Three different first-round wideouts in last month's draft went over 1,300 receiving yards in their final years of college. Amari Cooper, Kevin White and Nelson Agholor. Based on the last 20 years of such players, it's a promising indicator of their NFL futures.
Over the last 20 years, there have been 21 other first-round wideouts who put up at least 1,200 yards their final seasons of college. At this point, only six of those players -- so just over a quarter -- can be considered out-and-out busts.
I took the 21 players and deemed them hits or misses based on the fairly generous determination as to whether they had at least one very good NFL season. The ones who did got a "Yes," the ones who didn't got a "No." There's some subjectivity here; Kendall Wright got a Yes. Feel free to point out where you think I've over- or underestimated certain players.
Some recent first-rounders and 2015 players (in bold) got question marks; too soon to say on those players. The receivers, sorted by receiving yards that final season, are presented below.
FIRST-ROUND WIDEOUTS, 1995-PRESENT (1,300 YDS IN COLLEGE) | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Player | Team | Year | Pick | No | Yards | TD | Hit? |
Troy Edwards | Steelers | 1999 | 13 | 140 | 1996 | 31 | No |
Brandin Cooks | Saints | 2014 | 20 | 128 | 1730 | 18 | ? |
Amari Cooper | Raiders | 2015 | 4 | 124 | 1727 | 16 | ? |
Ashley Lelie | Broncos | 2002 | 19 | 84 | 1713 | 19 | No |
Larry Fitzgerald | Cardinals | 2004 | 3 | 92 | 1672 | 22 | Yes |
Kendall Wright | Titans | 2012 | 20 | 108 | 1663 | 14 | Yes |
Randy Moss | Vikings | 1998 | 21 | 90 | 1647 | 25 | Yes |
Torry Holt | Rams | 1999 | 6 | 88 | 1604 | 13 | Yes |
Lee Evans | Bills | 2004 | 13 | 75 | 1545 | 9 | Yes |
Justin Blackmon | Jaguars | 2012 | 5 | 121 | 1522 | 18 | Yes |
Sammy Watkins | Bills | 2014 | 4 | 101 | 1464 | 12 | ? |
Roddy White | Falcons | 2005 | 27 | 71 | 1452 | 14 | Yes |
Kevin White | Bears | 2015 | 7 | 109 | 1447 | 10 | ? |
DeAndre Hopkins | Texans | 2013 | 27 | 82 | 1405 | 18 | Yes |
Mike Evans | Buccaneers | 2014 | 7 | 69 | 1394 | 12 | Yes |
Kenny Britt | Titans | 2009 | 30 | 87 | 1371 | 7 | Yes |
Rashaun Woods | 49ers | 2004 | 31 | 77 | 1367 | 15 | No |
Charles Rogers | Lions | 2003 | 2 | 68 | 1351 | 13 | No |
Braylon Edwards | Browns | 2005 | 3 | 97 | 1330 | 15 | Yes |
David Boston | Cardinals | 1999 | 8 | 74 | 1330 | 14 | Yes |
Terry Glenn | Patriots | 1996 | 7 | 57 | 1316 | 17 | Yes |
Mike Williams | Lions | 2005 | 10 | 95 | 1314 | 16 | No |
Freddie Mitchell | Eagles | 2001 | 25 | 68 | 1314 | 8 | No |
Nelson Agholor | Eagles | 2015 | 20 | 104 | 1313 | 12 | ? |
--Andy Richardson