It's been widely assumed that Ole Miss's Laquon Treadwell would be the first wide receiver drafted, but maybe that's not a lock. NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah says he heard Notre Dame's Will Fuller might go earlier, and in his own list of top prospects, he puts Baylor's Corey Coleman higher.
Jeremiah's list of his top 50 prospects is right here. Ultimately, should fantasy teams care which wide receiver is drafted first? Maybe not.
Over the last 25 years, the wide receiver drafted first has turned out better than the wide receivers drafted second only 9 times, by our count. (We're making an early call on Cooper-White from last year.) The second wide receiver drafted has gone on to have the better career 8 times. The remaining 8 times, it was a push -- either both turned out great (Dez Bryant-Demaryius Thomas) or neither did (Donnie Avery-Devin Thomas, anyone?).
Bottom line, it might not matter which wideout gets selected first. There's a strong likelihood the second one drafted turns out just as well, or better.
First two wideouts drafted since 1991 are below, with our take on the superior NFL career in bold. Pushes are left unbolded.
| FIRST TWO WRS DRAFTED, 1992-2015 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Rd | Pk | Player | Team |
| 2015 | 1 | 4 | Amari Cooper | Oak. |
| 2015 | 1 | 7 | Kevin White | Chi. |
| 2014 | 1 | 4 | Sammy Watkins | Buff. |
| 2014 | 1 | 7 | Mike Evans | T.B. |
| 2013 | 1 | 8 | Tavon Austin | St.L. |
| 2013 | 1 | 27 | DeAndre Hopkins | Hou. |
| 2012 | 1 | 5 | Justin Blackmon | Jac. |
| 2012 | 1 | 13 | Michael Floyd | Ariz. |
| 2011 | 1 | 4 | A.J. Green | Cin. |
| 2011 | 1 | 6 | Julio Jones | Atl. |
| 2010 | 1 | 22 | Demaryius Thomas | Den. |
| 2010 | 1 | 24 | Dez Bryant | Dall. |
| 2009 | 1 | 7 | Darrius Heyward-Bey | Oak. |
| 2009 | 1 | 10 | Michael Crabtree | S.F. |
| 2008 | 2 | 33 | Donnie Avery | St.L. |
| 2008 | 2 | 34 | Devin Thomas | Wash. |
| 2007 | 1 | 2 | Calvin Johnson | Det. |
| 2007 | 1 | 9 | Ted Ginn Jr. | Mia. |
| 2006 | 1 | 25 | Santonio Holmes | Pitt. |
| 2006 | 2 | 36 | Chad Jackson | N.E. |
| 2005 | 1 | 3 | Braylon Edwards | Clev. |
| 2005 | 1 | 7 | Troy Williamson | Minn. |
| 2004 | 1 | 3 | Larry Fitzgerald | Ariz. |
| 2004 | 1 | 7 | Roy Williams | Det. |
| 2003 | 1 | 2 | Charles Rogers | Det. |
| 2003 | 1 | 3 | Andre Johnson | Hou. |
| 2002 | 1 | 13 | Donte Stallworth | N.O. |
| 2002 | 1 | 19 | Ashley Lelie | Den. |
| 2001 | 1 | 8 | David Terrell | Chi. |
| 2001 | 1 | 9 | Koren Robinson | Sea. |
| 2000 | 1 | 4 | Peter Warrick | Cin. |
| 2000 | 1 | 8 | Plaxico Burress | Pitt. |
| 1999 | 1 | 6 | Torry Holt | St.L. |
| 1999 | 1 | 8 | David Boston | Ariz. |
| 1998 | 1 | 16 | Kevin Dyson | Hou. |
| 1998 | 1 | 21 | Randy Moss | Minn. |
| 1997 | 1 | 7 | Ike Hilliard | NYG |
| 1997 | 1 | 15 | Yatil Green | Mia. |
| 1996 | 1 | 1 | Keyshawn Johnson | NYJ |
| 1996 | 1 | 7 | Terry Glenn | N.E. |
| 1995 | 1 | 4 | Michael Westbrook | Wash. |
| 1995 | 1 | 8 | Joey Galloway | Sea. |
| 1994 | 1 | 17 | Charles Johnson | Pitt. |
| 1994 | 1 | 21 | Johnnie Morton | Det. |
| 1993 | 1 | 7 | Curtis Conway | Chi. |
| 1993 | 1 | 16 | Sean Dawkins | Ind. |
| 1992 | 1 | 4 | Desmond Howard | Wash. |
| 1992 | 2 | 31 | Carl Pickens | Cin. |
| 1991 | 1 | 10 | Herman Moore | Det. |
| 1991 | 1 | 12 | Alvin Harper | Dall. |
--Andy Richardson