NCAA Division I FBS receiving leaders

College football statistics

The NCAA Division I FBS receiving leaders are career, single-season, and single-game leaders in receiving yards, receiving touchdowns and receptions.[1] These lists are dominated by more recent players for several reasons:

* Since 1955, seasons have increased from 10 games to 11 and then 12 games in length.
* The NCAA didn't allow freshmen to play varsity football until 1972 (with the exception of the World War II years), allowing players to have four-year careers.
* Bowl games only began counting toward single-season and career statistics in 2002.[2] This affects many players from before that time period. For example, Trevor Insley had 98 receiving yards in the 1996 Las Vegas Bowl,[3] which would bring his career total to 5,103 if this game counted in his career statistics.
* In recent decades, starting with the Southeastern Conference in 1992, FBS conferences have introduced their own championship games, which have always counted fully toward single-season and career statistics.
* The NCAA ruled that the 2020 season, heavily disrupted by COVID-19, would not count against the athletic eligibility of any football player. This gave every player active in that season the opportunity for five years of eligibility instead of the normal four.
* Only seasons in which a team was considered to be a part of the Football Bowl Subdivision are included in these lists. For example, only one of Randy Moss's two seasons at Marshall (1997) is found on these lists.

Legend

| Active FBS Player

Statistics accurate as of December 1, 2024.

## Receiving yards

[edit]

### Career

[edit]

The career leader in receiving yards is Western Michigan's Corey Davis. Davis does not have any single seasons in the top 30, instead having a consistent run of 941, 1,408, 1,429, and 1,500 yards over his four seasons. He broke the record set by Trevor Insley at Nevada. Prior to Insley, the record was held by a pair of Wyoming receivers, Ryan Yarborough and then Marcus Harris.

| #  | Player  | Yards  | Team

|
|
|

1  | Corey Davis | 5,285  |  2013 2014 2015 2016 Western Michigan
2  | Trevor Insley | 5,005  |  1996 1997 1998 1999 Nevada
3  | Ryan Broyles | 4,586  |  2008 2009 2010 2011 Oklahoma
4  | Justin Hardy | 4,541  |  2011 2012 2013 2014 East Carolina
5  | Marcus Harris | 4,518  |  1993 1994 1995 1996 Wyoming
6  | Patrick Edwards | 4,507  |  2008 2009 2010 2011 Houston
7  | Jacob Cowing | 4,477 |  2019 2020 2021 UTEP |  2022 2023 Arizona
8  | James Washington | 4,472  |  2014 2015 2016 2017 Oklahoma State
9  | Rashaun Woods | 4,414  |  2000 2001 2002 2003 Oklahoma State
10  | Ryan Yarborough | 4,357  |  1990 1991 1992 1993 Wyoming
11  | Troy Edwards | 4,352  | 1996 1997 1998 Louisiana Tech
12  | Aaron Turner | 4,345  |  1989 1990 1991 1992 Pacific
Greg Salas | 4,345  |  2007 2008 2009 2010 Hawaii
14  | Zay Jones | 4,279  |  2013 2014 2015 2016 East Carolina
15  | Terance Mathis | 4,254  |  1985 1986 1987 1989 New Mexico
| #  | Player  | Yards  | Team

|
|
|

16  | Geoff Noisy  | 4,249  | 1995 1996 1997 1998 Nevada
17  | Taywan Taylor | 4,234  | 2013 2014 2015 2016 Western Kentucky
18  | Jordan White | 4,187  |  2007 2009 2010 2011 Western Michigan
19  | Trent Taylor | 4,179  |  2013 2014 2015 2016 Louisiana Tech
20  | Jarett Dillard | 4,138  |  2005 2006 2007 2008 Rice
21  | Darius Watts | 4,031  | 2000 2001 2002 2003 Marshall
22  | Kendall Wright | 4,004  | 2008 2009 2010 2011 Baylor
23  | Zakhari Franklin | 3,999 |  2019 2020 2021 2022 UTSA ᛫  2023 Ole Miss ᛫  2024 Illinois
24  | Troy Walters | 3,986  |  1996 1997 1998 1999 Stanford
25  | DeVonta Smith | 3,965  |  2017 2018 2019 2020 Alabama
26  | James Proche | 3,949  |  2016 2017 2018 2019 SMU
27  | Derek Hagan | 3,939  | 2002 2003 2004 2005 Arizona State
28  | Mike Hass | 3,924  |  2002 2003 2004 2005 Oregon State
29  | Jason Rivers | 3,919  |  2003 2004 2006 2007 Hawaii
30  | Josh Davis | 3,889  |  2001 2002 2003 2004 Marshall

### Single season

[edit]

Insley holds the single-season record as the only player to ever catch for more than 2,000 yards in a season. He edged out the record set by Troy Edwards the previous season.

| #  | Player  | Yards  | Team

|
|
|

1  | Trevor Insley | 2,060  | 1999 Nevada
2  | Troy Edwards | 1,996  | 1998 Louisiana Tech
3  | Michael Crabtree | 1,962  |  2007 Texas Tech
4  | Jordan White | 1,911  | 2011 Western Michigan
5  | Jerreth Sterns | 1,902  |  2021 Western Kentucky
6  | Greg Salas | 1,889  |  2010 Hawaii
7  | DeVonta Smith | 1,856  |  2020 Alabama
8  | Alex Van Dyke | 1,854  | 1995 Nevada
9  | Terrance Williams | 1,832  | 2012 Baylor
10  | Trent Taylor | 1,803  |  2016 Louisiana Tech
| #  | Player  | Yards  | Team

|
|
|

11  | J. R. Tolver | 1,785  |  2002 San Diego State
12  | Justin Blackmon | 1,782  |  2010 Oklahoma State
13  | Danario Alexander | 1,781  | 2009 Missouri
14  | Ja'Marr Chase | 1,780  |  2019 LSU
15  | Howard Twilley | 1,779  |  1965 Tulsa
16  | Freddie Barnes | 1,770  |  2009 Bowling Green
17  | Patrick Edwards | 1,752  |  2011 Houston
18  | Rashard Higgins | 1,750  |  2014 Colorado State
19  | Zay Jones | 1,746  |  2016 East Carolina
20  | Josh Reed | 1,740  |  2001 LSU
| #  | Player  | Yards  | Team

|
|
|

21  | Brandin Cooks | 1,730  |  2013 Oregon State
Taywan Taylor | 1,730  |  2016 Western Kentucky
23  | Amari Cooper | 1,727  |  2014 Alabama
24  | Marqise Lee | 1,724  |  2012 USC
25  | Davante Adams | 1,718  | 2013 Fresno State
26  | Ashley Lelie | 1,713  |  2001 Hawaii
27  | Troy Edwards | 1,707  | 1997 Louisiana Tech
28  | Deven Thompkins | 1,704  | 2021 Utah State
29  | Andy Isabella | 1,698  | 2018 UMass
30  | Rashaun Woods | 1,695  |  2002 Oklahoma State

### Single game

[edit]

Edwards holds the single-game record for 405. Of particular note is a 1967 game in which two different Tulsa receivers had over 300 yards.

| #  | Player  | Yards  | Date / Team

|
|
|

1  | Troy Edwards | 405  | Aug. 29, 1998 Louisiana Tech
2  | Jeremy Gallon | 369  | Oct. 19, 2013 Michigan
3  | Randy Gatewood | 363  | Sep. 17, 1994 UNLV
4  | Chuck Hughes | 349  | Sep. 18, 1965 Texas Western
5  | Jaxon Smith-Njigba | 347  |  Jan. 1, 2021 Ohio State
6  | Donnie Avery | 346  | Oct. 13, 2007 Houston
7  | Marqise Lee | 345  | Oct. 27, 2012 USC
8  | Casey Fitzgerald | 327  | Sep. 8, 2007 North Texas
9  | Nate Burleson | 326  | Nov. 10, 2001 Nevada
Carlos Henderson | 326  | Oct. 15, 2016 Louisiana Tech
11  | Rick Eber | 322  | Oct. 7, 1967 Tulsa
12  | Harry Wood  | 318
Patrick Edwards | 318  | Oct. 27, 2011 Houston
14  | Jeff Evans  | 316  | Sep. 30, 1978 New Mexico State
15  | Alex Van Dyke | 314  | Nov. 18, 1995 Nevada
Terrance Williams | 314  | Nov. 18, 2012 Baylor
| #  | Player  | Yards  | Date / Team

|
|
|

17  | Chad Mackey  | 310  | Oct. 16, 1996 Louisiana Tech
Corey Rucker  | 310  | Dec. 5, 2020 Arkansas State
19  | Jason Rivers | 308  | Dec. 24, 2006 Hawaii
Kayshon Boutte | 308  | Dec. 19, 2020 LSU
21  | Tetairoa McMillan | 304  | Aug. 31, 2024 Arizona
22  | Cobi Hamilton | 303  | Sep. 22, 2012 Arkansas
Stedman Bailey | 303  | Sep. 29, 2012 West Virginia
Andy Isabella | 303  | Nov. 3, 2018 UMass
25  | Chris Daniels  | 301  | Oct. 16, 1999 Purdue
26  | Adarius Bowman | 300  | Oct. 14, 2006 Oklahoma State
27  | Brian Oliver  | 297  | Oct. 9, 1993 Ball State
Aaron Jones  | 297  | Nov. 11, 2000 Utah State
29  | Geoff Noisy  | 296  | Nov. 9, 1996 Nevada
J. R. Tolver | 296  | Sep. 14, 2002 San Diego State
James Washington | 296  | Sep. 17, 2016 Oklahoma State

## Receiving touchdowns

[edit]

### Career

[edit]

The career leader in receiving touchdowns is Rice's Jarett Dillard, who in 2008 broke a 20-year-old record set by Louisiana Tech's Troy Edwards in 1998. Edwards remains third on the list despite only having played for 3 seasons.

| #  | Player  | TDs  | Team

|
|
|

1  | Jarett Dillard | 60  |  2005 2006 2007 2008 Rice
2  | Corey Davis | 52  |  2013 2014 2015 2016 Western Michigan
3  | Troy Edwards | 50  | 1996 1997 1998 Louisiana Tech
4  | Darius Watts | 47  | 2000 2001 2002 2003 Marshall
5  | DeVonta Smith | 46  |  2017 2018 2019 2020 Alabama
6  | Ryan Broyles | 45  |  2008 2009 2010 2011 Oklahoma
7  | Aaron Turner | 43  |  1989 1990 1991 1992 Pacific
Patrick Edwards | 43  |  2008 2009 2010 2011 Houston
9  | Ryan Yarborough | 42  |  1990 1991 1992 1993 Wyoming
Rashaun Woods | 42  |  2000 2001 2002 2003 Oklahoma State
11  | Dwayne Jarrett | 41  |  2004 2005 2006 USC
Davone Bess | 41  |  2005 2006 2007 Hawaii
Michael Crabtree | 41  |  2007 2008 Texas Tech
Stedman Bailey | 41  |  2010 2011 2012 West Virginia
Taywan Taylor | 41  | 2013 2014 2015 2016 Western Kentucky
Zakhari Franklin | 41 |  2019 2020 2021 2022 UTSA 2023 Ole Miss 2024 Illinois
| #  | Player  | TDs  | Team

|
|
|

17  | Justin Blackmon | 40  |  2009 2010 2011 Oklahoma State
18  | Braylon Edwards | 39  |  2001 2002 2003 2004 Michigan
Greg Jennings | 39  |  2002 2003 2004 2005 Western Michigan
Austin Pettis | 39  |  2007 2008 2009 2010 Boise State
James Washington | 39  |  2014 2015 2016 2017 Oklahoma State
James Proche | 39  |  2016 2017 2018 2019 SMU
23  | Clarkston Hines | 38  |  1986 1987 1988 1989 Duke
Ryan Yarborough | 38  |  1990 1991 1992 1993 Wyoming
Davante Adams | 38  |  2012 2013 Fresno State
Jaelon Darden | 38  |  2017 2018 2019 2020 North Texas
27  | Michael Floyd | 37  |  2008 2009 2010 2011 Notre Dame
Titus Davis | 37  |  2011 2012 2013 2014 Central Michigan
Gabe Marks  | 37  |  2012 2013 2015 2016 Washington State
Anthony Miller | 37  | 2015 2016 2017 Memphis

### Single season

[edit]

Edwards tops the list of single-season touchdowns with 27.

| #  | Player  | TDs  | Team

|
|
|

1  | Troy Edwards | 27  | 1998 Louisiana Tech
2  | Randy Moss | 25  |  1997 Marshall
Stedman Bailey | 25  |  2012 West Virginia
4  | Davante Adams | 24  | 2013 Fresno State
5  | DeVonta Smith | 23  |  2020 Alabama
6  | Manny Hazard | 22  |  1989 Houston
Larry Fitzgerald | 22  | 2003 Pittsburgh
Michael Crabtree | 22  |  2007 Texas Tech
9  | Jarett Dillard | 21  |  2006 Rice
10  | Jarett Dillard | 20  |  2008 Rice
Justin Blackmon | 20  |  2010 Oklahoma State
Patrick Edwards | 20  |  2011 Houston
Corey Coleman | 20  | 2015 Baylor
Ja'Marr Chase | 20  |  2019 LSU
| #  | Player  | TDs  | Team

|
|
|

15  | Desmond Howard | 19  |  1991 Michigan
Ashley Lelie | 19  |  2001 Hawaii
Dez Bryant | 19  |  2008 Oklahoma State
Michael Crabtree | 19  |  2008 Texas Tech
Freddie Barnes | 19  |  2009 Bowling Green
Lyle Leong | 19  |  2010 Texas Tech
Corey Davis | 19  |  2016 Western Michigan
Carlos Henderson | 19  | 2016 Louisiana Tech
Jaelon Darden | 19  |  2020 North Texas
| #  | Player  | TDs  | Team

|
|
|

24  | Tom Reynolds | 18  |  1971 San Diego State
Dennis Smith  | 18  |  1989 Utah
Aaron Turner | 18  | 1991 Pacific
Reidel Anthony | 18  |  1996 Florida
Eugene Baker | 18  |  1997 Kent State
Darius Watts | 18  |  2001 Marshall
Justin Blackmon | 18  |  2011 Oklahoma State
DeAndre Hopkins | 18  |  2012 Clemson
Anthony Miller | 18  | 2017 Memphis
David Sills V | 18  |  2017 West Virginia
Justin Jefferson | 18  |  2019 LSU

### Single game

[edit]

The single-game record is held by Oklahoma State's Rashaun Woods, who caught 7 touchdown passes in a 2003 game against SMU. Many players have had 5 touchdown receptions in the same game.

| #  | Player  | TDs  | Date / Team

|
|
|

1  | Rashaun Woods | 7  | Sep. 20, 2003 Oklahoma State
2  | Tim Delaney  | 6  | Nov. 15, 1969 San Diego State

## Receptions

[edit]

### Career

[edit]

The career leader in receptions is East Carolina's Zay Jones, who broke his former teammate Justin Hardy's record in 2016. The first players to catch at least 300 passes in their careers were Purdue's Taylor Stubblefield and Marshall's Josh Davis, both of whom passed 300 catches in 2004.

| #  | Player  | Rec  | Team

|
|
|

1  | Zay Jones | 399  |  2013 2014 2015 2016 East Carolina
2  | Justin Hardy | 387  |  2011 2012 2013 2014 East Carolina
3  | Ryan Broyles | 349  |  2008 2009 2010 2011 Oklahoma
4  | Corey Davis | 332  |  2013 2014 2015 2016 Western Michigan
5  | Trent Taylor | 327  |  2013 2014 2015 2016 Louisiana Tech
6  | Tommy Shuler  | 322  |  2011 2012 2013 2014 Marshall
LaJohntay Wester | 322 |  2020 2021 2022 2023 Florida Atlantic ᛫  2024 Colorado
8  | Tyron Carrier | 320  |  2008 2009 2010 2011 Houston
9  | Justin Hall | 318  |  2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Ball State
10  | Zakhari Franklin | 317 |  2019 2020 2021 2022 UTSA ᛫  2023 Ole Miss ᛫  2024 Illinois
11  | Taylor Stubblefield | 316  |  2001 2002 2003 2004 Purdue
Gabe Marks  | 316  |  2012 2013 2015 2016 Washington State
Jacob Cowing | 316 |  2019 2020 2021 UTEP ᛫  2022 2023 Arizona
14  | Brennan Presley | 315  |  2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Oklahoma State
15  | Joshua Cephus | 313  |  2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 UTSA
| #  | Player  | Rec  | Team

|
|
|

16  | Smoke Harris  | 307  |  2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Louisiana Tech
17  | Josh Davis | 306  |  2001 2002 2003 2004 Marshall
Jordan White | 306  |  2007 2009 2010 2011 Western Michigan
Eric Page | 306  |  2009 2010 2011 Toledo
20  | Antonio Brown | 305  |  2007 2008 2009 Central Michigan
21  | Taurean Henderson | 303  |  2002 2003 2004 2005 Texas Tech
22  | Kendall Wright | 302  | 2008 2009 2010 2011 Baylor
23  | James Proche | 301  |  2016 2017 2018 2019 SMU
24  | Arnold Jackson | 300  |  1997 1998 1999 2000 Louisville
25  | Trevor Insley | 298  |  1996 1997 1998 1999 Nevada
26  | Freddie Barnes | 297  |  2006 2007 2008 2009 Bowling Green
27  | Geoff Noisy  | 295  | 1995 1996 1997 1998 Nevada
28  | Nelson Spruce | 294  |  2012 2013 2014 2015 Colorado
Tez Johnson | 294  |  2020 2021 2022 Troy ᛫  2023 2024 Oregon
30  | Rashaun Woods | 293  |  2000 2001 2002 2003 Oklahoma State
Davone Bess | 293  |  2005 2006 2007 Hawaii

### Single season

[edit]

Jones also set the single-season record in 2016, passing Bowling Green's Freddie Barnes, who in 2009 broke a 20-year record held by Houston's Manny Hazard.

| #  | Player  | Rec  | Team

|
|
|

1  | Zay Jones | 158  |  2016 East Carolina
2  | Freddie Barnes | 155  |  2009 Bowling Green
3  | Jerreth Sterns | 150  |  2021 Western Kentucky
4  | Manny Hazard | 142  |  1989 Houston
5  | Troy Edwards | 140  | 1998 Louisiana Tech
Jordan White | 140  | 2011 Western Michigan
7  | Nate Burleson | 138  |  2002 Nevada
8  | Trent Taylor | 136  |  2016 Louisiana Tech
9  | Howard Twilley | 134  |  1965 Tulsa
Trevor Insley | 134  | 1999 Nevada
Michael Crabtree | 134  |  2007 Texas Tech
| #  | Player  | Rec  | Team

|
|
|

12  | Ryan Broyles | 131  |  2010 Oklahoma
Davante Adams | 131  | 2013 Fresno State
14  | Alex Van Dyke | 129  | 1995 Nevada
15  | J. R. Tolver | 128  |  2002 San Diego State
Brandin Cooks | 128  |  2013 Oregon State
17  | Eric Page | 125  |  2011 Toledo
18  | Amari Cooper | 124  |  2014 Alabama
19  | Jordy Nelson | 122  |  2007  Kansas State
20  | Justin Blackmon | 121  |  2010 Oklahoma State
Justin Hardy | 121  |  2014 East Carolina
| #  | Player  | Rec  | Team

|
|
|

22  | Greg Salas | 119  |  2010 Hawaii
23  | Marqise Lee | 118  |  2012 USC
24  | DeVonta Smith | 117  |  2020 Alabama
25  | Jordan Shipley | 116  |  2009 Texas
26  | Mohamed Sanu | 115  |  2011 Rutgers
27  | Damond Wilkins  | 114  | 1996 Nevada
Tavon Austin | 114  |  2012 West Virginia
Stedman Bailey | 114  |  2012 West Virginia
Justin Hardy | 114  |  2013 East Carolina
Trey Quinn | 114  |  2017 SMU
Rondale Moore | 114  |  2018 Purdue

### Single game

[edit]

The single-game record of 23 is shared by UNLV's Randy Gatewood and Eastern Michigan's Tyler Jones. Many players have had 18 receptions in a single game.

| #  | Player  | Rec  | Date / Team

|
|
|

1  | Randy Gatewood | 23  | Sep. 17, 1994 UNLV
Tyler Jones  | 23  | Nov. 28, 2008 Eastern Michigan
3  | Jay Miller | 22  | Nov. 3, 1973 BYU
Freddie Barnes | 22  | Oct. 10, 2009 Bowling Green
Zay Jones | 22  | Sep. 17, 2016 East Carolina
6  | Troy Edwards | 21  | Aug. 29, 1998 Louisiana Tech
Chris Daniels  | 21  | Oct. 16, 1999 Purdue
Quinton Patton | 21  | Oct. 13, 2012 Louisiana Tech
9  | Rick Eber | 20  | Oct. 7, 1967 Tulsa
Kenny Christian  | 20  | Sep. 23, 2000 Eastern Michigan
Nick Moore  | 20  | Oct. 11, 2008 Toledo
Thomas Sperbeck | 20  | Nov. 14, 2015 Boise State
| #  | Player  | Rec  | Date / Team

|
|
|

13  | Howard Twilley | 19  | Nov. 27, 1965 Tulsa
Ron Flair  | 19  | Oct. 28, 1989 Arizona State
Manny Hazard | 19  | Nov. 4, 1989 Houston
Manny Hazard | 19  | Nov. 11, 1989 Houston
Josh Reed | 19  | Nov. 3, 2001 LSU
Nate Burleson | 19  | Nov. 9, 2002 Nevada
James Cleveland | 19  | Dec. 5, 2009 Houston
Tommy Shuler  | 19  | Sep. 29, 2012 Marshall
Nelson Spruce | 19  | Sep. 27, 2014 Colorado
Zay Jones | 19  | Oct. 29, 2016 East Carolina
Tyler Snead | 19  | Nov. 9, 2019 East Carolina
Romeo Doubs | 19  | Oct. 23, 2021 Nevada

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Career Leaders and Records for Receiving Yards" (PDF). NCAA. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
2. ^ "NCAA changes policy on football stats". ESPN.com. AP. August 28, 2002. Retrieved September 11, 2014.
3. ^ "Las Vegas Bowl". Las Vegas Sun. December 20, 1996. Retrieved September 5, 2022.

* v
* t
* e

NCAA Division I FBS statistical leaders

Career|

* Passing
* Rushing
* Receiving
* Total offense
* Field goals
* Scoring

Annual|

* Passing
* Receiving
* Return
* Rushing
* Scoring
* Total offense

*[4,477]: 2,595 at UTEP, 1,882 at Arizona
*[3,999]: 3,348 at UTSA, 38 at Ole Miss, 613 at Illinois
*[41]: 37 at UTSA, 1 at Ole Miss, 3 at Illinois
*[322]: 252 at Florida Atlantic, 70 at Colorado
*[317]: 262 at UTSA, 4 at Ole Miss, 51 at Illinois
*[316]: 141 at UTEP, 175 at Arizona
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template