Dallas Cowboys: Shocking stats of first round wide receivers

The Dallas Cowboys may want to think twice before committing a first round selection to the wide receiver position in 2018, based on the past couple of years.

There has been a lot of talk about the Dallas Cowboys current wide receiver corps. Much of that speculation surrounds the Cowboys’ top receiver, Dez Bryant. For the past three seasons, Bryant has underperformed despite being paid like a top-tier NFL wide out. Some believe the 29-year old may have already caught his last pass in a Cowboys’ uniform.

But if Dallas truly intends to move on from Bryant this offseason, they must fill his void as the roster currently does not possess a true number one. And even if the Cowboys keep Dez around, spending a first round selection on a wide receiver still seems like a very real possibility come April.

Unfortunately, if America’s Team is hoping to find an instant playmaker at the wide receiver position in the first round of the upcoming NFL draft, recent history isn’t on their side. Especially if you are expecting a rookie to produce big numbers in his first season, which is exactly what Cowboy fans would expect from a top selection.

Let’s look at the shocking stats from the rookie wide receivers selected in the first round of the previous two NFL drafts …

2017 NFL Draft Class, First Round

5th overall pick – Corey Davis, WR, Tennessee Titans
2017 Stats: 34 receptions, 375 yards, 0 touchdowns

7th overall pick – Mike Williams, WR, San Diego Chargers
2017 Stats: 11 receptions, 95 yards, 0 touchdowns

9th overall pick – John Ross, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
2017 Stats: 0 receptions, 0 yards, 0 touchdowns

2016 NFL Draft Class, First Round

15th overall pick – Corey Coleman, WR, Cleveland Browns
2016 Stats: 33 receptions, 413 yards, 3 touchdowns

21st overall pick – Will Fuller, WR, Houston Texans
2016 Stats: 47 receptions, 635 yards, 2 touchdowns

22nd overall pick – Josh Doctson, WR, Washington Redskins
2016 Stats: 2 receptions, 66 yards, 0 touchdowns

23rd overall pick – Laquon Treadwell, WR, Minnesota Vikings
2016 Stats: 1 reception, 15 yards, 0 touchdowns

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Based on the above sample, the Dallas Cowboys might be much better off waiting until the second or third round to find their next “Dez Bryant”. With names like the Pittsburgh Steelers’ JuJu Smith-Schuster, Los Angeles Rams’ Cooper Kupp, New Orleans Saints’ Michael Thomas and the New York Giants’ Sterling Shepard outperforming their first round peers, the Cowboys spending a first round pick on the wide receiver position appears to be a very risky gamble.