Nebraska football: 10 best seasons by Huskers wide receivers

When it comes to best wide receivers, and best players ever to play for the Nebraska football team, Johnny Rodgers tops the list. His 1972 season was the best all-around year for any Nebraska receiver because of what he was able to do whenever the ball found his hands.

Strictly as a receiver, he haunted defenses by catching 55 passes for 942 yards and seven touchdowns. Those 942 were a school record for over 40 years despite a change to a passing offense in the last decades.

Rodgers was finally knocked to second in school history thanks to Morgan’s 2017 campaign. What puts Rodgers at the top of this list is everything else he did.

Back in 1972, Johnny the Jet was a jack of all trades. In addition to 55 catches, he had 58 rushes for 267 yards and another seven touchdowns. He was also an insanely good punt returner who had 618 punt return yards and two touchdowns.

Next: 10 best seasons by a Husker running back

While he did it less, he even returned kickoffs and in 1972, averaged over 23 yards per kick return. It’s no wonder all of those numbers combined to let the former Nebraska football star win a Heisman trophy campaign. No, the punt return that “tore ’em loose from their shoes” didn’t happen in 1972 but he had plenty of plays that year that did.