Wide receivers : WHEN?

Just a few facts regarding receivers and the slot at which they were drafted:

Over the last 10 years, NFL teams have drafted 43 wide receivers in the first round.

TWO (yes, 2) of those 43 had 1,000-yard seasons as rookies, which is the same number of 1,000-yard seasons produced by receivers drafted after the first round.

26 of the 43 first-round receivers never, never,never have had a 1,000-yard season. Of the 17 remaining, only 8 have had a single (A SINGLE) season in which they gained 1,000 yards.

Because of the wide range of defensive styles that the NFL incorporates, it's just too difficult to predict how any wide receiver will fare in the NFL. There is a drastic defensive jump when coming from college and going to the NFL.

With that said, we need to draft a wide receiver. It's just that we don't need to worry about it in the first few rounds. While we could sit here and debate for the next year about when we should draft a wide receiver, it doesn't change the fact that it is nothing better than a crapshoot.

Go with history on this one, guys. Take a receiver or two late in the draft.