Recruiting ROI, No. 8: Ryan Broyles

Expected to play defensive back in college, Broyles chose to try his hand at wideout and became the most prolific receiver in FBS history

Every Tuesday and Thursday, SI Sooners unveils a new installment in the Recruiting ROI series. Over the course of 10 weeks, the series examines 20 Sooners over the last 20 years who dramatically exceeded expectations in the crimson and cream.

The only reason Ryan Broyles only ranks No. 8 on SI Sooners' Recruiting ROI countdown is that he wasn't by any means a rags-to-riches sensation. He was a top-300 recruit in the class of 2007, earned a four-star rating from Rivals, and had offers from programs like Michigan State, Texas Tech and South Carolina.

But it's safe to say that recruiters who pursued the Norman native didn't imagine he'd one day smash FBS records left and right.

Broyles was listed at 5-foot-10, 188 pounds as a senior at Norman High. He starred for the Tigers as both a wide receiver and defensive back, in addition to lettering in basketball and track. He committed to Oklahoma in February of 2007 after taking his official visit just two weeks earlier. A ballhawking cornerback, Broyles recorded 20 interceptions over his high school career, and given his slight stature, many assumed that he'd play defense for the Sooners.

However, Broyles chose to play receiver, and redshirted in 2007 as Sam Bradford took over the quarterbacking duties for the Sooners. But come the 2008 season, the two hometown kids would lead one of college football's most legendary offenses. Bradford, an Oklahoma City native, threw for nearly 5,000 yards and slung 50 touchdown passes en route to the Heisman Trophy. Broyles, the Norman kid, set a Sooners freshman record with 687 receiving yards, and tied a school freshman record with his 46 receptions. He added 238 yards and a score on punt returns.

Oklahoma entered the 2009 season fresh off a BCS title game loss to Florida and hungry for another shot at glory. However, Bradford separated his shoulder in the season opener against BYU, leaving the Sooner offense in the hands of redshirt freshman Landry Jones. Despite the unexpected upheaval, Broyles exploded for 1,120 yards and 15 TDs on 89 catches, and capped the season by scoring three times and earning MVP honors in the Sun Bowl. 

After his stellar sophomore year, Broyles carried huge expectations on his shoulders entering 2010, as he became the obvious go-to guy for Jones given Jermaine Gresham's departure for the NFL. Broyles responded with one of the greatest seasons by a wideout in college football history, as he rambled for 1,622 yards and 14 touchdowns and earned All-American honors. To this day, his 131 receptions on the season rank second in Power 5 history, behind only Michael Crabtree's mark of 134 grabs in 2007.

Broyles headed into 2011 with 266 career catches, which put him on pace to eclipse Taylor Stubblefield's FBS record of 316. He surpassed Stubblefield on Oct. 15, reeling in catch No. 317 in a win over Kansas. Unfortunately, Broyles' collegiate career came to an abrupt end three weeks later, as he went down with a torn ACL in a Nov. 5 tilt with Texas A&M. He was well on his way to a season that would have rivaled his historic 2010 campaign, as he'd already snagged 83 balls for 1,157 yards and 10 scores. Despite the untimely affliction, Broyles was again named an All-American at season's end.

Broyles finished his career with 4,586 receiving yards, and were it not for the injury, he would certainly have challenged Trevor Insley's FBS record of 5,005 yards. His FBS career receptions record of 349 no longer stands, having been broken by East Carolina wideouts Zay Jones (399 catches) and Justin Hardy (387). However, Broyles' mark should remain the Oklahoma school record for a long time, as Sterling Shepard currently runs a distant second with 233 career catches.

The Detroit Lions used a second-round pick on Broyles in the 2012 NFL draft, but nagging injuries hampered his ability to contribute. Over three seasons in Detroit, Broyles managed just 32 catches for 420 yards and two touchdowns. He requested his release prior to the 2015 season, and hasn't played a down of football since. The Dallas Renegades selected Broyles in the XFL's 2020 draft, giving him an opportunity to reunite with Bob Stoops and Landry Jones. However, he elected not to play for the team. 

Broyles currently works in the Oklahoma City area, managing his own real estate group. He still holds several Sooners program records, including both single-season and career marks for receptions and receiving yards. His 45 career receiving TDs and 23 games of at least 100 receiving yards are also tops in school history.

The Sooners have found many a hidden gem within Norman city limits over the years. But Broyles tops them all, at least in terms of his statistical greatness in the crimson and cream. Though Oklahoma is no stranger to phenomenal wideouts, Ryan Broyles remains the productive gold standard.

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