There’s been some talk in Dallas about Dennis Houston maybe being a factor. He wasn’t even drafted, but the Cowboys are looking for help at wide receiver (with Amari Cooper and Cedrick Wilson gone and Michael Gallup and James Washington both perhaps out until October.)
Nowadays, the Cowboys have CeeDee Lamb, tight end Dalton Schultz, and not much else in terms of pass catchers.
But Dak Prescott says he likes what he’s seen out of third-rounder Jalen Tolbert, and also undrafted Dennis Houston. Houston (pictured) caught 90 passes for 1,015 yards, with 8 TDs, at Western Illinois last year.
"I just know, the young guys that we've got, the guys that we already have are going to step in and take on bigger roles,” Prescott said this weekend at training camp. “I continue to say ‘exciting,’ but that's what it is.''
Hoping for Houston to continue to be a factor into the regular season, that’s a big ask. It doesn’t happen often. Only four times in the last 10 years has an undrafted rookie finished with top-50 numbers (PPR scoring) in his first season in the pros. (The top 50, I’m thinking, is the point where the player is definitely worthy of being on a roster in a typical 12-team league.)
In the last 20 years, only 42 undrafted receivers have ever had a top-50 season in their career. So on average, you’re getting about two such new wide receivers per season (but the vast majority of those guys are players further into their careers). If Houston has a top-50 season in him (which is unlikely) it is far more likely to come in 2023 or 2024.
Five undrafted wide receivers in the last 20 years have had a top-10 season during their career, but it’s way too early to suggest Houston might be another Wes Welker, Adam Thielen or Doug Baldwin.
In the chart below, you’re seeing only the best season for each player. It shows the 42 undrafted wide receivers in the last 20 years who have had at least one top-50 season in their career.
BEST UNDRAFTED WIDE RECEIVERS (last 20 yrs) | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Player | Yr | Rec | Yds | TD | PPR | Rk |
2011 | Wes Welker, N.E. | 8 | 122 | #### | 9 | 335.9 | 2 |
2011 | Victor Cruz, NYG | 2 | 82 | #### | 9 | 289.9 | 3 |
2009 | Miles Austin, Dall. | 4 | 81 | #### | 11 | 278.8 | 6 |
2018 | Adam Thielen, Min. | 5 | 113 | #### | 9 | 309.3 | 7 |
2004 | Drew Bennett, Ten. | 4 | 80 | #### | 11 | 277.2 | 8 |
2016 | Doug Baldwin, Sea. | 6 | 94 | #### | 7 | 253.8 | 8 |
2006 | Mike Furrey, Det. | 4 | 98 | #### | 6 | 242.6 | 13 |
2008 | Lance Moore, N.O. | 4 | 79 | 928 | 10 | 231.8 | 15 |
2011 | Nate Washington, Ten. | 9 | 74 | #### | 8 | 224.8 | 15 |
2017 | Robby Anderson, NYJ | 2 | 63 | 941 | 7 | 200.0 | 18 |
2016 | Tyrell Williams, S.D. | 2 | 69 | #### | 7 | 216.9 | 19 |
2015 | Allen Hurns, Jac. | 2 | 64 | #### | 10 | 227.1 | 19 |
2010 | Davone Bess, Mia. | 3 | 79 | 820 | 5 | 190.7 | 23 |
2018 | Adam Humphries, T.B. | 4 | 76 | 816 | 5 | 188.7 | 24 |
2020 | Cole Beasley, Buff. | 9 | 82 | 967 | 4 | 207.7 | 27 |
2017 | Jermaine Kearse, NYJ | 6 | 65 | 810 | 5 | 176.0 | 28 |
2021 | Jakobi Meyers, N.E. | 3 | 83 | 866 | 2 | 188.8 | 29 |
2015 | Kamar Aiken, Balt. | 3 | 75 | 944 | 5 | 199.4 | 29 |
2010 | Danny Amendola, St.L. | 2 | 85 | 689 | 3 | 180.0 | 30 |
2015 | Willie Snead, N.O. | 2 | 69 | 984 | 3 | 185.4 | 32 |
2021 | Kendrick Bourne, N.E. | 5 | 55 | 800 | 5 | 182.8 | 32 |
2013 | Rod Streater, Oak. | 2 | 60 | 888 | 4 | 174.5 | 33 |
2002 | Brian Finneran, Atl. | 4 | 56 | 838 | 6 | 175.8 | 33 |
2004 | David Patten, N.E. | 8 | 44 | 800 | 7 | 166.5 | 34 |
2016 | Cameron Meredith, Chi. | 2 | 66 | 888 | 4 | 183.5 | 38 |
2005 | Eric Parker, S.D. | 4 | 57 | 725 | 3 | 153.0 | 38 |
2011 | Malcom Floyd, S.D. | 8 | 43 | 856 | 5 | 158.6 | 38 |
2011 | David Nelson, Buff. | 2 | 61 | 658 | 5 | 156.8 | 39 |
2003 | Bobby Shaw, Buff. | 5 | 56 | 732 | 4 | 153.2 | 39 |
2018 | Taylor Gabriel, Chi. | 5 | 67 | 688 | 2 | 153.9 | 41 |
2002 | Derrius Thompson, Was. | 4 | 53 | 773 | 4 | 162.0 | 42 |
2021 | Tim Patrick, Den. | 5 | 53 | 734 | 5 | 156.4 | 42 |
2010 | Anthony Armstrong, Was. | 1 | 44 | 871 | 3 | 149.1 | 43 |
2021 | Marquez Callaway, N.O. | 2 | 46 | 698 | 6 | 151.8 | 43 |
2005 | Antonio Chatman, G.B. | 2 | 49 | 549 | 5 | 137.3 | 43 |
2016 | Dontrelle Inman, S.D. | 3 | 58 | 810 | 4 | 163.0 | 47 |
2020 | Keelan Cole, Jac. | 4 | 55 | 642 | 6 | 155.4 | 47 |
2013 | Marlon Brown, Balt. | 1 | 49 | 524 | 7 | 145.2 | 48 |
2021 | Allen Lazard, G.B. | 4 | 40 | 513 | 8 | 142.5 | 48 |
2014 | Andrew Hawkins, Cle. | 4 | 63 | 824 | 2 | 158.9 | 48 |
2012 | Danario Alexander, S.D. | 3 | 37 | 658 | 7 | 144.8 | 49 |
2008 | Greg Camarillo, Mia. | 3 | 55 | 613 | 2 | 128.4 | 50 |
—Ian Allan