The Cardinals selected Christian Kirk in the second round of the draft, and there was some hope he might contribute right away. The Cardinals have Larry Fitzgerald and not much else at the position; not much proven anyway.
But Kirk has a February arrest for disorderly conduct and property damage that came out yesterday. Arizona knew about it when he was drafted, and it might not be a huge deal. But a league suspension of some sort is possible, and that would just increase the likelihood that he doesn’t make a rookie year impact.
Over the last 10 years, there have been 42 wide receivers selected in the second round of the draft. Only seven have put up top-40 fantasy numbers in their rookie seasons. (Those players are in bold.)
2ND-ROUND ROOKIE WIDE RECEIVERS, 2008-2017 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Pk | Player | No | Yds | TD | FFRk |
2017 | 37 | Zay Jones, Buff. | 27 | 316 | 2 | 89th |
2017 | 40 | Curtis Samuel, Car. | 15 | 115 | 0 | 99th+ |
2017 | 62 | JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pitt. | 58 | 917 | 8 | 15th |
2016 | 40 | Sterling Shepard, NYG | 65 | 683 | 8 | 35th |
2016 | 47 | Michael Thomas, N.O. | 92 | 1137 | 9 | 8th |
2016 | 55 | Tyler Boyd, Cin. | 54 | 603 | 1 | 70th |
2015 | 37 | Devin Smith, NYJ | 9 | 115 | 1 | 99th+ |
2015 | 40 | Dorial Green-Beckham, Tenn. | 32 | 549 | 4 | 55th |
2015 | 41 | Devin Funchess, Car. | 31 | 473 | 5 | 57th |
2014 | 39 | Marqise Lee, Jac. | 37 | 422 | 1 | 93rd |
2014 | 42 | Jordan Matthews, Phil. | 67 | 872 | 8 | 25th |
2014 | 45 | Paul Richardson, Sea. | 29 | 271 | 1 | 99th+ |
2014 | 53 | Davante Adams, G.B. | 38 | 446 | 3 | 77th |
2014 | 56 | Cody Latimer, Den. | 2 | 23 | 0 | 99th+ |
2014 | 61 | Allen Robinson, Jac. | 48 | 548 | 2 | 67th |
2014 | 63 | Jarvis Landry, Mia. | 84 | 758 | 5 | 42nd |
2013 | 34 | Justin Hunter, Tenn. | 18 | 354 | 4 | 75th |
2013 | 41 | Robert Woods, Buff. | 40 | 587 | 3 | 57th |
2013 | 59 | Aaron Dobson, N.E. | 37 | 519 | 4 | 59th |
2012 | 33 | Brian Quick, St.L. | 11 | 156 | 2 | 114th |
2012 | 43 | Stephen Hill, NYJ | 21 | 252 | 3 | 93rd |
2012 | 45 | Alshon Jeffery, Chi. | 24 | 367 | 3 | 81st |
2012 | 54 | Ryan Broyles, Det. | 22 | 310 | 2 | 95th |
2012 | 63 | Rueben Randle, NYG | 19 | 298 | 3 | 88th |
2011 | 44 | Titus Young, Det. | 48 | 607 | 6 | 44th |
2011 | 58 | Torrey Smith, Balt. | 50 | 841 | 7 | 24th |
2011 | 59 | Greg Little, Clev. | 61 | 709 | 2 | 53rd |
2011 | 64 | Randall Cobb, G.B. | 25 | 375 | 1 | 79th |
2010 | 36 | Dexter McCluster, K.C. | 21 | 209 | 1 | 99th+ |
2010 | 39 | Arrelious Benn, T.B. | 25 | 395 | 2 | 90th |
2010 | 60 | Golden Tate, Sea. | 21 | 227 | 0 | 99th+ |
2009 | 36 | Brian Robiskie, Clev. | 7 | 106 | 0 | 99th+ |
2009 | 50 | Mohamed Massaquoi, Clev. | 34 | 624 | 3 | 59th |
2008 | 33 | Donnie Avery, St.L. | 53 | 674 | 3 | 42nd |
2008 | 34 | Devin Thomas, Wash. | 15 | 120 | 1 | 99th+ |
2008 | 36 | Jordy Nelson, G.B. | 33 | 366 | 2 | 84th |
2008 | 41 | James Hardy, Buff. | 9 | 87 | 2 | 99th+ |
2008 | 42 | Eddie Royal, Den. | 91 | 980 | 5 | 19th |
2008 | 46 | Jerome Simpson, Cin. | 1 | 2 | 0 | 99th+ |
2008 | 49 | DeSean Jackson, Phil. | 62 | 912 | 4 | 26th |
2008 | 51 | Malcolm Kelly, Wash. | 3 | 18 | 0 | 99th+ |
2008 | 53 | Limas Sweed, Pitt. | 6 | 64 | 0 | 99th+ |
In Kirk's favor, three of those guys have done it in the last two seasons: Michael Thomas, Sterling Shepard and JuJu Smith-Schuster (pictured). But two of the others were a decade ago. Odds are against a big rookie-year impact.
—Andy Richardson