A story yesterday that Washington receiver Terry McLaurin played through two high ankle sprains last year, on his way to catching 87 passes for 1,118 yards and 4 touchdowns. It's the kind of item that just make the already impressive start to his career even more remarkable.
McLaurin was just a third-round pick, the 12th receiver drafted two years ago. And he's been limited by some of the league's worst quarterbacking, with Washington ranked 32nd and 24th in passing the last two seasons. No guarantee things will be any better in 2021. Right now, Washington doesn't really know who its starting quarterback will be this season.
And yet, McLaurin has put up over 2,000 receiving yards in his first two seasons in the league. That's the 16th-best total of any wideout this century. The only wideout drafted outside the first two rounds who's been better was Marques Colston.
McLaurin, of course, was part of a very impressive receiving class from two years ago. He's been just the 3rd-most productive wideout so far, behind DK Metcalf and AJ Brown. But those guys have been working with Russell Wilson and Ryan Tannehill. McLaurin has had Dwayne Haskins, Alex Smith, Kyle Allen and Case Keenum spinning it his way.
Table shows the top first two years (receptions, yards, TDs) from all wideouts this century, sorted by total yards. McLaurin's draft class players are in bold.
| TOP WIDEOUTS, FIRST TWO SEASONS (2000-PRESENT) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Rd | Player | Yds(1) | TD(1) | Yds(2) | TD(2) | Yds(Tot) |
| 2014 | 1 | Odell Beckham Jr., NYG | 1305 | 12 | 1450 | 13 | 2755 |
| 2012 | 2 | Josh Gordon, Clev. | 805 | 5 | 1646 | 9 | 2451 |
| 2011 | 1 | A.J. Green, Cin. | 1057 | 7 | 1350 | 11 | 2407 |
| 2016 | 2 | Michael Thomas, N.O. | 1137 | 9 | 1245 | 5 | 2382 |
| 2017 | 2 | JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pitt. | 917 | 8 | 1426 | 7 | 2343 |
| 2014 | 1 | Mike Evans, T.B. | 1051 | 12 | 1206 | 3 | 2257 |
| 2006 | 7 | Marques Colston, N.O. | 1038 | 8 | 1202 | 11 | 2240 |
| 2015 | 1 | Amari Cooper, Oak. | 1070 | 6 | 1153 | 5 | 2223 |
| 2019 | 2 | DK Metcalf, Sea. | 900 | 7 | 1303 | 10 | 2203 |
| 2004 | 1 | Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz. | 780 | 8 | 1409 | 10 | 2189 |
| 2011 | 1 | Julio Jones, Atl. | 959 | 8 | 1198 | 10 | 2157 |
| 2019 | 2 | A.J. Brown, Tenn. | 1051 | 9 | 1075 | 12 | 2126 |
| 2003 | 1 | Andre Johnson, Hou. | 976 | 4 | 1142 | 6 | 2118 |
| 2007 | 1 | Calvin Johnson, Det. | 756 | 5 | 1331 | 12 | 2087 |
| 2008 | 2 | DeSean Jackson, Phil. | 912 | 4 | 1156 | 12 | 2068 |
| 2019 | 3 | Terry McLaurin, Wash. | 919 | 7 | 1118 | 4 | 2037 |
| 2014 | 1 | Sammy Watkins, Buff. | 982 | 6 | 1047 | 9 | 2029 |
| 2007 | 1 | Dwayne Bowe, K.C. | 995 | 5 | 1022 | 7 | 2017 |
| 2009 | 3 | Mike Wallace, Pitt. | 756 | 6 | 1257 | 10 | 2013 |
| 2013 | 1 | DeAndre Hopkins, Hou. | 802 | 2 | 1210 | 6 | 2012 |
| 2003 | 2 | Anquan Boldin, Ariz. | 1377 | 8 | 623 | 1 | 2000 |
| 2018 | 1 | D.J. Moore, Car. | 788 | 2 | 1175 | 4 | 1963 |
| 2014 | 2 | Allen Robinson, Jac. | 548 | 2 | 1400 | 14 | 1948 |
| 2012 | 3 | T.Y. Hilton, Ind. | 861 | 7 | 1083 | 5 | 1944 |
| 2014 | 2 | Jarvis Landry, Mia. | 758 | 5 | 1157 | 6 | 1915 |
| 2014 | 2 | Jordan Matthews, Phil. | 872 | 8 | 997 | 8 | 1869 |
| 2009 | 1 | Hakeem Nicks, NYG | 790 | 6 | 1052 | 11 | 1842 |
| 2013 | 3 | Keenan Allen, S.D. | 1046 | 8 | 783 | 4 | 1829 |
| 2018 | 2 | Courtland Sutton, Den. | 704 | 4 | 1112 | 6 | 1816 |
| 2000 | 3 | Darrell Jackson, Sea. | 713 | 6 | 1081 | 8 | 1794 |
| 2012 | 2 | Alshon Jeffery, Chi. | 367 | 3 | 1421 | 7 | 1788 |
| 2001 | 1 | Koren Robinson, Sea. | 536 | 1 | 1240 | 5 | 1776 |
| 2016 | 5 | Tyreek Hill, K.C. | 593 | 12 | 1183 | 8 | 1776 |
| 2006 | 1 | Santonio Holmes, Pitt. | 824 | 3 | 942 | 8 | 1766 |
| 2001 | 1 | Rod Gardner, Wash. | 741 | 4 | 1006 | 8 | 1747 |
| 2009 | 1 | Jeremy Maclin, Phil. | 773 | 4 | 964 | 10 | 1737 |
| 2010 | 4 | Mike Williams, T.B. | 964 | 11 | 771 | 3 | 1735 |
| 2014 | U | Allen Hurns, Jac. | 677 | 6 | 1031 | 10 | 1708 |
| 2012 | 1 | Kendall Wright, Tenn. | 626 | 4 | 1079 | 2 | 1705 |
| 2014 | 3 | John Brown, Ariz. | 696 | 5 | 1003 | 7 | 1699 |
| 2011 | 2 | Torrey Smith, Balt. | 841 | 7 | 855 | 8 | 1696 |
| 2014 | 1 | Brandin Cooks, N.O. | 550 | 4 | 1138 | 9 | 1688 |
| 2018 | 1 | Calvin Ridley, Atl. | 821 | 10 | 866 | 7 | 1687 |
| 2009 | 1 | Percy Harvin, Minn. | 790 | 8 | 868 | 7 | 1658 |
| 2006 | 4 | Brandon Marshall, Den. | 309 | 2 | 1325 | 7 | 1634 |
| 2015 | 5 | Stefon Diggs, Minn. | 720 | 4 | 903 | 3 | 1623 |
| 2001 | 2 | Chris Chambers, Mia. | 883 | 7 | 734 | 3 | 1617 |
| 2018 | 3 | Michael Gallup, Dall. | 507 | 2 | 1107 | 6 | 1614 |
| 2019 | 3 | Diontae Johnson, Pitt. | 680 | 5 | 923 | 7 | 1603 |
| 2012 | 1 | Michael Floyd, Ariz. | 562 | 2 | 1041 | 5 | 1603 |
| 2004 | 1 | Lee Evans, Buff. | 843 | 9 | 743 | 7 | 1586 |
| 2013 | 5 | Kenny Stills, N.O. | 641 | 5 | 931 | 3 | 1572 |
| 2004 | 1 | Michael Clayton, T.B. | 1193 | 7 | 372 | 0 | 1565 |
| 2006 | 2 | Greg Jennings, G.B. | 632 | 3 | 920 | 12 | 1552 |
| 2017 | 3 | Kenny Golladay, Det. | 477 | 3 | 1063 | 5 | 1540 |
| 2016 | U | Robby Anderson, NYJ | 587 | 2 | 941 | 7 | 1528 |
| 2004 | 1 | Roy Williams, Det. | 817 | 8 | 687 | 8 | 1504 |
--Andy Richardson