Every year, teams convince themselves that this is the wide receiver who will change everything. He’s got the size, the speed, the hands, the “it” factor—until it turns out he just has the résumé of a solid WR3 and the cap hit of a future regret.
Some of these guys were hyped into oblivion. Others were just taken way too early by desperate front offices looking for a spark. From injury-prone gambles to combine warriors who never panned out, here are 20 first-round wide receivers who probably should’ve gone a little (or a lot) later.
20. Mike Williams (Detroit Lions, 2005)
Coming off a year out of football due to eligibility issues, Mike Williams still got drafted 10th overall. Turns out, skipping a season and then getting dropped into the Lions’ wide receiver graveyard wasn’t the recipe for greatness.
19. Rashaun Woods (San Francisco 49ers, 2004)
Woods lit it up in college but barely made a dent in the NFL. He had just seven catches in his entire career and was out of the league almost immediately.
18. Kevin White (Chicago Bears, 2015)
White had all the tools—size, speed, and upside. Unfortunately, injuries turned his career into one big “what if” and Bears fans still wince when they hear his name.
17. Corey Coleman (Cleveland Browns, 2016)
Coleman was supposed to bring explosive speed to Cleveland’s offense. Instead, he brought drops, inconsistency, and a very short NFL shelf life.
16. Jalen Reagor (Philadelphia Eagles, 2020)
The Eagles drafted Reagor one pick before Justin Jefferson, and it’s haunted them ever since. Reagor couldn’t put it together in Philly and became a cautionary tale in overthinking draft day.
15. Laquon Treadwell (Minnesota Vikings, 2016)
Treadwell looked like a beast at Ole Miss, but his lack of separation skills translated poorly to the pros. Despite multiple chances, he never lived up to first-round expectations.
14. Peter Warrick (Cincinnati Bengals, 2000)
Warrick was electric at Florida State but didn’t have the same magic in the NFL. He had a couple of decent seasons, but never justified being a top-five pick.
13. N’Keal Harry (New England Patriots, 2019)
The Patriots are notoriously hit-or-miss with receivers, and Harry was a big swing and a miss. He never fit into their offense and couldn’t get separation to save his life.
12. Tavon Austin (St. Louis Rams, 2013)
Austin had crazy speed and return ability, but the Rams reached way too high at pick No. 8. He flashed occasionally, but never turned into the offensive weapon they imagined.
11. A.J. Jenkins (San Francisco 49ers, 2012)
Jenkins had 0 catches in his rookie year and was traded after one season. That’s not what you want from a first-round pick, even in a weird 2012 receiver class.
10. Josh Doctson (Washington, 2016)
Doctson looked like a jump-ball specialist coming out of TCU. But between injuries and inconsistency, he never came close to living up to his draft slot.
9. Darrius Heyward-Bey (Oakland Raiders, 2009)
Al Davis fell in love with Heyward-Bey’s 40-yard dash time and took him seventh overall. Speed alone wasn’t enough, and his hands and route-running never caught up.
8. Nelson Agholor (Philadelphia Eagles, 2015)
Agholor had some memorable drops early on in Philly and couldn’t shake the bust label. He eventually became serviceable, but nowhere near what you’d expect from a first-rounder.
7. Troy Williamson (Minnesota Vikings, 2005)
Drafted to replace Randy Moss, Williamson never had the hands or ball-tracking ability to live up to that comparison. It was a tough spot, but still a big-time miss.
6. Craig “Buster” Davis (San Diego Chargers, 2007)
“Buster” might be one of the most unintentionally accurate nicknames in draft history. He played in just 26 games over four years and caught one touchdown.
5. Henry Ruggs III (Las Vegas Raiders, 2020)
Ruggs had elite speed, but his tragic off-field incident ended his career and derailed lives. He was a risky pick to begin with, and sadly, it all ended in disaster.
4. Darius Heyward-Bey (Oakland Raiders, 2009)
Yes, he deserves two spots for how baffling that draft decision still feels. When you pick a guy for speed and forget about everything else, this is what you get.
3. R. Jay Soward (Jacksonville Jaguars, 2000)
Soward had red flags before the draft and lived up to all of them. He played just one season, had off-field issues, and became one of the biggest receiver busts ever.
2. John Ross (Cincinnati Bengals, 2017)
Ross broke the combine 40-yard dash record and got drafted ninth overall because of it. Outside of a few flashes, his NFL career was defined more by injuries than impact.
1. Charles Rogers (Detroit Lions, 2003)
Rogers had all the talent in the world, but injuries and off-field issues derailed his career before it ever got going. Taken second overall, he’s the poster child for high-risk receiver picks gone wrong.
Read More: Ranking the 15 Best Wide Receivers of 24-25 Season
