College football is loaded with outstanding quarterbacks. Louisville's Teddy Bridgewater, UCLA's Brett Hundley and Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel are among the many signal-callers to garner national praise during the early portion of the 2013 season.
The wide receiver position also has plenty of talent, but the national spotlight has mainly focused on two players: USC's Marqise Lee and Clemson's Sammy Watkins. Those two players are extremely gifted but there are several other pass catchers worthy of national attention. Here are the five I'll be focused on this weekend:
1. Ole Miss WR Donte Moncrief vs. Alabama
Moncrief is one of the top pass-catching weapons in the SEC. He has outstanding size (6-foot-3, 226 pounds) and he is very physical at the line of scrimmage. He has enough speed to create separation down the field and he excels at tracking the ball over his shoulder. He's had a modest statistical start to the 2013 season (11 catches for 173 yards, two touchdowns), but that can largely be explained by the emergence of the Rebels' phenomenal freshman wideout, Laquon Treadwill. Ole Miss will need both of these talented wide receivers to play at a high level to have any shot of knocking off Alabama, the top-ranked team in the country, on the road.
2. Stanford WR Ty Montgomery vs. Washington State
This year's Stanford offense looks much different than it has in the past few years. The passing attack is no longer centered on the tight end position, with Junior Ty Montgomery emerging as the No. 1 target for quarterback Kevin Hogan. Montgomery is off to a fast start this season, averaging 19.5 yards per catch (14 receptions for 273 yards) and hauling in four touchdowns. His vertical speed is a perfect complement to Stanford's power-running game. Montgomery will face an underrated passing defense on Saturday night against Washington State. Earlier this season, the Cougars limited USC's Marqise Lee to 27 yards on seven receptions.
3. LSU WR Jarvis Landry vs. Georgia
LSU's passing attack has been revitalized by the improved quarterback play of Zach Mettenberger and the aggressive play-calling of new offensive coordinator Cam Cameron. Landry has been one of the biggest benefactors of the new-look offense. He's already caught 24 passes for 364 yards and six touchdowns. He had a huge game against Auburn last week, catching seven passes for 118 yards and a score. He is a very polished route runner, displaying outstanding quickness to get in and out of his break. He has very strong hands and attacks the ball at the highest point. He is also tough to bring down after the catch because of his combination of strength and elusiveness. Landry and the sixth-ranked Tigers will face their toughest challenge of the season on Saturday, as they head to Athens to take on No. 9 Georgia.
4. Washington WR Kasen Williams vs. Arizona
Washington features one of the most balanced offenses in the country. The Huskies are currently ranked 17th in the country in passing (325.3 yards per game) and ninth in rushing (303.7). The passing game is centered around two talented juniors -- tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins and wideout Kasen Williams. Williams is a big, physical target who has continued to improve as a route-runner during his career. Last season, he caught 77 passes for 878 yards and six touchdowns. He's currently tied for the team lead with 11 catches for 204 yards and a score. He is due for a breakout game on Saturday, when the Huskies host an undefeated Arizona squad.
5. Fresno State WR Davante Adams vs. Hawaii
Fresno State recently launched a Heisman Trophy campaign for its senior signal-caller, Derek Carr. Carr has thrown for 1,121 yards and 12 touchdowns in the Bulldogs' first three games. His favorite target is sophomore Davante Adams. Adams doesn't have blazing speed, but he has excellent quickness and ball skills. He's currently leading the Bulldogs in receptions (31) and he's tied for the lead in touchdowns (4). He should have a big game on Sunday (yes, you read that correctly) as the Bulldogs take on Hawaii.
Follow Daniel Jeremiah on Twitter @MoveTheSticks.
