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Factoid

Late-round wide receivers

Few amount to much in NFL

It's that time of year where you hear some optimistic talk around young players, including those selected in later rounds who may find themselves in line for a larger role. Think second-year wideout Devin Street in Dallas, who's filling in for Dez Bryant, and Jeff Janis in Green Bay, on the radar in dynasty leagues. Both were selected from the fifth round on in the 2014 draft. Perhaps one of them will be the next Antonio Brown or Pierre Garcon, both former sixth-round picks.

Realistically, though, the odds are firmly against either player doing anything of note in the NFL. Over the last decade (2005-2014), there have been 133 wide receivers drafted from the 5th through 7th rounds. By our count, 15 of those wideouts (about 11 percent) have gone on to enjoy some degree of NFL success, which we'll define as having a 500-yard receiving season at some point. The jury is still out on some of the more recent picks, but about a 1 in 9 chance of maybe being a viable starter; that's what you're looking at.

From the 2015 draft, the most interesting late-round picks include Kenny Bell (Tampa Bay), Tre McBride (Tennessee) and Darren Waller (Baltimore). Those players will be beating considerable odds to develop into noteworthy players.

We count nearly half as many undrafted wideouts (7) in that 10-year span to develop into quality starters at some point as 5th-7th-round picks. You're not much more likely to find a future starter in the last three rounds than to sign somebody off the street before training camp.

Late-round picks and notable undrafted wideouts from the last 10 years are presented below, with the best of those players listed in bold.

LATE-ROUND AND NOTABLE UNDRAFTED WRs, 2005-2014
YearRdPlayerTeam
20145Devin StreetCowboys
20145Jared AbbrederisPackers
20145Ryan GrantWashington
20146Robert HerronBuccaneers
20146Walt PowellCardinals
20146Matt HazelDolphins
20146Quincy EnunwaJets
20146T.J. JonesLions
20147James WrightBengals
20147Tevin ReeseChargers
20147Jeff JanisPackers
20147Jeremy GallonPatriots
20147Mike CampanaroRavens
2014UTaylor GabrielBrowns
2014UAllen HurnsJaguars
2014UPhilly BrownPanthers
20135Kenny Stills Saints
20135Tavarres King Broncos
20136Corey Fuller Lions
20136Ryan Swope Cardinals
20136Justin Brown Steelers
20136Alan Bonner Texans
20136Cobi Hamilton Bengals
20137Brice Butler Raiders
20137Charles Johnson Packers
20137Kevin Dorsey Packers
20137Marquess Wilson Bears
20137Aaron Mellette Ravens
2013UMarlon BrownRavens
2013UKenbrell ThompkinsPatriots
20125Danny CoaleCowboys
20125Marvin JonesBengals
20125Juron CrinerRaiders
20126B.J. CunninghamDolphins
20126Marvin McNuttEagles
20126Tommy StreeterRavens
20126LaVon BrazillColts
20127Rishard MatthewsDolphins
20127Toney ClemonsSteelers
20127Jeremy EbertPatriots
20127Junior HemingwayKansas City
20127Jordan WhiteJets
2012URod StreaterRaiders
2012UJermaine KearseSeahawks
20115Kealoha PilaresPanthers
20115Denarius MooreRaiders
20115Jeremy KerleyJets
20115Niles PaulWashington
20116Ryan WhalenBengals
20116Dwayne HarrisCowboys
20116Aldrick RobinsonWashington
20116Ronald Johnson49ers
20117Scotty McKnightJets
20117Stephen BurtonVikings
20117David AusberryRaiders
20117DeMarco SampsonCardinals
2011UDoug BaldwinSeahawks
20105David ReedRavens
20105Riley CooperEagles
20105Kerry MeierFalcons
20106Carlton MitchellBrowns
20106Dezmon BriscoeBengals
20106Antonio BrownSteelers
20106David GettisPanthers
20106Kyle Williams49ers
20107Terrence AustinWashington
20107Marc MarianiTitans
20107Jameson KonzSeahawks
20107Tim TooneLions
2010UDanario AlexanderRams
20095Johnny KnoxBears
20095Kenny McKinleyBroncos
20095Jarett DillardJaguars
20095Brooks FosterRams
20096Quinten LawrenceKansas City
20096Brandon GibsonEagles
20096Dominique EdisonTitans
20097Demetrius ByrdChargers
20097Manuel JohnsonCowboys
20097Julian EdelmanPatriots
20097Sammie StroughterBuccaneers
20097Jake O'ConnellKansas City
20097Marko MitchellWashington
20097Derek KinderBears
20097Freddie BrownBengals
20097Tiquan UnderwoodJaguars
20085Kenneth MooreLions
20085Matt SlaterPatriots
20086Marcus HenryJets
20086Josh Morgan49ers
20086Kevin RobinsonKansas City
20086Paul HubbardBrowns
20086Jaymar JohnsonVikings
20086Pierre GarconColts
20087Justin HarperRavens
20087Brett SwainPackers
20087Steve JohnsonBills
20087Chaz SchilensRaiders
20087Adrian ArringtonSaints
20087Mario UrrutiaBengals
20087Marcus MonkBears
20075Steve BreastonCardinals
20075Aundrae AllisonVikings
20075David ClowneyPackers
20075Roy HallColts
20075Legedu NaaneeChargers
20076Joel FilaniTitans
20076Courtney TaylorSeahawks
20076Jordan KentSeahawks
20077Dallas BakerSteelers
20077John BroussardJaguars
20077Chandler WilliamsVikings
20077Syndric SteptoeBrowns
20077Chansi StuckeyJets
20077Derek StanleyRams
20077Johnathan HollandRaiders
20065Marques HagansRams
20065Jeremy BloomEagles
20066Mike HassSaints
20066Jonathan OrrTitans
20066Adam JenningsFalcons
20066Jeff WebbKansas City
20067Ethan KilmerBengals
20067Todd WatkinsCardinals
20067Bennie BrazellBengals
20067Devin AromashoduDolphins
20067Ben ObomanuSeahawks
20067David AndersonTexans
20067Marques ColstonSaints
20067Kevin McMahanRaiders
20055Airese CurrieBears
20055Larry BrackinsBuccaneers
20055Rasheed Marshall49ers
20056Chad OwensJaguars
20056Tab PerryBengals
20056Dante RidgewayRams
20056Craig BraggPackers
20057Marcus Maxwell49ers
20057Paris WarrenBuccaneers
20057LeRon McCoyCardinals
20057Harry WilliamsJets
20057J.R. RussellBuccaneers

--Andy Richardson

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