Greatest Kansas Football Players of All-Time Bracket: Meier vs Vaughn

Kerry Meier has advanced through the bracket so far with ease, knocking out Termaine Fulton and Isaac Byrd. Meanwhile, Willie Vaughn has had similar results in his matchups with Quintin Smith and Richard Estell.

This one might be more difficult than you think.

(2) Kerry Meier

Meier suited up for the Jayhawks from 2006-09, originally coming to KU as a quarterback. He transitioned away from the quarterback position in 2007 when Todd Reesing stepped up and took the reigns of Mark Mangino’s offense. Meier still collected 26 catches and two TDs receiving his sophomore year.

The 2008 season was more productive. Meier caught 97 passes for 1045 yards and eight touchdowns. He continued to fly up the Kansas all-time receiving charts in 2009 when he caught 102 passes for 985 yards and eight touchdowns. He ranks second all-time in touchdown receptions and receiving yardage behind #1-seed Dezmon Briscoe. Meier ranks first all-time at KU in total receptions.

Somehow, Meier was never a first team All-Big 12 selection. Perhaps it was because Meier never ranked higher than 5th in the league in any category save receptions (2nd in 2008, 3rd in 2009), but his reputation among the KU faithful is safe to say the least (gratuitous link to the 2008 Border War reception right here).

(3) Willie Vaughn

Vaughn played at KU from 1985-88 and is honestly one of the best wide receivers in the entire history of the Big 8 Conference. In the 39 years that the Big 8 existed, he shows up in the top eight of all categories that matter to a wideout- eighth in receptions with 133, sixth in receiving yards with 2266, sixth in yards per catch at 17.0, and fifth in TD catches with 17. He was a first team all-conference selection in 1986 and 1988 and in the season in between, Vaughn led the nation in yards per reception with a 26.9 YPC average.

Statistically, Vaughn was solid in all four years at KU, but his senior season of 1988 was his best. That year he grabbed 39 passes for 812 yards and six touchdowns. Again, his 20.8 YPC average was the best in the league and eighth-best in the entire NCAA. He still ranks third behind Dezmon Briscoe and Kerry Meier in both career yardage and career touchdown receptions at KU.

One can only imagine what a player like Vaughn could do in today’s spread offenses (Ok, maybe not KU’s spread offense).

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Who was the greater Jayhawk? Register your vote in the comments below. Other matchups can be found here.