True Freshman WR Jesse Legree of Oregon State is Legitimately Keeping Pace With Jeremiah Smith For Best Wide Receiver in the Nation
In total, this might be the 4th blog I've posted where I mention Oregon State's Jesse Legree. If I set aside my college football allegiances, Jesse Legree is hands down my new favorite player in college football. It's not close. In a league that features rosters laden with 23-year-old, 7th-year double-redshirt, restraining-order-against-the-NCAA super seniors... in Corvallis, Oregon, there's a true Freshman who looks like a true child, making defenses full of grown men look like Pop Warner kids.
Personally, I think the coolest thing a wide receiver can do is take a drag route that's caught a yard past the line of scrimmage, then turn the corner and beat EVERYBODY to the end zone. Ideally, for 50 yards or more.
And as impressive as Jeremiah Smith is, he's 6-4, 225-pounds. Jesse Legree is 5-10, 175-pounds. That's half a foot shorter and 50 pounds lighter. I will always be more impressed by players who do more with less.
That being said, Jesse Legree is BARELY doing "less". Jeremiah Smith (as a Junior) has 823 yards and 9 TD's. Jesse Legree has 741 yards and 9 TD's. So Jeremiah Smith is obviously having a better season. But there's also something I appreciate about a receiver racks up more yards on fewer receptions. Honestly, I have no idea what the analytics say about what's more valuable – a receiver who catches a lot for a little, or a receiver who catches less for massive chunks. I'm guessing a guy like Jerimah Smith who's catching MORE passes is MORE valuable. But as a fan, I love to watch a home run hitter. Especially when that home run hitter is hitting home runs on passes caught behind the line of scrimmage.
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I'm not arguing Jesse Legree is more worthy of any award than Jeremiah Smith, but if we were comparing the two, it's not like Ohio State has played any tougher competition than Oregon State. To me, they seem almost exactly on par with one another. Especially when you compare the talent around Jeremiah Smith vs. the talent around Jesse Legree.
Jeremiah Smith did it against Texas. It doesn't get any better than that. But Jesse Legree is also doing this vs teams who outmatch Oregon State way more than Texas outmatched the Buckeyes.
Even the catches he doesn't make are out-of-this-world impressive.
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And for the record…
I very much doubt that Jesse Legree will be able to surpass Jeremiah Smith this season. Or ever even be considered "on par" with him. Jeremiah Smith is already penciled in for the Heisman. But if Legree stays healthy, he should be close. And for what it's worth, if we're comparing Freshman seasons so far…
If you're a big "on pace" guy, well… you probably think Jesse Legree is going to leave Jeremiah Smith in the dust. And just imagine what Legree will be able to do under Lane Kiffin, with Kamario Taylor throwing him the ball next season…