Iowa State Football: Is Allen Lazard the best wide receiver in the nation?

Does the best wide receiver in the nation play for the Iowa State football program? Allen Lazard is extremely underrated.

The Iowa State football program possesses one of the best — if not the best — wide receivers in the country, yet Allen Lazard’s name is often left out of the conversation.

College football is funny, though. Not always does the best talent end up at the elite programs. Calvin Johnson, the prototype for a wide receiver if you were to create one in a video game, spent his college years at Georgia Tech, a school not known for its football prowess. That’s not to suggest Johnson didn’t put up good numbers for the Yellow Jackets, though.

As a freshman in 2004, Megatron hauled in 48 passes for 837 yards and seven scores. His numbers proved consistent as a sophomore, but it was Johnson’s junior campaign that put him in the spotlight. Seventy-six catches, 1,202 yards and 15 touchdowns later made Johnson one of the most decorated players in the country, being named a consensus All-American, ACC Player of the Year, ACC Offensive Player of the Year and the Fred Biletnikoff Award winner — given to the nation’s most outstanding receiver.

So tell me more about this under-appreciated Cyclone.

Lazard is a 6-foot-5, homegrown product from Urbandale, Iowa. His combination of size and skill is a football coach’s dream — or nightmare, depending which sideline you’re standing on. Having improved year after year for Iowa State, claiming he’s a top wide receiver in the country shouldn’t cause much commotion — but why is he always overlooked?

More from Iowa State Cyclones

• Was Iowa State football robbed of crucial FG by refs?
• Iowa football: 3 takeaways from CyHawk win over Iowa State
• Iowa State football: 3 reasons the Cyclones will upset Iowa in Week 2
• Iowa State football player bet against own team vs. Texas and lost the bet
• Where Matt Campbell could go if Iowa State football failures continue

For starters, the Cyclones have a combined 8-28 record during Lazard’s three years with the program. He’s benefited by getting more opportunities due to trailing in so many games, but he’s also been the No. 1 option, fighting double-teams and rolled coverages nearly every snap. Nonetheless, his numbers have improved every year.

As a freshman, Lazard caught 45 passes for 593 yards and three touchdowns. Those numbers jumped to 56 catches, 807 yards and six TDs in 2015. After a regime change to Matt Campbell in 2016, Lazard put together the fourth 1,000-yard season in Cyclones history with 69 catches for 1,018 yards and seven scores. He entertained the idea of forgoing his senior season and opting for the NFL, but after scouts pegged him as a fifth-round pick, at best, the wise decision was to stay.

Clemson’s Mike Williams was in somewhat of a similar position two years ago. Although he suffered a season-ending injury, he could’ve entered the NFL Draft. Instead, he continued to rehab and helped lead the Tiger’s receiving corps to the National Championship. Following the season, Williams was chosen by the Los Angeles Chargers with the seventh overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.

Related Story: Most anticipated Big 12 games in 2017

Am I saying Lazard will be a top-10 pick in next year’s draft? No. Am I even suggesting his talents alone can catapult the Cyclones into college football relevancy? Again, no. But for a guy who’s tallied 170 catches (second-most in Iowa State history), 2,418 yards (third-most) and 16 TDs (second-most) throughout his career, it’s only fair to assume he’ll continue building off those successes.