The Perils Of Picking A Wide Receiver
May 7th, 2014
Might the Bucs want to trade down and grab LSU WR Odell Beckham?
The two positions where the Bucs are hurting worse than a herniated disk as the draft approaches are guard and wide receiver. The talent pool is deep and rich for a wide receiver, and shallow for guard, but it wouldn’t be a shock if the Bucs drafted a flashy receiver in the first round.
But drafting wide receivers is a perilous road to travel. Recently, the Charlotte Observer did a study of the top 40 wide receivers in the NFL and compiled a list of how they were acquired. The results were eye-opening.
Here are a few findings:
• More than half (24) of the league’s top 40 receivers were drafted in the first or second round.
• Only five of the 14 receivers drafted in the top 10 over the past decade made the Observer’s list, so taking a receiver early does not guarantee a player will be a star.
• About one in five receivers (8-of-41) drafted in the second round since 2004 were among the top 40 receivers in 2013.
• Teams are nearly as likely to find a franchise receiver picking late in the first round as those drafting one early.
• Among the league’s top 10 receivers, nine are 6-foot-3 or taller (the 10th – Dallas wideout Dez Bryant – is 6-2 and 225 pounds).
So what does this tell Joe? The Bucs may want to trade down (if they are not targeting Johnny Football) and make sure the receiver they draft is over 6-2 (and under 240 pounds).
If the Bucs want to draft more than one receiver, and that would be smart, then they may want to draft two no later than the third round in this deep, deep wide receiver draft.
Remember, Bucs general manager Jason Licht told Joe on the record at the NFL Scouting Combine that the draft is so lousy with receivers, starters will be had in the third round.
May 7th, 2014 at 3:05 pm
Benn there before Buckaroos!
May 7th, 2014 at 3:13 pm
The Benn’d over did us in as much as the Benn’d around!! Benn there done that!!
May 7th, 2014 at 3:28 pm
Trade down will be Carr.
May 7th, 2014 at 3:39 pm
Add to the numbers posted the fact that WRs are notoriously infected with personality disorders and you get a commanding choice to go tackle/guard in 1st. Stunning success ratios there.
May 7th, 2014 at 3:39 pm
A.Donald Team, hope every one checked his videos and jump the bandwagon! ESPN is finally jumping on it too
May 7th, 2014 at 3:43 pm
Carr. CArr. CAARRRRRR!
May 7th, 2014 at 3:49 pm
So you want to take a wide receiver in the first preferably after 15?
May 7th, 2014 at 3:57 pm
” and make sure the receiver they draft is over 6-2 (and under 240 pounds).”
Which is why with the 7th pick in the 2014 draft the Tampa Bay Buccaneers select Mike Evans WR Texas A&M.
May 7th, 2014 at 4:01 pm
Jordan Matthews, Martavis Bryant, Cody Latimer, Donte Moncrief. Any will do
May 7th, 2014 at 4:40 pm
I like Martavius Bryant and Paul Richardson later in the draft that would b a great compliment to vjax
May 7th, 2014 at 6:54 pm
With the 7th pick in the 2014 NFL Draft the Tampa Bay Buccaneers select WR Jerry Rice Cake.
May 7th, 2014 at 8:46 pm
Ya, no… sounds too much like Louis Murphy, mayyyybe Michael Clayton
May 8th, 2014 at 10:39 am
more that any other position, receiver is dependent on the play of others. specifically, quarterback play. if your quarterback can’t get the ball to the receiver, the player will underachieve. The bucs don’t have a long term solution at qb and until that happens we could have rice and Irvin and they would fail. I realize this is obvious.