Despite all of the research, time, and effort put into prepping for the NFL Draft, there are plenty of times that the scouts get it wrong.
Let’s take a look at 5 young receivers who will become “Stars” and 5 who are “Busts”.
STAR – Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings
This might be the easiest entry on our list. Justin Jefferson is already a star. After only 4 seasons in the NFL, he has amassed almost 5,900 yards receiving, including a whopping 1,809 yards in the 2022 season. After watching the Vikings’ offense struggle in 2023 after Jefferson went down with injuries, there is no denying his importance to his team. Simply put, he is one of the best receivers in the game today, and barring anything unforeseeable, Justin Jefferson will be one of the best ever.
BUST – Michael Pittman, Indianapolis Colts
Michael Pittman might be the most underwhelming 1,000-yard receiver in the NFL. The Colts wide receiver has just concluded his 4th season in the league and has failed to reach star status. The best thing to say about him is that he is a “nice” wide receiver, but “nice” does not equate to a star. What we have seen over his first 4 years is exactly what Michael Pittman will be over his career – an average to above-average wide receiver.
STAR – Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
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What do you call a 5th-round pick (177th overall) that goes on to amass over 100 receptions and just under 1,500 yards receiving in his rookie season? If we’re talking about Puka Nacua, then you call him a star in the making. Even in their wildest dreams, the Rams could not have envisioned the production Nacua provided during the 2023 season, especially during the early weeks when Cooper Kupp was injured, and the running game was in flux. He’s only played one season in the league, but based on what we have seen, Puka Nacua is an emerging star in the NFL.
BUST – Garrett Wilson, New York Jets
Garrett Wilson is an incredibly talented receiver with the potential to be a star. However, that will not happen if he stays in New York. The Jets head into the next season with a precarious situation at quarterback. Aaron Rodgers is 40 years old and coming back from a devastating Achilles injury. After Rodgers, the Jets do not have a QB. All of this does not bode well for Wilson. In order for him to reach his true potential he needs a steady hand throwing him the ball, and the Jets do not have a successful track record of developing QBs. Until Garrett Wilson gets away from New York, he goes in the bust category.
STAR – Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins
Jaylen Waddle could easily be an NFL team’s number-one receiver. He has played 3 seasons in the NFL and has surpassed the 1,000-yard receiving mark in all of them. There’s no reason to think that won’t continue. Miami has built a high-powered offense, highlighted by Tyreek Hill. While defenses focus on Hill, Waddle has more open space to operate. Hill has stated that he will retire after his contract ends after the 2025 season, leaving Waddle to take over as the top receiver. He is in the perfect position to profit, both in his bank account and legacy. By the time he calls it quits, Jaylen Waddle will have been a star wide receiver.
BUST – Tutu Atwell, Los Angeles Rams
The 2023 season was Tutu Atwell’s third in the league, and the best term one could use to describe the start of his career would be underwhelming. The Rams took Atwell with the 57th pick in the 2nd round of the 2021 draft. He barely saw the field in his rookie year and only had 39 receptions in 2023, despite filling in for the injured Cooper Kupp. Despite showing some early promise in 2023, Atwell finished the season ranked 4th on the depth chart. The reality of his on-the-field performance does not match the hopes that LA had upon drafting him, thus earning Tutu Atwell a spot in the “Bust” category.
STAR – DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles
DeVonta Smith has lived up to his hype as a 1st round draft pick, and reaching his prime playing years, he is poised to take his star status to another level. The young receiver has had an impressive start to his career. Over his first three seasons, he has amassed almost 3,200 yards receiving on 240 receptions. That is only scratching the surface of what he’s capable of achieving. As long as he stays healthy, DeVonta Smith has the potential to set records, and based on what we’ve seen so far, there’s no reason to think he won’t.
BUST – Kadarius Toney, Kansas City Chiefs
Kadarius Toney might be the perfect example of a bust. When you’re a 1st round draft pick (20th overall), a lot is expected of you. Toney has been a letdown. After just over one season the Giants traded the wide receiver to the Chiefs for a third and sixth-round pick. While Toney was not a saint with the Giants, there are far worse behavior issues on NFL rosters. The bottom line is that, with both NY and KC, he has been often injured and unproductive. During a 2023 season that saw the Chiefs still struggling to replace Tyreek Hill and a struggling Travis Kelce, Kadarius Toney underwhelmed and confirmed his status as a “Bust”.
STAR – Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals
“With the 5th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals select… Ja’Marr Chase”, and with those words, the Bengals had a star. Over his first three seasons, he has done nothing but produce, and produce a lot. His 1,455 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns in 2021 earned him the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. Even in a 2023 season in which Cincinnati lost starting quarterback Joe Burrows to injury, Chase still had 100 receptions and over 1,200 yards receiving. There is no denying that Ja’Marr Chase has already reached “Star” status.
BUST – Jahan Dotson, Washington Commanders
It’s starting to sound like a broken record, but here’s another former 1st round draft pick (16th overall) who has underwhelmed over his first two seasons in the league. Yes, the Commanders are an absolute mess, but even a diamond can still shine in a pile of… well, you get it. Jahan Dotson has not been that diamond. While using the term “Bust” might seem a bit harsh based on two seasons’ worth of production, the fact remains that Dotson is not a star. He might turn into an average or above-average NFL receiver, but based on his draft status, he ranks as a “Bust”.
