Collie is BYU's first wide receiver to make a big impact in the NFL

Austin Collie, the former BYU wide receiver now playing for the Indianapolis Colts, is quickly becoming a star in the National Football League.

In just his second NFL season, he leads the league in receptions (27), receiving yards (359) and touchdown catches (4). Collie seemed to put an exclamation point on his arrival Sunday when he caught 12 passes for 171 yards and two touchdowns to help the Colts defeat the Denver Broncos.

Perhaps the most remarkable part of the story is this: He is the first BYU wide receiver ever to make his mark in the NFL.

BYU is legendary for producing NFL quarterbacks and prolific pass offenses for almost four decades. And yet no BYU wide receiver has done much more than win an NFL roster spot for a year or two, if that.

With some irony, the Cougars, who practically invented the college passing game, have produced NFL standouts at linebacker (Todd Shell, Kurt Gouveia, Rob Norris, Leon White), safety (Tom Holmoe), defensive and offensive line (Bart Oates, John Tait, Brett Keisel), running back (Bill Ring), tight end (Chad Lewis, Itula Mili, Todd Christensen) and of course quarterback (Jim McMahon, Steve Young, Ty Detmer), but never a wide receiver.

Until now. After just 19 regular-season games, Collie already has caught more passes in his NFL career than the rest of BYU's wide receivers combined, by a mile. His totals: 87 catches, 1,035 yards, 11 touchdowns.

Todd Watkins, a fourth-round draft pick in 2006, had 8 catches in two NFL seasons with the Oakland Raiders.

Mark Bellini, a seventh-round pick in 1987, caught 10 passes in two seasons with the Colts.

Danny Plater, McMahon's favorite target, was a fourth-round pick of the Denver Broncos in 1982, but he had to quit the game because of health issues before he ever caught an NFL pass.

Similarly, Lloyd Jones was an eighth-round pick of the New York Jets in 1981, but didn't make the team.

Phil Odle, a fifth-round pick in 1968, caught 8 passes in three seasons with the Detroit Lions.

Glen Kozlowski, chosen in the 11th round of the 1986 draft, had the longest NFL career of any BYU wide receiver, but he endured only because of his aggressive special teams play. He had just 31 catches and 3 touchdowns in six seasons with the Chicago Bears. If not for college knee injuries, he might have fared better as a wideout.