WVU Sports Hall of Fame

Inducted: 2017

Written by Bryan Messerly

Willie Drewrey was an exciting receiver and kick returner who played on four bowl teams for coach Don Nehlen from 1981-84.

A four-year letterwinner whose teams posted a 35-13 record during his career, Drewrey participated in the 1981 Peach Bowl, 1982 Gator Bowl, 1983 Hall of Fame Bowl and the 1984 Bluebonnet Bowl.

Drewrey tallied a then-school record 1,542 all-purpose yards in 1984 (594 receiving, 385 punt return yardage and 563 in kickoff return yardage). He averaged 27.3 yards per kickoff return in 1984, ranking third in the nation. During his fantastic 1984 season, he averaged 16.9 yards per touch, 2.7 yards more than Tim Brown’s Heisman season in 1987.

Born in Columbus, Mississippi, and raised in Columbus, New Jersey, Drewrey recorded 3,508 career all-purpose yards, which ranked third at the time in school history and now ranks 10th. He still holds the school record with 1,109 career punt return yards on 108 attempts. Drewrey is the only player in school history with 1,000 punt return yards and only one of 14 in NCAA history to do so.

Drewrey left WVU as the school record-holder in career kickoff return yards with 1,329 on 54 attempts and now ranks fourth all-time. His 24.4 career kickoff return average ranks fourth in school history.

For his collegiate career, Drewrey had 10 touchdowns (five receiving, four kickoff and one punt return). His best game as a receiver came in the 1984 Bluebonnet Bowl, when he had career bests of six catches for 152 yards in the 31-14 win over TCU.

Drewrey was named a Sporting News First Team All-American in 1984. Tabbed as the WVU team MVP, Drewrey is a member of the 1980-89 WVU All-Time Team.

Drewrey was an 11th-round pick of the 1985 NFL Draft by the Houston Oilers. He played in the NFL for nine seasons with the Houston Oilers (1985-88, 93) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1989-92). Appearing in 128 games in his NFL career, Drewrey recorded 106 catches for 1,601 yards (15.1 yards per catch) and seven touchdowns. He retired following the 1993 season.