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It has been eleven years since the New York Jets made wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson the top overall pick in the 1996 draft. While Johnson is a three-time Pro Bowl receiver, with 64 career touchdowns and the 15th most receptions in NFL history, he has fallen short of the Hall of Fame caliber player that he was projected to become.
This year, there is a clear consensus amongst the vast majority of draft analysts that wide receiver Calvin Johnson is the best player available. Since wide receivers tend to perform at a very high level of productivity long into their thirties, why would the Raiders pass on Johnson?
The Raiders do not have anyone to throw to him, most experts will argue, but in Keyshawn's first two seasons, he had Neil O'Donnell and Vinny Testaverde, two veteran retreads.
Johnson's
Below is a list of the wide receivers taken in the first round since 1996:
1996 Draft: Keyshawn Johnson, 1st pick to New York Jets
Terry Glenn, 7th pick to New England
Eddie Kennison, 18th pick to St. Louis
Marvin Harrison, 19th pick to Indianapolis
Eric Moulds, 24th pick to Buffalo
Simeon Rice has been one of the best defensive ends in the league, and Jonathan Ogden is a surefire Hall of Famer, but the Johnson pick remains the right one for the Jets. Before the Jets converted Johnson into two first round picks via their trade with the Tampa Bay in 2000, the club quickly went from 1-15 in ?96 to a 9-7 team in ?97 and a 12-4 team in ?98 that was one win away from the Super Bowl. Bill Parcells and Curtis Martin?s arrival probably meant more to the turnaround, but Johnson gave the Jets much needed swagger and 10 touchdowns in ?98.
Terry Glenn and Eric Moulds have both made Pro Bowls, while Eddie Kennison has had very productive seasons.
Marvin Harrison has become a legendary wide receiver with his name scattered throughout the record book.
19997 Draft: Ike Hilliard, 7th pick to New York Giants
Yatil Green, 15th pick to Miami
Reidel Anthony, 16th pick to Tampa Bay
Rae Carruth, 27th pick to Carolina
Hilliard was not lauded in the ways K. Johnson was the year before or C. Johnson is this season and with Orlando Pace and Walter Jones, two future Hall of Fame tackles, going ahead of him, the Rams and Seahawks made very wise decisions in drafting offensive line legends.
1998 Draft: Kevin Dyson, 16th pick to Tennessee
Randy Moss, 21st pick to Minnesota
Marcus Nash, 30th pick to Denver
There was little doubt that Peyton Manning was the best prospect on the board when the Colts made him the top pick of the ?98 draft, but it was questions about the character of the wide receiver from Marshall, which allowed him to drop to the Vikings. Ryan Leaf busted immediately while Andre Wadsworth was hampered by knee injuries and never came close to reaching the ?can?t-miss? Pro Bowl label that he came into the NFL carrying. Charles Woodson has made three Pro Bowls, but Moss should have been a top-four pick that year.
1999 Draft: Torry Holt, 6th pick to St. Louis
David Boston, 8th pick to Arizona
Troy Edwards, 13th pick to Pittsburgh
The top-five was dominated by QB?s (Tim Couch, Donovan McNabb, Akili Smith) and RB?s (Edgerrin James and Ricky Williams), while Holt and Boston joined Champ Bailey in the top-eight. Holt was an instant hit on the Rams? greatest show on turf, which won Super Bowl XXXIV.
2000 Draft: Peter Warrick, 4th pick to Cincinnati
Plaxico Burress, 8th pick to Pittsburgh
Travis Taylor, 10th pick to New York Giants
Sylvester Morris, 21st pick to Kansas City
R. Jay Soward, 29th pick to Jacksonville
Top-pick Courtney Brown has been a huge disappointment, but LaVar Arrington and Chris Samuels have both had multiple Pro Bowl seasons for the Redskins. Warrick was displaced by Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh and was last heard from when he signed with the Arena Football League. Burress is a highly talented receiver and a nice value pick at the eight spot. Taylor, Morris and Soward have done next to nothing.
2001 Draft: David Terrell, 8th pick to Chicago
Koren Robinson, 9th pick to Seattle
Rod Gardner, 15th pick to Washington
Santana Moss, 16th pick to New York Jets
Freddie Mitchell, 25th pick to Philadelphia
Reggie Wayne, 30th pick to Indianapolis
The best player that the Seahawks passed on to draft Robinson was Steve Hutchinson, who they went on to select with the 17th overall pick. Michael Vick, LaDainian Tomlinson and Richard Seymour have been franchise players for their respective teams.
2002 Draft: Donte Stallworth, 13th pick to New Orleans
Ashley Lelie, 19th pick to Denver
Javon Walker, 20th pick to Green Bay
Neither Stallworth, Lelie or Walker were ever considered top level picks, but all three have had very serviceable careers. David Carr and Joey Harrington went one and three and have been huge busts.
2003 Draft: Charles Rogers, 2nd pick to Detroit
Andre Johnson, 3rd pick to Houston
Bryant Johnson, 17th pick to Arizona
Andre Johnson has made two Pro Bowls, but Charles Rogers has become a reason not to draft a wide receiver with a top pick. Rogers should be considered an anomaly, due to substance abuse problems and a very lackluster work ethic. New Orleans? sixth overall pick Johnathan Sullivan has met a similar fate to Rogers, but is hardly mentioned as a reason not to draft a defensive tackle.
2004 Draft: Larry Fitzgerald, 3rd pick to Arizona
Roy Williams, 7th pick to Detroit
Reggie Williams, 9th pick to Jacksonville
Lee Evans, 13th pick to Buffalo
Michael Clayton, 15h pick to Tampa Bay
Michael Jenkins, 29th pick to Atlanta
Rashaun Woods, 31st pick to San Francisco
The Fitzgerald pick is especially problematic for the Raiders, as they passed on the Pitt receiver for notorious bust Robert Gallery. The Raiders were sensibly looking to upgrade their offensive line and viewed Gallery as a Pro Bowl lock but has shifted positions several times.
2005 Draft: Braylon Edwards, 3rd pick to Cleveland
Troy Williamson, 7th pick to Minnesota
Mike Williams, 10th pick to Detroit
Matt Jones, 21st pick to Jacksonville
Mark Clayton, 22nd pick to Baltimore
Roddy White, 27th pick to Atlanta
For the third consecutive draft, a WR was selected with a top-three pick. Edwards has slowly shown signs of becoming a top receiver, but Mike Williams is already considered a bust. Shawne Merriman and Derrick Johnson have already become top linebackers.
2006 Draft: Santonio Holmes, 25th pick to Pittsburgh
With no top WR prospects, the 2006 draft went back to the old form, and Holmes was a late first round pick out of Ohio State.
