Rise of the Rookies: 2014 NFL Wide Receiver Class Blowing Away High Expectations

The prophecy is coming true.

It was foretold in the annals of NFL draft history, that the 2014 wide receiver class was special. Big deal, right? Hyperbole and dissent fill the air for months in a cacophonous symphony.

Just how good was the class heading into the draft? After all, it was one of the deepest all around, as draft expert Mike Mayock and Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert said, per Curtis Crabtree of NBC Sports and Chase Goodbread of NFL.com, respectively.

Here is what Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman had to say to The MMQB's Greg Bedard about this particular position:

"

When you look at the talent in this draft and when we look at our board about how good the receivers are in this draft, I think there will be a point in this draft, and that could be in the seventh round when we have a guy in the fourth round, that there is going to be a really talented receiver (available).

The wide receiver position always goes later to begin with, and now with the influx of the underclassmen at the wide receiver position, I just think that’s how it’s going to turn out now.

"

The crux of that piece, however, was that rookie receivers are a tease, as Bedard put it himself:

"

Everyone is in agreement: The 2014 draft class of wide receivers is stacked. But don't get too excited about the new skill guys contributing in Year 1. A trend in the college game has made the pro wideout learning curve much steeper.

"

That may typically be the case, but those rules may not apply to this year's class, one that turned heads with a collective supernova in Week 8.

The 2014 class already ranks 25th in receptions, 33rd in yardage and 25th in receiving touchdowns all-time among rookie classes. Seven receivers have 25 or more receptions, and 11 have two or more touchdowns on the year.

Many teams have yet to play an eighth game.

Rank	Year	Rec	Yds	TD
1	2009	792	10,308	56
2	2013	646	8,670	58
3	2010	715	9,620	56
4	1987	710	11,420	71
5	2012	689	9,178	55
6	2011	622	8,677	51
7	1985	605	9,520	49
8	1960	587	9,583	73
9	2008	569	6,846	31
10	1946	568	8,778	79
11	2003	563	7,221	41
12	1999	547	7,089	45
13	1995	536	7,669	44
14	1996	535	7,380	56
15	2002	531	6,957	51
16	2004	500	7,215	54
17	1986	500	8,529	41
18	2001	469	6,800	25
19	2005	456	5,940	39
20	2007	454	5,903	26
21	1989	445	6,777	34
22	1988	428	6,950	45
23	2000	426	5,381	24
24	1998	416	6,386	46
25	2014	414	5,185	38

The rookie receiver class is on pace to obliterate other rookie classes in receptions—threatening to surpass 950 where the 2009 class has the most with 792—and touchdowns, on pace for 15 more than the 79 the 1946 class caught. This year's crop is also on pace to beat 1987's rookies in receiving yardage. 

There are currently eight receivers on pace to break 50 receptions, more than the past two seasons combined. New Orleans' Brandin Cooks leads them all with 40 receptions, on pace to snag over 90 on the year. 

That would be the most since Eddie Royal grabbed 91 as a rookie for the Denver Broncos and tied for third all time among rookie receivers.

Of course, pace should be taken with a spoonful of salt—we are merely halfway through the season, and many of these guys could be figured out by opposing defenses, could hit that infamous rookie wall or could have some other unfortunate malady befall them.

These numbers are fantastic already, but they are made even more special knowing some of the rookies are just getting started.

Pittsburgh's Martavis Bryant just played in his second game, already grabbing three touchdowns in that span.

Indianapolis' Donte Moncrief had been stuck behind Hakeem Nicks, fourth on the depth chart for much of the season before an injury to Reggie Wayne gave him the chance to shine and demand more playing time in the process.

Heck, Cody Latimer—a draftnik darling—hasn't even gotten a shot in Denver.

The class as a whole has sparkled, a constellation of budding stars. Let's look at just how brightly some of the individual motes of light in the NFL's firmament have shone.

Kelvin Benjamin, Carolina Panthers

	Receptions	Yards	Touchdowns
Current	38	571	5
Pace	76	1142	10

Despite his first-round status, Benjamin is one of the biggest surprises of the rookie class.

Many saddled him with a bust label during the predraft process or immediately after the Carolina Panthers took him. Bleacher Report's Ian Kenyon shared his thoughts on Benjamin:

"

Lesson learned RT @IanKenyonNFL Watching some Kelvin Benjamin this afternoon and everytime I watch, I'm convinced he's going to bust

— Ian Kenyon (@IanKenyonNFL) September 7, 2014"

His relatively lackluster college production, a propensity to drop passes and his pedestrian workout numbers all contributed to that notion. Yet here we are, with Benjamin second among his peers in receiving and tied at the top in touchdown count.

Benjamin has shaken off all criticism to prove he belonged in the first round. Moreover, he has mitigated Carolina's exodus of receivers from the past offseason.

There are no drop issues. In fact, Benjamin has showed some of the surest hands among rookies thus far, making some incredible catches to date. Bleacher Report's Michael Felder provided some insight on playing against Benjamin:

"

When you're beat, or have perfect coverage, on a guy like Kelvin Benjamin, locating a ball that you cannot reach doesn't help you. Ever.

— Michael Felder (@InTheBleachers) November 2, 2013 "

Simply put, Benjamin is the front-runner for the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. That is if Sammy Watkins doesn't catch him.

Sammy Watkins, Buffalo Bills

	Receptions	Yards	Touchdowns
Current	38	590	5
Pace	76	1180	10

While many thought Watkins was the top receiver in the class, he was certainly not without blemish in the eyes of the draft community.

His main flaw was his size—some did not believe he was big enough at 6'1" to merit a top-10 pick, an assessment Michael Salfino of Meadowlands Media Group agreed with: 

"

What is with the group think on Sammy Watkins? How is he so much better than other receivers in this draft? Size? Nope. Speed? Nope.

— Michael Salfino (@MichaelSalfino) April 28, 2014"

Size has not been an issue whatsoever for Watkins, who has proven worthy of his top-five status thus far as a rookie.

The former Clemson star got off to a slow start, thanks to a rib injury and an awful quarterback situation, but both have since healed. Kyle Orton might not be Peyton Manning, but he has certainly been a boon for Watkins in lieu of disappointing EJ Manuel.

More importantly, Watkins looks like the real deal, capable of burning opposing defenses deep or hauling in passes like a possession receiver. Watkins' "similar ability" to Mike Evans has impressed NFL.com's Chris Trapasso: 

"

I preferred Mike Evans pre-draft due to his height / high-pointing ability. But Watkins has shown similar ability despite being 3" shorter.

— Chris Trapasso (@ChrisTrapasso) August 22, 2014"

Hopefully he will keep the boneheaded plays to a minimum.

Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants

	Receptions	Yards	Touchdowns
Current	10	106	3
Pace	37	389	8

Speaking of slow starts, the third receiver taken in the draft was an afterthought through the first quarter of the season thanks to injury.

Beckham was unable to participate much during the preseason, thanks to a balky hamstring, and he was inactive through the first four weeks of the season as a result. Once the New York Giants got him on the field, however, we saw why they liked him enough to take him at No. 12 in the draft.

Beckham, too, has seemingly overcome size concerns with his ability to go up and get the ball. It seems he has gotten past that pesky hamstring injury to become New York's No. 2 receiver after the awful injury Victor Cruz suffered.

Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

	Receptions	Yards	Touchdowns
Current	25	336	2
Pace	58	784	5

One receiver who had zero size concerns has been the most disappointing first-round pick to date.

That man is Mike Evans, and that statement is relative. Evans has 25 receptions for 336 yards and a pair of touchdowns on the season, despite missing time with a groin injury and the woeful state of affairs in Tampa Bay.

That whole offense is a nightmare right now, which is why Evans' statistics aren't quite up to snuff. Here is what football scout Chris Landry told Bleacher Report's Bob Fox: 

"

Mike Evans is going to be fine. He's going to be a good player. With lingering injuries, you always try to study if there is something conditionally or nutrition-wise that you can do better. Some of it's just bad luck.

The other thing is that the development has been slow because of a lot of things. We seen a lot of changes. The quarterback play has been very inconsistent. The protection has been very inconsistent. You have been behind in a lot of games.

There are a lot of things that are going to affect the development of an individual player that's affected by the overall team concept. I think that they can do things and will do things eventually.

"

Considering Evans is just 21 yards behind Vincent Jackson for the team lead in receiving despite having played one fewer game, it seems like he's doing just fine already.

Brandin Cooks, New Orleans Saints

	Receptions	Yards	Touchdowns
Current	40	372	2
Pace	91	850	5

The Saints needed a replacement for departed running back Darren Sproles, and the consensus was that Brandin Cooks was that man when they moved up to draft him.

Bill Haber/Associated Press

While he is no Sproles—frankly, few players could really emulate what he brings to the table—he has certainly been a nice option for quarterback Drew Brees and that offense.

Cooks has been utilized all over the field like Sproles was, quickly earning Brees' trust with his reliability. That is likely the reason he is on pace to get past 90 receptions this season. 

If he has more games like he did against the Packers in Week 8, his early-season touchdown drought will be turned into a flood.

Jordan Matthews, Philadelphia Eagles

	Receptions	Yards	Touchdowns
Current	29	273	2
Pace	66	624	5

A predraft darling, Jordan Matthews has yet to make a massive impact. Outside of his Week 3 outburst for 59 yards and two touchdowns, that is.

Matthews hasn't enjoyed the benefit of playing time some of his compatriots have had, however, seeing the field less than other first-rounders due to his spot on the depth chart. He is the No. 3 receiver in Philadelphia, and he also has tight end Zach Ertz and running backs LeSean McCoy and Sproles to contend with for targets.

The rookie out of Vanderbilt is a promising talent who will likely overtake Riley Cooper for a starting job next year—or perhaps sooner.

John Brown, Arizona Cardinals

	Receptions	Yards	Touchdowns
Current	22	316	4
Pace	50	722	9

John Brown is a guy who was off everybody's radar during draft season. It's easy to get lost in a crowd as a diminutive receiver from a small school.

He was a surprise third-round pick Arizona was seemingly leaving on the table in favor of the little-known receiver out of Pittsburg State. Look what the 5'10" receiver has done so far.

Brown quickly ingratiated himself with the offense and Cardinals fans, assuming the mantle of slot receiver with a veteran's aplomb and a sprinter's speed, skills USA Today's Lindsay Jones was surely speaking of when she tweeted this:

"

You can't cover John Brown.

— Lindsay Jones (@bylindsayhjones) September 21, 2014"

His latest exploit was a 75-yard game-winning touchdown reception against the Eagles. Not too shabby.

Martavis Bryant, Pittsburgh Steelers

	Receptions	Yards	Touchdowns
Current	7	123	3
Pace	35	615	15

That touchdown pace is a product of a two-game sample size, but he could conceivably get to seven or eight.

A personal pre-draft favorite, Bryant was inactive for the first six weeks of the season due to injury. His debut has been eye-opening.

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

A 6'4", 210-pound monster with 4.4 speed coming out of college, Bryant was too raw to be considered a Day 1 or Day 2 selection. His college production was also unimpressive, though being stuck with Sammy Watkins and DeAndre Hopkins for most of your career might have been a factor.

He stepped on the field for the Steelers and immediately wrested the No. 3 receiver job away from Lance Moore.

His first NFL reception was a 35-yard touchdown, a beautiful play that heralded his arrival. He caught a pair of touchdowns in his second NFL game, helping quarterback Ben Roethlisberger attempt an assault on the record books.

Allen Hurns and Allen Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars

Robinson	Receptions	Yards	Touchdowns
Hurns	Receptions	Yards	Touchdowns
Current	39	453	2
Pace	78	906	4
Current	22	354	3
Pace	44	708	6

The Allen Brothers have put on some fireworks shows thus far for the Jacksonville Jaguars. 

Robinson was injured to start the season, so it was up to Hurns to light the fuse in Week 1. He did so in spectacular fashion, his first two receptions going for touchdowns against the Philadelphia Eagles.

The undrafted rookie out of Miami has carved out a big role in that offense, thanks to his big-play ability, though he has cooled considerably since that Week 1 explosion.

Robinson, meanwhile, has emerged as the team's best receiver over the past several weeks. That is despite Jacksonville drafting higher-touted Marqise Lee above Robinson.

Donte Moncrief, Indianapolis Colts

	Receptions	Yards	Touchdowns
Current	16	216	1
Pace	32	432	2

The Indianapolis Colts brought Moncrief along slowly, but his outburst in Week 8 may force their hands.

The rookie out of Ole Miss was buried on the depth chart. T.Y. Hilton and Reggie Wayne were the obvious starters, and free-agent acquisition Hakeem Nicks was naturally No. 3.

Nicks has been a disappointment this season—what else is new—and Moncrief finally got out from under the veteran's shrinking shadow when an injury forced Nicks out of the Week 8 lineup.

Moncrief responded to his increased playing time by posting seven receptions for 113 yards and a great TD catch down the sideline.

Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers

	Receptions	Yards	Touchdowns
Current	24	263	2
Pace	48	526	4

Another rookie once entombed below inferior competition on his own team, Adams has been unearthed. The Green Bay Packers saw what they had in Adams much sooner than Moncrief, however. Bleacher Report's Ryan Lownes equated Adams' skill set with that of "a poor man's Dez Bryant":

"

And I still think Davante Adams is a baller, a bit of a poor man's Dez Bryant.

— Ryan Lownes (@ryanlownes) April 30, 2014"

It's no wonder the rookie out of Fresno State overtook Jarrett Boykin in Week 2, and he has seen his role increase on that offense ever since.

Even with all that we have seen thus far from the 2014 rookie receiver class, there is so much more untapped potential. 

The aforementioned Latimer has yet to see a target in Denver with so many quality options ahead of him. Devin Street's time may not come for a while in Dallas. 

Paul Richardson has only recently begun to contribute for the Seattle Seahawks after Percy Harvin was traded, and the offense hasn't been good enough all around to get him quality touches.

Miami's Jarvis Landry has made a name for himself as a kick returner, and he has steadily seen his role in the passing game increase to boot. Undrafted free agent Taylor Gabriel is second in receiving for the Browns despite his small stature.

The future was always bright for this year's rookie receiver class, but destiny showed up early.

All historical data courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com.

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