Corey Davis, Mike Williams and John Ross were all selected in the top 10 picks in last weekend's draft. All three have a shot to be immediate starters; certainly among their new teams' top-3 wideouts, if training camp goes well. Will they be fantasy starters right away?
Over the last 30 years, there have been 38 other wideouts selected in the top 10 picks of the NFL Draft. In their rookie seasons, only 11 (29 percent) have put up 800 receiving yards. Only six (16 percent) have caught 8 TDs.
TOP-10 WIDEOUTS, ROOKIE SEASONS (1988-PRESENT) | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Pk | Player | No | Yds | TD |
1996 | 7 | Terry Glenn, N.E. | 90 | 1132 | 6 |
2015 | 4 | Amari Cooper, Oak. | 72 | 1070 | 6 |
2011 | 4 | A.J. Green, Cin. | 65 | 1057 | 7 |
2014 | 7 | Mike Evans, T.B. | 68 | 1051 | 12 |
1995 | 8 | Joey Galloway, Sea. | 67 | 1039 | 9 |
2014 | 4 | Sammy Watkins, Buff. | 65 | 982 | 6 |
2003 | 3 | Andre Johnson, Hou. | 66 | 976 | 4 |
2011 | 6 | Julio Jones, Atl. | 54 | 959 | 8 |
2012 | 5 | Justin Blackmon, Jac. | 64 | 865 | 5 |
1996 | 1 | Keyshawn Johnson, NYJ | 63 | 844 | 8 |
2004 | 7 | Roy Williams, Det. | 54 | 817 | 8 |
1988 | 7 | Sterling Sharpe, G.B. | 55 | 791 | 1 |
1999 | 6 | Torry Holt, St.L. | 52 | 788 | 6 |
2004 | 3 | Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz. | 58 | 780 | 8 |
2007 | 2 | Calvin Johnson, Det. | 48 | 756 | 5 |
1988 | 6 | Tim Brown, L.A. | 43 | 725 | 7 |
2009 | 10 | Michael Crabtree, S.F. | 48 | 625 | 2 |
2000 | 4 | Peter Warrick, Cin. | 51 | 592 | 7 |
2001 | 9 | Koren Robinson, Sea. | 39 | 536 | 1 |
1995 | 4 | Michael Westbrook, Wash. | 34 | 522 | 2 |
1995 | 10 | J.J. Stokes, S.F. | 38 | 517 | 4 |
2005 | 3 | Braylon Edwards, Clev. | 32 | 512 | 3 |
1999 | 8 | David Boston, Ariz. | 40 | 473 | 2 |
2007 | 9 | Ted Ginn Jr., Mia. | 34 | 420 | 3 |
2013 | 8 | Tavon Austin, St.L. | 40 | 418 | 6 |
2001 | 8 | David Terrell, Chi. | 34 | 415 | 4 |
2005 | 7 | Troy Williamson, Minn. | 24 | 372 | 2 |
2005 | 10 | Mike Williams, Det. | 29 | 350 | 1 |
2000 | 10 | Travis Taylor, Balt. | 28 | 276 | 3 |
2000 | 8 | Plaxico Burress, Pitt. | 22 | 273 | 0 |
2004 | 9 | Reggie Williams, Jac. | 27 | 268 | 1 |
2003 | 2 | Charles Rogers, Det. | 22 | 243 | 3 |
1993 | 7 | Curtis Conway, Chi. | 19 | 231 | 2 |
1991 | 10 | Herman Moore, Det. | 11 | 135 | 0 |
2009 | 7 | Darrius Heyward-Bey, Oak. | 9 | 124 | 1 |
1997 | 7 | Ike Hilliard, NYG | 2 | 42 | 0 |
1992 | 4 | Desmond Howard, Wash. | 3 | 20 | 1 |
2015 | 7 | Kevin White, Chi. | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2017 | 5 | Corey Davis, Tenn. | ? | ? | ? |
2017 | 7 | Mike Williams, S.D. | ? | ? | ? |
2017 | 9 | John Ross, Cin. | ? | ? | ? |
I notice that the very best rookie performers on this list -- the ones over 700 yards as rookies -- by and large went on to be excellent pros. Few of the ones who have done nothing in their first seasons have then gone on to have good careers, which is a bad sign for Kevin White.
--Andy Richardson