If Hillcrest High School wide receiver Lance Wilson can’t contribute to one of the 120 Division I football programs then I’m missing something.

You want to talk stats? Let’s talk stats. On a team that didn’t throw the ball more than normal, Wilson ranked first or second in every major statistical category in Class 6A. In fact, he finished first in three out of the four categories.

Number of catches: 68 — second only to Murphy’s  Solomon Patton’s 71. Oh yeah, Patton is headed to the University of Florida, which hauled in the No. 1 ranked recruiting class in the country.

Yards receiving: 1,109 — ranked first and was one of only two receivers to have more than a 1,000 yards receiving (Josh Magee of Hoover had 1,038).

Average yards per game: 100.82 — ranked first and the only receiver to average 100 yards a game.

Touchdowns: 16 — ranked first.

The only “knock” I can see on Wilson is his size. He’s listed at 6-foot, 165 pounds.  National Football League star Wes Welker of the New England Patriots is listed at 5-9, 185. Some programs just can’t get over the issue of size. Remind me again how big All-American defensive back Javier Arenas is. Measured at the Senior Bowl, Arenas was 5-9. Marquis Maze, an Alabama wide receiver, is about 5-8.

All I know is that Wilson was one of the best players I saw this season. Do I know for certain that he could play in the SEC? No, I don’t. But I know he could play at one of the 120 schools in Division I.

• He runs great routes.

• He goes up in traffic and makes catches. You should have seen the fourth-down, overtime touchdown catch he made in between two defenders in the game versus Tuscaloosa County.

• He’s fast. I’ve been told he runs a 4.4 40-yard dash.

I don’t have a dog in this fight. I don’t know the Wilson family, and the only time I’ve talked to Lance is when I’ve interviewed him after games or for preview stories. But every year I see the same thing. College programs telling kids they’re too small to play for them. I saw it with Central’s Jeremy Williams a couple of years ago.

Maybe it’s because I like underdogs. Maybe it’s because I see a talented young man who may never get to showcase his skills. Or maybe I think some colleges are missing the boat. Whatever it is, I think it’s a shame.