Four players from Alabama high schools and colleges reached 1,000 receiving yards for the 2023 NFL season during Week 16 games.

Achieving the NFL milestone were wide receivers Amari Cooper (Alabama) of the Cleveland Browns, George Pickens (Hoover) of the Pittsburgh Steelers, DeVonta Smith (Alabama) of the Philadelphia Eagles and Jaylen Waddle (Alabama) of the Miami Dolphins.

Cooper reached 1,000 receiving yards for the seventh time in his NFL career with the most productive game in the league this season. During the Browns’ 36-22 victory over the Houston Texans on Sunday, Cooper had 11 receptions for 265 yards and two touchdowns.

The outburst pushed Cooper’s 2023 totals to 72 receptions for 1,250 yards and five touchdowns. He eclipsed his previous single-season high of 1,189 yards in 2019 with the Dallas Cowboys.

Pickens also had a big game to get to 1,000 yards for the first time in his career. Pickens had four receptions for 195 yards and two touchdowns in the Steelers’ 34-11 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday. Pickens’ output included the longest scrimmage play in the NFL this season – an 86-yard touchdown reception.

Pickens has 56 receptions for 1,009 yards and five touchdowns in 2023 after recording 52 receptions for 801 yards and four touchdowns as a rookie last season.

Nagging injuries continued to have Waddle shuttling on and off the field on Sunday. He caught only one pass in the Dolphins’ 22-20 victory over the Dallas Cowboys, but it went for a 50-yard gain.

Waddle has 72 receptions for 1,014 yards and four touchdowns this season. Sunday’s reception made him the ninth player in NFL history to reach 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first three seasons.

Smith reached the 1,000-yard milestone for the second straight season with four receptions for 79 yards and one touchdown in the Eagles’ 33-25 victory over the New York Giants on Monday. Smith has 78 receptions for 1,036 yards and seven touchdowns in 2023.

The players joined Miami wide receiver Tyreek Hill (West Alabama) and Houston wide receiver Nico Collins (Clay-Chalkville) as 1,000-yard receivers with Alabama football roots this season.

Hill has 106 receptions for 1,641 yards and 12 touchdowns as he leads the NFL in receiving yards this season.

Collins has 64 receptions for 1,022 yards and seven touchdowns even though he’s missed two games with injuries.

Collins and Pickens joined Harlon Hill, Red Phillips, John Stallworth, Ozzie Newsome, Terrell Owens, Jerricho Cotchery, Julio Jones and Darnell Mooney as former Alabama high school standouts who have recorded 1,000-yard receiving seasons in the NFL.

There have been 57 1,000-yard receiving seasons in the NFL by 19 players from Alabama high schools and colleges.

The NFL 1,000-yard receivers with Alabama football roots include (with yearly totals presented as receptions-receiving yards-touchdown receptions):

Don Hutson, Alabama

Green Bay Packers

1942: 74-1,211-17

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Harlon Hill, Lauderdale County High School, North Alabama

Chicago Bears

1954: 45-1,124-12

1956: 47-1,128-11

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Jim “Red” Phillips, Benjamin Russell High School in Alexander City, Auburn

Los Angeles Rams

1961: 78-1,092-5

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John Stallworth, Tuscaloosa High School, Alabama A&M

Pittsburgh Steelers

1979: 70-1,183-8

1981: 63-1,098-5

1984: 80-1,395-11

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Ozzie Newsome, Colbert County High School, Alabama

Cleveland Browns

1981: 69-1,002-6

1984: 89-1,001-5

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Lionel James, Auburn

San Diego Chargers

1985: 86-1,027-6

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Frank Sanders, Auburn

Arizona Cardinals

1997: 75-1,017-4

1998: 89-1,145-3

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Terrell Owens, Benjamin Russell High School in Alexander City

San Francisco 49ers

1998: 67-1,097-14

2000: 97-1,451-13

2001: 93-1,412-16

2002: 100-1,300-13

2003: 80-1,102-9

Philadelphia Eagles

2004: 77-1,200-14

Dallas Cowboys

2006: 85-1,180-13

2007: 81-1,355-15

2008: 69-1,052-10

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Jerricho Cotchery, Phillips High School in Birmingham

New York Jets

2007: 82-1,130-2

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Roddy White, UAB

Atlanta Falcons

2007: 83-1,202-6

2008: 88-1,382-7

2009: 85-1,153-11

2010: 115-1,389-10

2011: 100-1,296-8

2012: 92-1,351-7

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Julio Jones, Foley High School, Alabama

Atlanta Falcons

2012: 79-1,198-10

2014: 104-1,583-6

2015: 136-1,871-8

2016: 83-1,409-6

2017: 88-1,444-3

2018: 113-1,677-8

2019: 99-1,394-6

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Amari Cooper, Alabama

Oakland Raiders

2015: 72-1,070-6

2016: 83-1,153-5

Oakland Raiders/Dallas Cowboys

2018: 75-1,005-7

Dallas Cowboys

2019: 79-1,189-8

2020: 92-1,114-5

Cleveland Browns

2022: 78-1,160-9

2023: 72-1,250-5 (through Week 16)

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Tyreek Hill, West Alabama

Kansas City Chiefs

2017: 75-1,183-7

2018: 87-1,479-12

2020: 87-1,276-15

2021: 111-1239-9

Miami Dolphins

2022: 119-1,710-7

2023: 106-1,641-12 (through Week 16)

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Calvin Ridley, Alabama

Atlanta Falcons

2020: 90-1,374-9

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Darnell Mooney, Gadsden City High School

Chicago Bears

2021: 81-1,055-4

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Jaylen Waddle, Alabama

Miami Dolphins

2021: 104-1,015-6

2022: 75-1,356-8

2023: 72-1,014-4 (through Week 16)

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DeVonta Smith, Alabama

Philadelphia Eagles

2022: 95-1,196-7

2023: 78-1,036-7 (through Week 16)

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Nico Collins, Clay-Chalkville

Houston Texans

2023: 64-1,022-7 (through Week 16)

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George Pickens, Hoover

Pittsburgh Steelers

2023: 56-1,009-5 (through Week 16)

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.