How much import should be placed on the college a player went to? Do we like Terrance Williams more because he went to Baylor, and Robert Woods less because he went to Southern Cal?
A year ago Baylor products Kendall Wright and Josh Gordon looked pretty good as rookies. Maybe that pedigree will be a positive for Cowboys' third-rounder Williams. Then there's Woods, selected by Buffalo in the second round. If there's an opposite of a wide receiver factory, Southern Cal in recent years appears to be it.
In the last 20 years, 10 other Southern Cal wideouts have been selected in the first three rounds of the draft. The first three of those turned out pretty well: Curtis Conway, Johnnie Morton, Keyshawn Johnson. All had multiple seasons with at least 1,000 receiving yards. The last seven haven't turned out quite so well.
Collectively, those most recent seven Southern Cal wideouts have produced one season with even 800 receiving yards. It's not enough to write Woods off, but it does give you pause before selecting him in a rookie draft. It's a poor history he'll need to overcome.
USC WRs, first three rounds (1993-2013)
Year Rd Yds (best)
2013 2 ??? Robert Woods, Buff.
2010 3 592 Damian Williams, Tenn.
2009 3 96 Patrick Turner, Mia.
2007 2 196 Dwayne Jarrett, Car.
2007 2   1220 Steve Smith, NYG
2005 1 751 Mike Williams, Det.
2004 2 754 Keary Colbert, Car.
2000 1 154 R. Jay Soward, Jac.
1996 1 1266 Keyshawn Johnson, NYJ
1994 1 1154 Johnnie Morton, Det.
1993 1 1125 Curtis Conway, Chi.
--Andy Richardson