Revered as one of the most electrifying players of the BCS era, Percy Harvin is the best wide receiver, ever, from the University of Florida.

And for the doubters: whether you think Harvin is the Gators’ best all-time receiver or not, there’s no denying he was UF’s most versatile and dynamic playmaker ever.

Before we break down Harvin’s incredible numbers and overall game, let’s take a trip down memory lane to briefly mention a few others high on the list. Carlos Alvarez, the 1969 All-American, and Chris Doering, tied for the most touchdown receptions in SEC history, were big-time talents at the university, and of the two, Alvarez would likely be the most highly regarded in school history. Ike Hilliard, Jabar Gaffney and Jack Jackson were receivers in the golden era of the Gators’ passing attack in Steve Spurrier’s Fun N’ Gun. All five put up incredible numbers, and we haven’t even mentioned Reidel Anthony or Wes Chandler yet. Hilliard and Anthony were the two key cogs that made Florida’s 1996 receivers the best in SEC history.

But let’s get back to the best, before he came to Florida.

Harvin is highly regarded as one of the top high school athletes from the Virginia Beach area ever, joining Ronald Curry and Allen Iverson. Harvin’s talent was obvious, but he had a bad rap in the area. He was suspended twice in high school, once for making contact with an official and using inappropriate language and the other for unsportsmanlike conduct. He was eventually suspended from all high school sports by the VHSL, stemming from a basketball altercation. Yet, Harvin was good enough to take a chance on, and Urban Meyer knew it. He scored 77 total touchdowns, scored more points than any player in South Hampton Roads history and led his team to three consecutive state championship games.

Yes, the discipline questions lingered, but Meyer believed in Harvin, and ultimately, Harvin’s recruitment came down to Florida, Southern Cal and FSU.

Harvin’s impact didn’t take long in 2006. After he hauled in a 58-yard touchdown grab against UCF, Meyer and fans knew he would be something special. He caught 34 passes for 427 yards and two touchdowns, while adding 41 carries for 428 yards and three rushing touchdowns his freshman season. Talk about balance. Some of his biggest and best plays came on the biggest stage, too. Harvin was named the SEC Championship Game MVP, and he was dynamic against Ohio State in the BCS Championship Game. He also won the SEC’s Freshman of the Year award, despite having an injury-riddled season.

There was no sophomore slump in order for Harvin in 2007, either. He combined for 1,622 yards and 10 touchdowns. He led the team with 858 receiving yards and finished second in rushing behind Tim Tebow with 764 yards. He became the first receiver in Florida history to record 1,000 yards receiving and 1,000 yards rushing during his career, and he had another season to add to those numbers. He was named the SEC’s first-team All-Purpose player, while being named a second-team receiver in the same year. That year, Tim Tebow won the Heisman Trophy.

Entering 2008, the hype surrounding Harvin was sweltering. He was named a Preseason All-American and was featured among the biggest Heisman Trophy candidates in the country. Harvin again combined for over 1,300 yards and 17 touchdowns while missing two games due to injury, including the first game of the year against Hawaii and the SEC Championship Game. However, he saved his best performance for last, and he torched Oklahoma in the BCS National Championship Game on a high ankle sprain and a hairline fracture. He rushed for 122 yards on nine carries and one touchdown, while making five catches for 49 yards. He flipped field position in a hurry against OU, and other than the incredible defensive performance, Harvin was the biggest reason Florida won the game.

Harvin finished his career with 1,929 receiving yards and 13 receiving touchdowns, while rushing for 1,852 yards and 19 touchdowns. He combined for 3,781 yards and 32 touchdowns during his three-year career. During Harvin’s stay at Florida, the Gators won two national championships and two SEC Championships.

Many define the wide receiver position differently, but Florida never had a player as diverse or electric as Percy Harvin.