a bit at NU. I know we'll never be known as WR U. But if one great catch is all it takes, then shouldn't Crouch be on the list! He had more big catches, and maybe more T.D. cathes than Matt Davison! O.K. not true, but still. One big catch; does not a legend make you.

 
Davison was 2nd to Rodgers in career receptions and yards until we switched offenses. He led the team in receiving his Soph, JR, and SR years. I also believe he still holds the record for receiving yards in a game. He had more then just the one catch.

As far as Purify goes in 25 games he finished with 91 catches for 1444 yards and 16 TD’s. Just think what that guy would have done if he was here longer or if Billy C hadn’t held the offense back until it was apparent that he was getting fired. In the 4 games when we tossed it everywhere Purify had 29 catches for 440 yards and 7 TD’s. Off the field issues aside he was awesome.

 
For some reason, Nate Swift reminded me a little of Ross Pilkington and Grant Mulkey, before he was kicked off the team.

Maybe it's the "all white receivers are the same person" effect. I don't remember those times very clearly, but they were guys who I seem to recall made the grabs in traffic and were tough blockers.

 
zoogies said:
For some reason, Nate Swift reminded me a little of Ross Pilkington and Grant Mulkey, before he was kicked off the team.

Maybe it's the "all white receivers are the same person" effect. I don't remember those times very clearly, but they were guys who I seem to recall made the grabs in traffic and were tough blockers.
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They might remind you of Swift, but in terms of production, it's not even close. I think Swift is faster than either as well.

 
yeah, I know. I wasn't arguing that their production was even close. I was suggesting though, maybe if they came along a little later in the Callahan years, they may have been able to produce more.

Probably neither were close as athletic as Swift, who is pretty athletic.

 
newearthhusker said:
Since Swift finished his career #1 in receptions for a career & season (receiver), #2 in yardage for a season & career, TD’s for a season & career. Where does he rank among the top receivers to ever come through Nebraska? He has to be up there right? Rodgers, Fryer and Purify were better in my opinion. If Rodgers would have played 4 years he would still have the reception record, Fryer was the #1 pick in the NFL draft and Purify if he would have had one more year and less drinks would have put up mad stats. I would take Swift over Davison and probably anyone else besides the three I mentioned. So here is how I see it:

1. Johnny Rodgers

2. Irving Fryer

3. Maurice Purify

4. Nate Swift

5. Matt Davison

Also what receiver from the past do you think would have been a lot better in this offense compared to the option based attack? The one that stands out in my mind is Kenny Cheatham. I think in this offense we the pass is more utilized that guy would have been money. I also think in the current system Newcombe and Baul would have been awesome slot receivers.
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If we're going on stats, Nate Swift would be #1. I mean there are people who still think Zac Taylor was a great QB because of his passing numbers here at NU, so using this philosophy we have to put Swift as the #1 overall WR. This is why they're called records.

The WR from the past that would have excelled the most would have to be none other than Wilson Thomas. He was 6'6" tall. He weighed 215 lbs. He outran Crouch on that long run as the lead blocker, so he was extremely fast. His biggest downfall was loyalty. Being from Omaha, he was loyal to the Huskers when he should have gone to a Miami or someplace like that to play WR. IMO, it cost him millions.

 
junior4949 said:
I mean there are people who still think Zac Taylor was a great QB because of his passing numbers here at NU
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I think Zac Taylor was a great QB, which he was and it has a lot more to do with how he played not just his numbers. He was Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year.

Only going off stats doesn't tell the whole story at a place like NU where the offenses from the past are so different from todays. Using that logic though Taylor and Ganz would be ahead of Frazier, Crouch, Frost, Tagge, Gill which we all know they aren’t. Also stats would put Todd Peterson in the Top 5 best WR to play here which he isn’t and Mike McNeil would be the best TE to play here.

junior4949 said:
The WR from the past that would have excelled the most would have to be none other than Wilson Thomas.
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He was another that came to mind. He was very under utilized even in the old system.

 
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