Where does Nate Swift rank?

[eoltmer]

LOL compairing option offense WR's vs WCO WR's is like No matter what no one is right, Yes records are broken but two totally different offensive schemes are gonna mess with any records. IMO if your gonna rank WR's then rank only those with there peers in the respective offensive scheme's.

[Travis9]

LOL compairing option offense WR's vs WCO WR's is like No matter what no one is right, Yes records are broken but two totally different offensive schemes are gonna mess with any records. IMO if your gonna rank WR's then rank only those with there peers in the respective offensive scheme's.

Right now Swift is in the top 5 anywhere from 3-5 spot is debatable. This time 10 years from now he wont be in the top 10.

 

He will be one of the shorter lived top 5 guys ever

[HUSKER FREAK]

IMO, and I hope that no one tracks me down for saying this. I realize he WAS a great athlete and was a HUGE part of NE back in the day, but I think I almost get sick to my stomach everytime I hear about Johnny Rogers. I just think that as a person and not a player he is way over-rated. JMO Don't shoot please!!!

[BIGREDIOWAN]

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.

 

 

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.

 

Zac Taylor was the reason we made it to the Big XII Championship game so people don't think he was a great QB just because of his passing numbers. He did alot with a little and considering the offensive line play did an outstanding job.

 

I think you move Swift to #3 on that list because I don't think Purify did nearly as much as Nate Swift and wasn't as reliable IMO.

[redout22]

1. Johnny Rogers

2. Johnny Rogers

3. Johnny Rogers

then Fryer

and finally Mo Purify just because I like him so much

If you're gonna put him on the list that many times how about spelling his name right?

 

I'd say Rodgers, Fryar, Swift, Purify and Frosty Anderson. As much as I'd like to add Bobby Newcombe to the list he never had a 100 yard receiving game.

Sorry didn't even notice it, I was a little bit out of it yesterday

[hosker]

Swift should be in the Top 5. What no Johnny Mitchell??

 

Technically he was a TE. He was good though. Just think what that guy could do in this current system.

 

 

technically Rodgers was a HB, so if your going to throw him into it, then you'd have to do the same for JM

 

my list:

Rodgers

Fryar

Swift

Purify

Davison

[DeathCultArmaggedon]

technically Rodgers was a HB

Agreed. I don't think that Johnny Rodgers was a WR in the purest sense of the term.

 

If we are talking about who is the best pure WR that Nebraska has ever had, the answer is hands down Irving Fryar. We have not had a player at that position come close to his level of play-making ability before or since.

 

When you look at his body of work at Nebraska and in his 15+ years in the NFL, there is no contest.

[REDSTEEL]

Muhammad, Abdul

Bostick, Jon

Hughes, Tyrone

Brinson, Dana

 

All were pretty good when the ball was thrown their way.

[Pedro Guerrero]

technically Rodgers was a HB

Agreed. I don't think that Johnny Rodgers was a WR in the purest sense of the term.

 

If we are talking about who is the best pure WR that Nebraska has ever had, the answer is hands down Irving Fryar. We have not had a player at that position come close to his level of play-making ability before

 

Fryer and Rodgers both were listed as WB.

 

So I guess we better take them both out of the mix since they were WBs and WRs.

 

Fryar, Irving - (Mt. Holly, N.J.) - WB - 1981-82-83

http://www.huskers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SP...p;Q_SEASON=1983

 

Rodgers, Johnny - (Omaha, Neb.) - WB - 1970-71-72

http://www.huskers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SP...p;Q_SEASON=1972

[huKSer]

technically Rodgers was a HB

Agreed. I don't think that Johnny Rodgers was a WR in the purest sense of the term.

 

If we are talking about who is the best pure WR that Nebraska has ever had, the answer is hands down Irving Fryar. We have not had a player at that position come close to his level of play-making ability before

 

Fryer and Rodgers both were listed as WB.

 

So I guess we better take them both out of the mix since they were WBs and WRs.

 

Fryar, Irving - (Mt. Holly, N.J.) - WB - 1981-82-83

http://www.huskers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SP...p;Q_SEASON=1983

 

Rodgers, Johnny - (Omaha, Neb.) - WB - 1970-71-72

http://www.huskers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SP...p;Q_SEASON=1972

 

In modern parlance the WB is now known as the "Z receiver" or slot back.

 

Last year's players who played the "same" position as Fryar and Rodgers

WR (Z):

17 Todd Peterson***, 6-4, 215, Sr., Grand Island, Neb.

24 Niles Paul*, 6-1, 210, So., Omaha, Neb.

11 Curenski Gilleylen, 6-0, 210, RFr., Leander, Texas

[bruno]

 

1. Johnny Rodgers

2. Irving Fryer

3. Maurice Purify

4. Nate Swift

5. Matt Davison

 

 

I put Swifty in the 3 spot and I don't think I would put Mo P even in the top 10 since he wasn't here that long.

 

Matt Davison is maybe in the 8-10 category.

 

And, The Jet was more of a wing back/receiver than WR. I put Irving as #1 WR.

[HUSKER 37]

, what BIG catches did Terrence Nunn make? He made some good ones, but I don't personally recall any huge or clutch catches...

 

Did you see his girlfriend?

(Look in our "Daily Skin" section).

 

 

 

technically Rodgers was a HB

Agreed. I don't think that Johnny Rodgers was a WR in the purest sense of the term.

 

If we are talking about who is the best pure WR that Nebraska has ever had, the answer is hands down Irving Fryar. We have not had a player at that position come close to his level of play-making ability before

 

Fryer and Rodgers both were listed as WB.

 

So I guess we better take them both out of the mix since they were WBs and WRs.

 

Fryar, Irving - (Mt. Holly, N.J.) - WB - 1981-82-83

http://www.huskers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SP...p;Q_SEASON=1983

 

Rodgers, Johnny - (Omaha, Neb.) - WB - 1970-71-72

http://www.huskers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SP...p;Q_SEASON=1972

 

Thanks for finding that..Thought I was going "Mad Cow" for remembering them both as Wingbacks...

And why didn't we have JR for 4 years? (I thought we did) , but I guess I was eleven at the time, and vaguely remember him getting in trouble for sticking up a gas station..

 

 

What about Todd Brown?

 

Started as a redshirt Freshman..I seem to recall him coming in second in "All Time Huskers at SE/WR around 3-4 years ago..Maybe just "Durring the Osborn years".

 

Turned down Detroit to play in the CFL..Led the league in receptions until breaking a femur..or was it the time he had his cheekbone jammed up against his brain?..sure handed and one of the fastest on the team..and a great blocker downfield..

 

Cornhusker Walk-on Todd Brown Holdrege, 1978

 

Todd Brown, the first Nebraskan to eclipse the 50-foot mark in the triple jump, still holds the state record with a leap of 50 feet, 2 ¼ inches. In 1978, Brown set the triple jump record while winning three Class B championships at the state meet. He also won the long jump and 100-yard dash at the state meet. The previous year, Brown took home the gold in the Class B triple jump and placed second in the long jump. Brown also competed in football for the Holdrege Dusters and was selected to play in the 1978 Shrine Bowl. He competed in football and track at the University of Nebraska. In 1983, Brown was selected in the sixth round of the NFL draft by the Detroit Lions. He went on to play five years in the Canadian Football League for the Montreal Concordes, Saskatchewan Roughriders and Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

[nateswiftfan]

Id put him at #3 all time. Someone saying he is just a product of a system is absurd, every team has a system and every player is a product of it. People talk about these system's as if they can magically make a player greater than he actually is. If they could then why wouldn't all college's and nfl teams have these system's that make an average player look great? If he can excel in Nebraska's system there is no doubt that he can excel in whatever pro system he is put in.

[nateswiftfan]

this is a great highlight showing how good he is, also shows how good Ganz is

[VA Husker Fan]

technically Rodgers was a HB

Agreed. I don't think that Johnny Rodgers was a WR in the purest sense of the term.

 

If we are talking about who is the best pure WR that Nebraska has ever had, the answer is hands down Irving Fryar. We have not had a player at that position come close to his level of play-making ability before

Thanks for finding that..Thought I was going "Mad Cow" for remembering them both as Wingbacks...

And why didn't we have JR for 4 years? (I thought we did) , but I guess I was eleven at the time, and vaguely remember him getting in trouble for sticking up a gas station..

 

 

Freshmen weren't eligible for varsity when JR played. That's why we only had him for 3 years.

 

JR wasn't technically a WR but he was closer to that then a HB. His versatility was incredible. Everyone remembers the punt return in the game of the century, but he had some big "possession" catches in that game too.

 

Catching up on some other comments...

 

Thomas and Purify looked like prototype receivers, but Thomas especially didn't amount to too much. There more to it than just being an athlete. You have to run good routes, read the coverage, not give away too soon to the DB looking at you that the ball is coming, know how to use your body for position, etc. I'm not observant enough to judge, but I think some of these areas kept those guys from standing out.

 

Give me a "money" receiver like Davison over them any day. He was a lot more than a one-catch guy.

 

Fryar had all of those tools and the athletic ability. Osborne could've easily have built an offense around him like he did for Rodgers, but Rozier and the O-line were not a bad thing to focus on either. Fryar wasn't totally a pure WR either, he lined up in the slot and got an occasional carry too.