Greatest wide receiver UND has ever had?

[forksandspoons]

So Hardin graduates this year... is he the best wr UND has ever had? Or is it Dressler? Or is it someone else?

[sioux24/7]

Dressler > Hardin

[Csonked Out]

Dressler had much better hands in my opinion. I still wonder how good Hardin could have been if he didn't have so many drops.

[homer]

I wonder how many more yards Hardin would have had if he had a running back like Chappel.

[82SiouxGuy]

Those 2 might be the best, but Ron Gustafson ranks right up there with them. Teams didn't pass as much in those days. He played with some pretty good running backs including the Deutsch brothers and Dale Kasowski. But he still ranks up near the top in career yards and touchdowns. The 1972 team was one of the best in UND history.

[NDSIOUXFAN1]

No offense to those that have already been mentioned, but in my opninion Tracy Martin is by far the best WR that UND has ever seen.

[sioux24/7]

No offense to those that have already been mentioned, but in my opninion Tracy Martin is by far the best WR that UND has ever seen.

Dressler and Hardin are the two best in my time. The only receiver that I can remember before Dressler is Travis Lueck. Brady Trenbeath was pretty darn good too. But I have a small sample size to work with compared to a lot of you.

[82SiouxGuy]

He (Martin) was a good one. He played on a couple of bad teams, so that might be part of why he may not get as much recognition.

[geaux_sioux]

Hardin had no where near the constancy or leadership of Dressler. Drops, pouting, disappearing from games, Dressler did none of that and that's why he was better. Greg was very good and had better numbers but just wasn't as good.

[Oxbow6]

I wonder how many more yards Hardin would have had if he had a running back like Chappel.

Speaking of Chapel...how good could he have been?

On pure talent...probably top 10 player to come to UND in the last 25 years.

Answer to this thread...Dressler and it really isn't close IMO.

[UND-FB-FAN]

Speaking of Chapel...how good could he have been?

On pure talent...probably top 10 player to come to UND in the last 25 years.

Answer to this thread...Dressler and it really isn't close IMO.

Chapel was a track star on the football field. He was a good DII back with his speed and the impressive OLs UND had at the time, but I don't think he would've been very effective at the DI level. For example, if Jake Miller was playing 7 years ago against DII teams and had a better O-line, he would've consistently ran for over 150 yds/game too.

[UND-FB-FAN]

I really don't know how you can argue against Dressler and Hardin. They are the top two in both numbers and talent, in my opinion. Now, head-to-head, I'd take Dressler. The deciding factor being he was on winning teams and he is tearing it up in the CFL. Next year, it'll be the NFL.

He is negotiating a deal with a NFL team. The team name hasn't been released, but I'd like to speculate it is New England. Could use Weston in a "Wes Welker role" and he'd put up big numbers.

[bincitysioux]

In addition to better running backs, Dressler also played with much better QBs. Tough argument. Both were game changing players in the passing game and the kick return game. Hardin did put up amazing numbers against tougher competition with less help around him........

[UND92,96]

One player who often gets overlooked due to the fact that he played on some very bad UND teams in the mid-80's is Tracy Martin. He was a very big receiver for the time (6'3", 200), had great speed and was drafted in the 6th round in 1987 by the Jets.

[82SiouxGuy]

One player who often gets overlooked due to the fact that he played on some very bad UND teams in the mid-80's is Tracy Martin. He was a very big receiver for the time (6'3", 200), had great speed and was drafted in the 6th round in 1987 by the Jets.

He was mentioned earlier in this thread. If I remember right, he was a good kick returner besides his receiving skills. But his last 2 years he played on a couple of really bad teams. His sophomore year the team was pretty good.

[Oxbow6]

Chapel was a track star on the football field. He was a good DII back with his speed and the impressive OLs UND had at the time, but I don't think he would've been very effective at the DI level. For example, if Jake Miller was playing 7 years ago against DII teams and had a better O-line, he would've consistently ran for over 150 yds/game too.

You are comparing Chappel to Miller?

[UND92,96]

He was mentioned earlier in this thread. If I remember right, he was a good kick returner besides his receiving skills. But his last 2 years he played on a couple of really bad teams. His sophomore year the team was pretty good.

Missed that. Sorry.

[ericpnelson]

In addition to better running backs, Dressler also played with much better QBs. Tough argument. Both were game changing players in the passing game and the kick return game. Hardin did put up amazing numbers against tougher competition with less help around him........

I think Braden Hansen might disagree with this statement.

[82SiouxGuy]

Missed that. Sorry.

No problem, it's easy to miss single posts. He definitely belongs in the conversation.

[geaux_sioux]

I think Braden Hansen might disagree with this statement.

Marcus was no slouch that year either.

[UND-FB-FAN]

You are comparing Chappel to Miller?

Yes, both are North Dakota products with similar attributes in my opinion.

[geaux_sioux]

Chapel was a track star on the football field. He was a good DII back with his speed and the impressive OLs UND had at the time, but I don't think he would've been very effective at the DI level. For example, if Jake Miller was playing 7 years ago against DII teams and had a better O-line, he would've consistently ran for over 150 yds/game too.

Sorry but I don't think it's fair to Jake to compare him to Chappell. Reason number 1. Chappell ran a 10.54 100M in highschool, I'm not sure if Jake even ran a 10.9 100M. Chappell was also 200 lbs, Jake is the slightest RB I've ever seen at UND. Chappell did quite well against the legit D1 teams he played against (13 ypc avg at #5 UNI, 11.3 ypc at SUU with a 73 yard TD run) and was faster than anyone we've had in D1 anyway so I'm not sure how he wouldn't have had similar success. I know I pimp Chappell like none other but he was a once in a generation talent and we only got two years to see him play, Jake is just a run of the mill athlete.

[Oxbow6]

Sorry but I don't think it's fair to Jake to compare him to Chappell. Reason number 1. Chappell ran a 10.54 100M in highschool, I'm not sure if Jake even ran a 10.9 100M. Chappell was also 200 lbs, Jake is the slightest RB I've ever seen at UND. Chappell did quite well against the legit D1 teams he played against (13 ypc avg at #5 UNI, 11.3 ypc at SUU with a 73 yard TD run) and was faster than anyone we've had in D1 anyway so I'm not sure how he wouldn't have had similar success. I know I pimp Chappell like none other but he was a once in a generation talent and we only got two years to see him play, Jake is just a run of the mill athlete.

I have seen numerous opposing top flight RBs come to Alerus over the past couple years. Chappel had the talent to compare to those guys IMO.

[Oxbow6]

Yes, both are North Dakota products.

And that's where the comparison ends IMO.

[Feff]

What is missed in the Chappel vs. Miller argument is Chappel's vision was much, much better. More often than not his longer runs would be on a cut-back, either at the line or at the second level. Miller never had that vision and had to have the hole right in front of him. Chappel was the superior running back, too bad he lacked the mental strength of Miller.