Who's the Greatest #88 in NFL History? - The Sports Column | Sports Articles, Analysis, News and Media (2024)

Written by Akshay Sundaram, Massachusetts

#88 is a number associated with NFL Wide Receiver royalty. Drew Pearson, Michael Irvin, Marvin Harrison, Dez Bryant, and Demaryius Thomas, to name just a few, have won that number. Who’s the most talented #88 of all time?

Note the word, “talented.” This ranking won’t be aboutaccolades or records. It will beabout talent. That said, who can discount the importance of who’s throwing the ball. Drew Pearson won a Super Bowl as beneficiary of the great Roger Staubach, a 1^st Ballot Hall of Famer. Michael Irvin had Troy Aikmanduring the majority of his career. Demaryius Thomas and Marvin Harrison were (and are) recipients of hundreds of wobbly (yet on target) passes from Peyton Manning. And thosetwo 88s played with great secondary receivers, too: Wayne with Harrison and Thomas with Decker and, now, with Sanders.

So how do the 88s stack up against one another talent-wise?

Demaryius Thomas’ picture should come up if you Google “freak of nature.” At 6-3, 229 Thomas is everything you want in a modern wideout. As one commentator put it: “Look out folks, Lebron James just put on a Denver Broncos Uniform.” Towering over most corners, Thomas has a big edge from the get-go. And he runs a 4.38 40 with humility that goes a long way in the modern NFL. If there’s a negative it’s that he isprone to drop passes.

Dez Bryantcame out in the same NFL Draft. At 6-2, 220 with4.52 40 speed Bryant is a superior athlete. Although a tick smaller than Thomas, Dez makes up for that with his hands, which are glue-like. He had only 5 drops in 2014, an eye-catching stat. He’s big, fast, and can catch—the complete package.

Marvin Harrison should have trademarked the phrase, “Now you see me, now you don’t.”Harrison has confounded cornerbacks with his quickness, footwork, and route-running. Undersized at 6’, Harrison made up for it with hard work and talent. He runs a 4.38 40 and has great hands, too. Ranking #10 on NFL Network’s Top Receiving Hands of All Time Harrison is more likely to make a one-handed catch than to drop a pass.

At 6-2 207 Michael Irvin is widely considered to be one of the greatest receivers of all time. He was winner, too, claiming three Super Bowl rings with the Cowboys during the 90s. Irvin had talent—loads of it. He ran a 4.5 40; had an insane vertical leap; and was known for having extremely soft hands. With an unmatched ego and bravado—on-field and –off the field—Irvin was able to walk his talk.

Built for the era in which he played, Drew Pearson stood at 6’ and 184 lbs. Small size aside, Pearson had lighting quickness with “possession hands.” He made a name for himself as a reliable receiver for Staubach’s Cowboys. The Staubach-to-Pearson “Hail Mary Pass” will go down as one of the greatest plays of all time.

With all of that, here’s my ranking:

5. Drew Pearson: Putting Pearson at #5 is not an indictment on his talent. It’s more of a reflection of the excellence associated with the other names on the list.

4. Demaryius Thomas: Take away the butterfingers and this guy is easily #1.

3. Dez Bryant: If he continues to make logic-defying plays he’ll vie for #1.

2. Michael Irvin: I could have flipped a coin between Irvin and Harrison for #1.

1. Marvin Harrison: Charles Tillman and Champ Bailey have called him the best they ever played against.

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