Five best SEC wide receivers of the past decade

12:41 PM ET

We’ve ranked the quarterbacks. We’ve ranked the running backs. Now, as our position-by-position look at the SEC’s best players over the past decade continues, it’s time to rank the wide receivers.

During the 2014 season, Amari Cooper had an SEC record 124 receptions for 1,727 yards and 16 touchdowns. AP Photo/Brynn Anderson

1. Amari Cooper, Alabama (2012-14): It’s easy to pick Cooper No. 1 here — he’s the most recent player we’ve seen — but who else on this list has been nominated for a Heisman Trophy? That’s how good the Alabama wide receiver was in 2014. He set the SEC record that season with 124 receptions, and his 1,727 yards and 16 touchdowns both rank among the top three all-time for a single season. It’s ironic that with all the national championships the Crimson Tide have won in recent years, they didn’t win one in Cooper’s best year. But without him, they wouldn’t have made the College Football Playoff that season. And as for his career, he’s top three all-time in receptions (228) and yards (2,463), and he’s No. 1 in receiving touchdowns (32).

2. Jordan Matthews, Vanderbilt (2010-13): The only reason Cooper doesn’t hold more SEC records is because Matthews is hogging them all. Single-season receptions? Matthews set that with 112 receptions in 2013. Career receptions? He caught 262 passes during his time at Vanderbilt, more than any other player in the …

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