There have been a plethora of great wide receivers who played at a high and elite level, like Jerry Rice or Randy Moss. In the history of the NFL, there have been wide receivers that were good and exceptional but fell kind of under the radar despite the big numbers they put up in their illustrious careers. Without further ado, here are the Top Five Underrated NFL Wide Receivers:
1. Don Hutson, Green Bay Packers (1935-1945)
Don Hutson was Jerry Rice before Jerry Rice in terms of being one of the first ultimate great modern wide receivers. Known as the Alabama Antelope, Hutson set the template of what a great wide receiver should be due to the fact he led the league in receiving yards in seven separate seasons.
Huston also led the league in receiving touchdowns in 9 seasons, including being on the All-Pro Team 8 times, a 4-time All-Star, and won the league MVP twice. Displaying at the wide receiver, Huston was the best player in the NFL during his tenure as a Green Bay Packer. Don Hutson scored 99 touchdowns, including 488 receptions for 7,991 receiving yards.
Throughout the passage of time,Don Hutson was overshadowed by the great record breaking receivers that would surpass Hutson like a Jerry Rice who would break most of the records at wide receiver that Hutson set during his career epitomizing why Don Hutson was the most underrated wide receiver in NFL history.
2. Raymond Berry, Baltimore Colts (1955-1967)
Raymond Berry was the go-to receiver for quarterback Johnny Unitas of the Baltimore Colts. Berry led the league in receptions three times and was known for his great hands and precise pass patterns. He was a six-time Pro Bowler and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1973.
The greatest performance of Raymond Berry’s career was against the New York Giants in the 1958 NFL Championship Game where he caught 12 passes for 178 yards and a touchdown catch. When Raymond Berry retired, he had the most receptions in the history of the NFL with 631 receptions for 9,275 receiving yards including 68 touchdowns.
3. Lance Alworth, San Diego Chargers (1962-1970), Dallas Cowboys (1971-1972)
Lance Alworth was known as Bambi because of his baby face and the ability to run like a deer. Alworth possessed a slender build, speed, grace, and leaping ability, representing who he was as a wide receiver. Lance Alworth is one of the best wide receivers to ever play for the Chargers franchise, especially in the AFL, leading the league in receiving yards and receptions 3 times, including setting a franchise record of 83 touchdowns. Alworth was the quintessential game breaker because he was the fastest player to catch 50 touchdowns and accumulated 4,000 yards to 9,000 yards receiving yards, hypothetically inventing the yards after catch moniker.
4. Steve Largent Seattle Seahawks (1976-1989)
Steve Largent rarely gets consideration when it comes to the greatest wide receivers in NFL history because, for 14 seasons as a Seattle Seahawk wide receiver, Largent was an elite great receiver, resulting in being a 7-time Pro Bowler and a Pro Football Hall of Famer inducted in 1995. When Largent left the game of football in 1989, he held all of the major NFL receiving records, which included most receptions (819), receiving yards (13,089), and touchdown receptions (100).
Steve Largent broke new ground when he became the first wide receiver in NFL history to have 100 touchdown receptions. Overall, Steve Largent will go down as one of the greatest Seattle Seahawk wide receivers to ever play.
5. Art Monk, Washington Redskins (1980-1993), New York Jets (1994), Philadelphia Eagles (1995)
Art Monk was truly a great underrated wide receiver for the Washington Redskins. In 1984, Monk broke new ground at the wide receiver position by catching a then-record of 106 receptions for a career-best 1,372 receiving yards. Art Monk caught eight passes or more in six games, including five games of 100 yards or more, along with catching 10 passes for 200 yards. He was the first player as a Redskin to catch 70 or passes in three consecutive seasons including the first to produce three consecutive 1,000 yard seasons.
Monk was prolific as a receiver that set records like being the 1st player to catch a touchdown reception in 15 consecutive seasons, including 35 catches in 15 consecutive seasons. Art Monk was the wide receiver to catch 820 passes in a career and surpass 900 career receptions. Overall, Monk finished with 940 receptions for 12,721 receiving yards, including 68 touchdowns.
There have been so many great wide receivers in the NFL. Currently, we are spoiled by some potential Hall of Famers. However, it’s important not to forget these legendary wide receivers who may be flying under the radar.
