The Raiders selected Amari Cooper at No. 4 overall in last year's draft. He responded with a 1,000-yard season, one of only 11 by rookie wideouts in the last 20 years. It's even more impressive when you learn he was playing hurt down the stretch.
Cooper had a foot injury that bothered him the second half of the season, limiting him in the final games. The team even considered shutting him down late in the year.
To his credit, Cooper late in the year said he didn't feel he'd earned a spot in the Pro Bowl. He's going, though, indicating the injury is fully behind him.
Only three other rookie receivers managed even 600 yards last season, getting them among the top 70 rookie wideouts since 1995.
TOP ROOKIE WIDE RECEIVERS, 1995-PRESENT | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Rd | Pick | Player | Team | No | Yds | TD |
2003 | 2 | 54 | Anquan Boldin | Ariz. | 101 | 1377 | 8 |
1998 | 1 | 21 | Randy Moss | Minn. | 68 | 1313 | 17 |
2014 | 1 | 12 | Odell Beckham Jr. | NYG | 91 | 1305 | 12 |
2004 | 1 | 15 | Michael Clayton | T.B. | 80 | 1193 | 7 |
1996 | 1 | 7 | Terry Glenn | N.E. | 90 | 1132 | 6 |
2015 | 1 | 4 | Amari Cooper | N.E. | 72 | 1070 | 6 |
2011 | 1 | 4 | A.J. Green | Cin. | 65 | 1057 | 7 |
2014 | 1 | 7 | Mike Evans | T.B. | 68 | 1051 | 12 |
2013 | 3 | 76 | Keenan Allen | S.D. | 71 | 1046 | 8 |
2006 | 7 | 252 | Marques Colston | N.O. | 70 | 1038 | 8 |
2014 | 1 | 28 | Kelvin Benjamin | Car. | 73 | 1008 | 9 |
2007 | 1 | 23 | Dwayne Bowe | K.C. | 70 | 995 | 5 |
1999 | 2 | 32 | Kevin Johnson | Clev. | 66 | 986 | 8 |
2014 | 1 | 4 | Sammy Watkins | Buff. | 65 | 982 | 6 |
2008 | 2 | 42 | Eddie Royal | Den. | 91 | 980 | 5 |
2003 | 1 | 3 | Andre Johnson | Hou. | 66 | 976 | 4 |
2010 | 4 | 101 | Mike Williams | T.B. | 65 | 964 | 11 |
2011 | 1 | 6 | Julio Jones | Atl. | 54 | 959 | 8 |
1996 | 1 | 18 | Eddie Kennison | St.L. | 54 | 924 | 11 |
2008 | 2 | 49 | DeSean Jackson | Phil. | 62 | 912 | 4 |
2001 | 2 | 52 | Chris Chambers | Mia. | 48 | 883 | 7 |
2014 | 2 | 42 | Jordan Matthews | Phil. | 67 | 872 | 8 |
2012 | 1 | 5 | Justin Blackmon | Jac. | 64 | 865 | 5 |
2012 | 3 | 92 | T.Y. Hilton | Ind. | 50 | 861 | 7 |
1996 | 1 | 1 | Keyshawn Johnson | NYJ | 63 | 844 | 8 |
2004 | 1 | 13 | Lee Evans | Buff. | 48 | 843 | 9 |
2011 | 2 | 58 | Torrey Smith | Balt. | 50 | 841 | 7 |
1996 | 1 | 19 | Marvin Harrison | Ind. | 64 | 836 | 8 |
2006 | 1 | 25 | Santonio Holmes | Pitt. | 49 | 824 | 3 |
2004 | 1 | 7 | Roy Williams | Det. | 54 | 817 | 8 |
2012 | 2 | supp | Josh Gordon | Clev. | 50 | 805 | 5 |
2013 | 1 | 27 | DeAndre Hopkins | Hou. | 52 | 802 | 2 |
2009 | 1 | 29 | Hakeem Nicks | NYG | 47 | 790 | 6 |
2009 | 1 | 22 | Percy Harvin | Minn. | 60 | 790 | 8 |
2011 | U | - | Doug Baldwin | Sea. | 51 | 788 | 4 |
1999 | 1 | 6 | Torry Holt | St.L. | 52 | 788 | 6 |
2004 | 1 | 3 | Larry Fitzgerald | Ariz. | 58 | 780 | 8 |
2009 | 1 | 19 | Jeremy Maclin | Phil. | 56 | 773 | 4 |
2014 | 2 | 63 | Jarvis Landry | Mia. | 84 | 758 | 5 |
2009 | 3 | 84 | Mike Wallace | Pitt. | 39 | 756 | 6 |
2007 | 1 | 2 | Calvin Johnson | Det. | 48 | 756 | 5 |
2004 | 2 | 62 | Keary Colbert | Car. | 47 | 754 | 5 |
2001 | 1 | 15 | Rod Gardner | Wash. | 46 | 741 | 4 |
2013 | 3 | 74 | Terrance Williams | Dall. | 44 | 736 | 5 |
2002 | 2 | 63 | Antonio Bryant | Dall. | 44 | 733 | 6 |
2015 | 5 | 146 | Stefon Diggs | Minn. | 52 | 720 | 4 |
1999 | 1 | 13 | Troy Edwards | Pitt. | 61 | 714 | 5 |
2000 | 3 | 80 | Darrell Jackson | Sea. | 53 | 713 | 6 |
2011 | 2 | 59 | Greg Little | Clev. | 61 | 709 | 2 |
2009 | 1 | 30 | Kenny Britt | Tenn. | 42 | 701 | 3 |
2012 | 4 | 96 | Chris Givens | St.L. | 42 | 698 | 3 |
2014 | 3 | 91 | John Brown | Ariz. | 48 | 696 | 5 |
2000 | 1 | 21 | Sylvester Morris | K.C. | 48 | 678 | 3 |
2014 | U | - | Allen Hurns | Jac. | 51 | 677 | 6 |
2009 | 4 | 127 | Austin Collie | Ind. | 60 | 676 | 7 |
2007 | 3 | 78 | James Jones | G.B. | 47 | 676 | 2 |
2008 | 2 | 33 | Donnie Avery | St.L. | 53 | 674 | 3 |
2015 | 3 | 69 | Tyler Lockett | Sea. | 51 | 664 | 6 |
2013 | 5 | 144 | Kenny Stills | N.O. | 32 | 641 | 5 |
2006 | 2 | 52 | Greg Jennings | G.B. | 45 | 632 | 3 |
2012 | 1 | 20 | Kendall Wright | Tenn. | 64 | 626 | 4 |
2009 | 1 | 10 | Michael Crabtree | S.F. | 48 | 625 | 2 |
2009 | 2 | 50 | Mohamed Massaquoi | Clev. | 34 | 624 | 3 |
2014 | U | - | Taylor Gabriel | Clev. | 36 | 621 | 1 |
2011 | 5 | 148 | Denarius Moore | Oak. | 33 | 618 | 5 |
2011 | 2 | 44 | Titus Young | Det. | 48 | 607 | 6 |
2015 | 4 | 105 | Jamison Crowder | Wash. | 59 | 604 | 2 |
2010 | 3 | 84 | Jordan Shipley | Cin. | 52 | 600 | 3 |
--Andy Richardson