Ian Allan

There’s a tendency to assume that the first wide receivers chosen in the NFL draft will go on to have the best careers. And plenty of good ones come out of the first round – Jerry Rice, Marvin Harrison, Randy Moss and a host of others.

But plenty of outstanding receivers get selected in the later rounds as well. Wes Welker and Brandon Marshall both have gone over 100 catches three years in a row. Hines Ward has led the Steelers in receptions 11 years in a row. Those guys weren’t taken in the first round.

So in a typical draft, you can be sure that some of the less-heralded guys who go in rounds two, three and even later will go on to have very productive careers.

Below is a chart showing all of the wide receivers who’ve gone over 1,000 yards in the last five years. Of these 99 players (and some are listed multiple times), only 42 were selected in the first round.

Bottom line: Arrelious Benn, Golden Tate, Brandon LaFell, Eric Decker, Mardy Gilyard – some of these guys are going to be very good players.


WIDE RECEIVERS GOING OVER 1,000 YARDS, 2005-2009
(First-round picks listed in bold).

   Rec     Yds   Year
   115   1575   2008   Andre Johnson, Hou.
   101   1569   2009   Andre Johnson, Hou.
   103   1563   2005   Steve Smith, Car.
   104   1510   2007   Reggie Wayne, Ind.
     98   1493   2007   Randy Moss, N.E.
     84   1483   2005   Santana Moss, Wash
     93   1440   2007   Chad Johnson, Cin.
     97   1432   2005   Chad Johnson, Cin.
     96   1431   2008   Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz.
     78   1421   2008   Steve Smith, Car.
   103   1409   2005   Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz.
   100   1409   2007   Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz.
   102   1402   2005   Anquan Boldin, Ariz.
     88   1382   2008   Roddy White, Atl.
     87   1369   2006   Chad Johnson, Cin.
     95   1366   2006   Marvin Harrison, Ind.
     81   1355   2007   Terrell Owens, Dall.
   123   1348   2009   Wes Welker, N.E.
   102   1331   2005   Torry Holt, St.L.
     78   1331   2008   Calvin Johnson, Det.
   102   1325   2007   Brandon Marshall, Den.
     81   1320   2009   Miles Austin, Dall.
     83   1312   2009   Sidney Rice, Minn.
     86   1310   2006   Reggie Wayne, Ind.
     82   1310   2006   Roy Williams, Det.
     92   1295   2006   Donald Driver, G.B.
     82   1292   2006   Lee Evans, Buff.
     80   1292   2008   Greg Jennings, G.B.
     80   1289   2007   Braylon Edwards, Clev.
     83   1287   2005   Joey Galloway, T.B.
   104   1265   2008   Brandon Marshall, Den.
   100   1264   2009   Reggie Wayne, Ind.
     83   1264   2009   Randy Moss, N.E.
     83   1248   2008   Antonio Bryant, T.B.
     79   1248   2009   Santonio Holmes, Pitt.
     86   1221   2005   Donald Driver, G.B.
   107   1220   2009   Steve Smith, NYG
     76   1214   2005   Plaxico Burress, NYG
     83   1203   2006   Anquan Boldin, Ariz.
     98   1202   2007   Marques Colston, N.O.
     83   1202   2007   Roddy White, Atl.
     93   1189   2007   Torry Holt, St.L.
     93   1188   2006   Torry Holt, St.L.
     85   1180   2006   Terrell Owens, Dall.
   112   1175   2007   Wes Welker, N.E.
     95   1167   2009   Hines Ward, Pitt.
     68   1167   2009   Vincent Jackson, S.D.
     63   1167   2009   DeSean Jackson, Phil.
     83   1166   2006   Steve Smith, Car.
   111   1165   2008   Wes Welker, N.E.
     85   1153   2009   Roddy White, Atl.
   103   1147   2006   Andre Johnson, Hou.
     94   1147   2007   Bobby Engram, Sea.
     82   1146   2005   Marvin Harrison, Ind.
     82   1145   2008   Reggie Wayne, Ind.
   112   1143   2007   T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Cin.
     62   1136   2005   Terry Glenn, Dall.
     82   1130   2007   Jerricho Cotchery, NYJ
   101   1120   2009   Brandon Marshall, Den.
     82   1118   2005   Chris Chambers, Mia.
     68   1113   2009   Greg Jennings, G.B.
     77   1110   2007   Kevin Curtis, Phil.
     85   1105   2005   Rod Smith, Den.
     68   1102   2005   Eddie Kennison, K.C.
     91   1098   2006   Laveranues Coles, NYJ
     74   1098   2006   Isaac Bruce, St.L.
     59   1098   2008   Vincent Jackson, S.D.
     97   1092   2009   Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz.
   103   1087   2007   Derrick Mason, Balt.
     98   1086   2006   Mike Furrey, Det.
     69   1084   2006   Javon Walker, Den.
     90   1081   2006   T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Cin.
     70   1074   2009   Marques Colston, N.O.
     86   1073   2005   Derrick Mason, Balt.
     70   1061   2009   Donald Driver, G.B.
     62   1057   2006   Joey Galloway, T.B.
     83   1055   2005   Reggie Wayne, Ind.
     69   1052   2008   Terrell Owens, Dall.
     82   1048   2007   Donald Driver, G.B.
     72   1047   2009   Chad Ochocinco, Cin.
     70   1047   2006   Terry Glenn, Dall.
     79   1044   2008   Santana Moss, Wash.
     81   1043   2008   Hines Ward, Pitt.
     89   1038   2008   Anquan Boldin, Ariz.
     70   1038   2006   Marques Colston, N.O.
     80   1037   2008   Derrick Mason, Balt.
     73   1028   2009   Derrick Mason, Balt.
     70   1025   2007   Plaxico Burress, NYG
     84   1024   2009   Anquan Boldin, Ariz.
     70   1023   2005   Jimmy Smith, Jac.
     86   1022   2008   Dwayne Bowe, K.C.
     63   1017   2008   Lee Evans, Buff.
     57   1014   2007   Joey Galloway, T.B.
     74   1012   2008   Donald Driver, G.B.
     69   1009   2005   Antonio Bryant, Clev.
     69   1008   2008   Randy Moss, N.E.
     77   1006   2008   Steve Breaston, Ariz.
     60   1005   2005   Randy Moss, Oak.
     87   1002   2007   Steve Smith, Car.


—Ian Allan

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