Herschel Walker: Pass Catcher

More on Herschel Walker's rookie season in the NFL, when he played not running back but flanker, wide receiver, and tight end.

Herschel's first NFL season was 1986. The rookie of the year was Rueben Mayes, whose stats paled in comparison to Herschel's. Walker had more touchdowns, more combined yards, more receptions, receiving yards, and had a higher value rating. Mayes' longest run was 50 yards and longest reception 18 yards. Herschel had an 84 yard rush and an 84 yard reception.

.att...YD..TD..L.avg..rec.yd.TD.L.AV..ret.TD.L.combined
286 1353 08 50 4.7 17 0096 0 18 11 213 0 34 1662 Mayes
151 0737 12 84 4.9 76 0837 2 84 12 000 0 00 1712 Herschel
171 0720 05 47 4.2 83 0567 4 66 10 000 0 00 1287 Earl Cooper
004 0005 00 12 1.3 65 1131 8 84 07 284 0 24 1420 Bill Brooks

If his time in the USFL was ignored, Herschel should've been considered for the rookie of the year. In fact, Herschel's rookie receiving numbers broke Dallas records, and still rank high on the Cowboys single season receiving lists.

In fact, at the time Herschel's 76 rookie receptions ranked second all-time for rookies, behind two-time SI cover boy Earl Cooper, who thrived catching short passes in the 49ers' West Coast offense. Earl's rookie season was almost as prolific as Herschel's, but like Walker failed to win rookie of the year. Billy Sims won that honor in 1980. These days neither Walker nor Cooper nor Mayes has been remembered by the next generation of internet bloggers (except me). 

Top rookie seasons of the Super Bowl Era: wide receiver edition (NFL.com)

8. 053 1231 13 1952 Billy Howton GB
7. 072 1473 12 1960 Bill Groman HOU
6. 067 1009 08 1981 Chris Collinsworth Cin
5. 056 1001 13 1978 John Jefferson SD
4. 090 1132 06 1996 Terry Glenn NE
3. 101 1377 08 2003 Anquan Boldin ARIZ
2. 091 1305 12 2014 Odell Beckham NYG
1. 069 1313 17 1998 Randy Moss MIN

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000482480/article/top-rookie-seasons-of-the-super-bowl-era-wide-receiver-edition

ESPN.com's best rookie receivers ever (written before the 2004 season). Bill Brooks' 1986 rookie season made the list. He might've had a better season as a receiver (though Herschel had 16% more catches) but Walker had a better all-around 1986 season, with 732 more rushing yards, six more touchdowns, and 20% more combined yards.

Only three of these 14 had more receptions than Herschel. All three of those seasons came after Herschel's 1986 rookie season.

14. 065 1131 08 1986 Bill Brooks Colts
13. 074 0894 02 2002 Jeremy Shockey NYG
12. 072 1473 12 1960 Bill Groman HOU
11. 090 1132 06 1996 Terry Glenn NE
10. 045 0860 09 1984 Louis Lipps PITT
9. 067 1009 08 1981 Chris Collinsworth CIN
8. 051 0906 10 1976 Sammy White MIN
7. 081 0869 06 1988 Keith Jackson PHIL
6. 101 1377 08 2003 Anquan Boldin ARIZ
5. 056 1001 13 1978 John Jefferson SD
4. 053 1231 13 1952 Billy Howton GB
3. 056 1076 12 1961 Mike Ditka CHI
2. 046 1003 12 1965 Bob Hayes DAL
1. 069 1313 17 1998 Randy Moss MIN

http://www.espn.com/espn/page2/story?page=list/rookiereceivers