NFL draft: A decade of wide receiver picks
In the past 10 NFL drafts, 79 wide receivers were selected in the first and second rounds.
About one in four (21 of 79) are ranked among the Observer’s 2013 Top 40 receivers. They range from receivers nearing the end of their career and first-year players still developing. The Top 40 represents a one-year snapshot of the NFL’s premier receivers.
One in three receivers (13 of 38) selected in the first round made the Top 40. Five of 14 top-10 draft picks made the list. Receivers drafted late in the first round – 20 through 32 – also had about a one-in-three chance of making the Top 40 (6 of 19).
About one in five receivers (8 of 41) drafted in the second round made the Top 40.
This chart lists the year, the round and selection and the team drafting. Players in the 2013 Observer Top 40 are in bold, with their ranking.
| Overall pick | Player | Team | Observer Top 40 rank |
| 2013 | |||
| First round | |||
| 8 | Tavon Austin | Rams | |
| 27 | DeAndre Hopkins | Texans | 35 |
| 29 | Cordarrelle Patterson | Vikings | |
| Second round | |||
| 34 | Justin Hunter | Titans | |
| 41 | Robert Woods | Bills | |
| 59 | Aaron Dobson | Patriots | |
| 2012 | |||
| First round | |||
| 5 | Justin Blackmon | Jaguars | |
| 13 | Michael Floyd | Cardinals | |
| 20 | Kendall Wright | Titans | 20 |
| 30 | A.J. Jenkins | 49ers | |
| Second round | |||
| 33 | Brian Quick | Rams | |
| 43 | Stephen Hill | Jets | |
| 45 | Alshon Jeffery | Bears | 12 |
| 54 | Ryan Broyles | Lions | |
| 63 | Rueben Randle | Giants | |
| 2011 | |||
| First round | |||
| 4 | A.J. Green | Bengals | 2 |
| 6 | Julio Jones | Falcons | 3 |
| 26 | Jonathan Baldwin | Chiefs | |
| Second round | |||
| 44 | Titus Young | Lions | |
| 58 | Torrey Smith | Ravens | 17 |
| 59 | Greg Little | Browns | |
| 64 | Randall Cobb | Packers | 22 |
| 2010 | |||
| First round | |||
| 22 | Demaryius Thomas | Broncos | 4 |
| 24 | Dez Bryant | Cowboys | 5 |
| Second round | |||
| 36 | Dexter McCluster | Chiefs | |
| 39 | Arrelious Benn | Buccaneers | |
| 60 | Golden Tate | Seahawks | 28 |
| 2009 | |||
| First round | |||
| 7 | Darrius Heyward-Bey | Raiders | |
| 10 | Michael Crabtree | 49ers | 31 |
| 19 | Jeremy Maclin | Eagles | 38 |
| 22 | Percy Harvin | Vikings | 34 |
| 29 | Hakeem Nicks | Giants | 25 |
| 30 | Kenny Britt | Titans | |
| Second round | |||
| 36 | Brian Robiskie | Browns | |
| 50 | Mohamed Massaquoi | Browns | |
| 2008 | |||
| First round | |||
| No wide receivers drafted in the first round | |||
| Second round | |||
| 33 | Donnie Avery | Rams | |
| 34 | Devin Thomas | Redskins | |
| 36 | Jordy Nelson | Packers | 13 |
| 41 | James Hardy | Bills | |
| 42 | Eddie Royal | Broncos | |
| 46 | Jerome Simpson | Bengals | |
| 49 | DeSean Jackson | Eagles | 16 |
| 51 | Malcolm Kelly | Redskins | |
| 53 | Limas Sweed | Steelers | |
| 58 | Dexter Jackson | Buccaneers | |
| 2007 | |||
| First round | |||
| 2 | Calvin Johnson | Lions | 1 |
| 9 | Ted Ginn Jr. | Dolphins | |
| 23 | Dwayne Bowe | Chiefs | |
| 27 | Robert Meachem | Saints | |
| 30 | Craig Davis | Chargers | |
| 32 | Anthony Gonzalez | Colts | |
| Second round | |||
| 44 | Sidney Rice | Vikings | |
| 45 | Dwayne Jarrett | Panthers | |
| 51 | Steve Smith | Giants | |
| 2006 | |||
| First round | |||
| 25 | Santonio Holmes | Steelers | |
| Second round | |||
| 36 | Chad Jackson | Patriots | |
| 44 | Sinorice Moss | Giants | |
| 52 | Greg Jennings | Packers | 27 |
| 2005 | |||
| First round | |||
| 3 | Braylon Edwards | Browns | |
| 7 | Troy Williamson | Vikings | |
| 10 | Mike Williams | Lions | |
| 21 | Matt Jones | Jaguars | |
| 22 | Mark Clayton | Ravens | |
| 27 | Roddy White | Falcons | 29 |
| Second round | |||
| 35 | Reggie Brown | Eagles | |
| 39 | Mark Bradley | Bears | |
| 55 | Roscoe Parrish | Bills | |
| 58 | Terrence Murphy | Packers | |
| 61 | Vincent Jackson | Chargers | 9 |
| 2004 | |||
| First round | |||
| 3 | Larry Fitzgerald | Cardinals | 10 |
| 7 | Roy Williams | Lions | |
| 9 | Reggie Williams | Jaguars | |
| 13 | Lee Evans | Bills | |
| 15 | Michael Clayton | Buccaneers | |
| 29 | Michael Jenkins | Falcons | |
| 31 | Rashaun Woods | 49ers | |
| Second round | |||
| 50 | Devery Henderson | Saints | |
| 54 | Darius Watts | Broncos | |
| 62 | Keary Colbert | Panthers |
This story was originally published May 3, 2014 at 9:34 PM with the headline "NFL draft: A decade of wide receiver picks."