Rookie WRS more likely than ever to deliver
The emergence of former LSU teammates Justin Jefferson and Ja’marr Chase casts doubt on the conventional wisdom that NFL teams can’t
count on rookie wide receivers.
This year’s draft class is eager to continue the trend.
“Those guys put on a show their rookie year coming from the SEC and LSU,” Ohio State’s Chris Olave said. “That was huge to see. That was must-watch TV, especially with Ja’marr Chase this past year, probably
one of the best rookie performances ever. That definitely put motivation to me.”
Receivers taken in the first round this year should have a chance to make an immediate impact on the playoff race, since a few of the league’s top
teams need to upgrade at that position.
The Green Bay Packers have posted the NFC’S best regularseason record each of the past two seasons,
but traded two-time
All-pro Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders. The Kansas City Chiefs, who have reached the Super
Bowl two of the past three seasons, sent three-time All-pro Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins.
Kansas City has since added former Steelers receiver Juju Smith-schuster and ex-packers wideout Marquez Valdesscantling, while the Packers brought in 2014 first-round pick Sammy Watkins. But both teams
still may need to add more receivers, and they each have two first-round picks in this year’s draft.
The Packers have the 22nd and 28th
overall picks and have two more selections in the second round. The Chiefs are drafting
29th and 30th overall. The Tennessee Titans, who pick 26th overall, also could use a receiver.
How soon any rookie receivers taken in the lower portion of the first round will develop remains uncertain.
Wide receiver traditionally has been a developmental position
in the NFL. Even wideouts taken in the first round generally
didn’t do much as rookies and instead
needed time to develop.
Not anymore. The emergence of 7-on-7 camps and spread offenses has made wide receivers more
equipped to contribute as rookies.
“They’ve been coached probably better than back in the day maybe 10-12 years ago,” Packers wide receivers coach Jason Vrable said. “The reason why, people were passing since they’ve been in fifth grade
now, right? And the growth of them as far
as the pass game and route knowledge and
all that stuff, typically guys are pretty clean
in that aspect coming
out. The biggest thing is you’ve got to feel good about the playbook, knows the ins and outs, know the audible system and know why we’re doing things. And that just takes some time.”
For some young receivers, it hasn’t taken much time at all.
Jefferson, drafted 22nd overall, caught
88 passes for 1,400 yards receiving for the
Minnesota Vikings in 2020. Chase, the fifth
overall pick in last year’s draft, surpassed Jefferson’s rookie total
by accumulating 1,455 yards receiving while helping the Cincinnati Bengals earn their first Super Bowl berth since the 1988 season.
Jefferson’s 1,400