It was only two years ago Darrius Heyward-Bey was as close to a face of the program as Maryland was going to find.
He was fast. He was charismatic. He wasn't a me-first wideout. And for much of the season, he quietly went about his business.
Then he exploded at the NFL Draft combine, lured the speed-crazed Oakland Raiders into taking him No. 7 overall and barely made an impact as an rookie in the pros.
That postscript doesn't factor into this ranking. But it's worth wondering if Heyward-Bey's college career will be re-examined, particularly if his initial impressions in the NFL --- fast, hard-working, well-meaning but not particularly effective --- hold true.
It would be unfortunate if that happens, because Heyward-Bey's production at Maryland was an accurate reflection of where he was as a player. The speed was there. The effort was there. But the product was still extremely raw.
Sometimes that led to some amazing things. The two long touchdown passes against Miami in 2006 (65 and 96 yards) come to mind. The 11 receptions as a junior against Wake Forest do, too.
And then there were times he was a non-factor, especially in 2008. There's responsibility to spread around for that, some of which does reside with Heyward-Bey himself.
At the same time, he was an incredible downfield weapon, a second-team all-conference pick as a freshman and an honorable mention choice as a senior.
Plus, he fares quite well when stacked up on Maryland's career lists:
Receptions: Third (138)
Receiving yards: Second (2,089)
Receiving touchdowns: Tied for third (13)
That's pretty impressive, particularly for a guy who spent a good chunk of his career transitioning from sprinter to receiver.
An extra year would have helped Heyward-Bey land higher on the list of the top players of the Ralph Friedgen years, but no matter. So far, he's been the most influential wideout of that era and was one of the few semi-consistent downfield threats the Terrapins have developed in the last decade. Regardless of what's happening in the pros, his legacy as an dangerous-if-raw college receiver should remain intact.
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