The 2009 NFL Draft featured six wide receivers being taken in the first round. Early on, Hakeem Nicks and Percy Harvin looked like the two shiniest gems from that class. In 2017, though, those players are out of the league, while three other first-rounders are enjoying the more noteworthy careers.
One is Michael Crabtree, who's having an excellent second career with the Raiders after being mostly a disappointment with the 49ers. Another is Jeremy Maclin, who's been the most consistently solid (if unspectacular) of all of them. The third is Kenny Britt, who comes off a 1,000-yard season for a dysfunctional (and inept offensively) Rams team. That dysfunction seemingly continues with word last week that the Rams are expected to let Britt leave in free agency. Talk about a team that should hang onto a viable receiver when it has one. Hard to imagine they'll be better off without him.
The careers of Britt and Crabtree are a reminder that we shouldn't rush to judgment with young wideouts, potentially writing them off too soon. Eight year later, they (and Maclin) have had a lot more staying power than the other wideouts from that celebrated 2009 first round. Collectively, they have five of the seven 1,000-yard seasons (and all of the ones since 2011).
The best seasons from those wide receivers, sorted by yardage, are shown below.
| 2009 FIRST-ROUND WIDE RECEIVERS, BEST SEASONS | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Year | No | Yards | TD |
| Maclin | 2014 | 85 | 1,318 | 10 |
| Nicks | 2011 | 76 | 1,192 | 7 |
| Crabtree | 2012 | 85 | 1,105 | 9 |
| Maclin | 2015 | 87 | 1,088 | 8 |
| Nicks | 2010 | 79 | 1,052 | 11 |
| Crabtree | 2016 | 89 | 1,003 | 8 |
| Britt | 2016 | 68 | 1,002 | 5 |
| Heyward-Bey | 2011 | 64 | 975 | 4 |
| Harvin | 2011 | 87 | 967 | 9 |
| Maclin | 2010 | 70 | 964 | 10 |
| Crabtree | 2015 | 85 | 922 | 9 |
| Nicks | 2013 | 56 | 896 | 0 |
| Crabtree | 2011 | 72 | 874 | 4 |
| Harvin | 2010 | 71 | 868 | 7 |
| Maclin | 2011 | 63 | 859 | 5 |
| Maclin | 2012 | 69 | 857 | 7 |
| Harvin | 2009 | 60 | 790 | 8 |
| Nicks | 2009 | 47 | 790 | 6 |
| Britt | 2010 | 42 | 775 | 9 |
| Maclin | 2009 | 56 | 773 | 4 |
| Britt | 2014 | 48 | 748 | 3 |
| Crabtree | 2010 | 55 | 741 | 6 |
| Britt | 2009 | 42 | 701 | 3 |
--Andy Richardson