Tyreek Hill was selected in the fifth round of the 2016 draft by the Kansas City Chiefs. He was the 165th player off the board, and the 16th taken off the board.
Obviously, Hill has cemented himself as one of the top receivers in the NFL, but that begs the question of who were the 16 receivers drafted before Tyreek Hill, and how have their careers panned out?
Corey Coleman (15th overall)
The first receiver off the board in 2016 was Corey Coleman. Coleman only played three years in the league, two years with the Browns and his final year in 2018 with the Giants.
Coleman never lived up to the hype of a first-round pick, problems with injuries and lack of consistent play on the field hindered him from reaching his full potential. Coleman has since joined the USFL in hopes of keeping his football career alive.
Will Fuller (21st Overall)
Fuller was selected by the Texans in 2016 and was brought to Houston to compliment DeAndre Hopkins in the passing game. He played five seasons with the Texans, racking up over 3,000 career yards and 24 touchdowns. He played for the Dolphins in 2021 but held a small role in their offense. He retired at the end of the 2021 season.
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Josh Doctson (22nd overall)
Doctson was drafted by the (then) Washington Redskins to join one of the best receiving corps in the NFL. He only appeared in two games his rookie year, But had back-to-back 500 yard seasons in 2017 and 2018. He didn’t record any receiving stats in 2019 as a member of the Vikings, and has not suited up on an active roster since.
Laquon Treadwell (23rd overall)
Laquon Treadwell was the last receiver taken in the first round of the 2016 draft and has suited up for four teams in his six years in the League. He spent his first three years with the Vikings, then had stints in Atlanta, Jacksonville, and Seattle. So far, Treadwell has five receiving touchdowns, and is yet to eclipse 500 receiving yards in a season.
Sterling Shepard (40th overall)
Sterling Shepard was the Giant’s first selection in the second round, and he went straight to work for the G-men, hauling in eight touchdowns his rookie year. He has been a consistent number two receiver for New York but is yet to have a 1,000 yard season.
Michael Thomas (47th overall)
The receiver most known for only short routes cemented himself as one of the league’s top receivers from 2016-to 2019. During that three-year stretch Thomas earned three Pro Bowl selections, and two First Team All-Pros. The Saint’s receiver has been battling injuries for the past three seasons and missed all of 2021 for that reason. He came back for three games in 2022 and is expected to play in the upcoming season.
Tyler Boyd (55th overall)
Tyler Boyd is the most successful receiver on this list so far. Drafted out of the University of Pittsburgh, the second-round pick has been a consistent number two receiver for the Bengals for most of his career. Boyd racked up back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2018, and 2019; but has recently assumed a lesser role in the offense since the additions of Ja’mmar Chase and Tee Higgins.
Braxton Miller (85th overall)
Braxton Miller and his time at Ohio State is worthy of an article all on its own. But he was selected by Houston in the third round, and played in the NFL for two years, collecting one receiving touchdown in each season. He bounced around between the Browns, and the Eagles, but never suited up for either team in a regular season game.
Leonte Carroo (86th overall)
After an earlier trade with the Vikings, the Miami Dolphins held the 86th overall pick, and used it to select Leonte Carroo. Carroo only played three years in the league, and never eclipsed 200 career receiving yards.
Chris Moore (107th overall)
Drafted out of the University of Cincinnati, Chris Moore was selected by the Baltimore Ravens. He played five years for the Ravens, then suited up for the Houston Texans in 2021 and 2022. He has eight career touchdowns so far and is currently a member of the Tennessee Titans.
Malcolm Mitchell (112th overall)
Malcom Mitchell was one of two receivers drafted by the New England patriots in 2016. Mitchell spent only one year in the NFL and was a part of the New England Patriots’ Superbowl victory.
Mitchell caught four touchdowns that year, but his career was cut short due to knee injuries. But if you’re only going to play one year in the NFL, you might as well win the Superbowl.
Ricardo Louis (114th overall)
Ricardo Louis was the 114th selection in the 2016 NFL Draft and was selected by the Cleveland Browns. Louis only played two years in the NFL due to complications with injuries. He missed the entire 2018 season with a neck injury and was then waived by the Browns in 2019.
Louis signed with the Miami Dolphins and was placed on injured reserve, which ended his 2019 season before it began. In 2020 he resigned with Miami, who later released him, picked him up again, and released h
Pharoh Cooper (117th overall)
Pharoh Cooper has been a journeyman for the majority of his NFL career. Selected by the Raiders in 2016, he has since spent time with the Cardinals, Bengals, Panthers, Giants, and as of 2022 is back with the Arizona Cardinals.
He is yet to collect 1,000 yards in his career, and he also has not caught a touchdown yet. Cooper is currently an NFL Free Agent.
Demarcus Robinson (126th overall)
Demarcus Robinson was the fifth receiver taken in the fifth round of the 2016 draft and was selected by Kansas City. Robinson played seven seasons in the NFL, six with the team that drafted him.
Robinson’s best season came in 2020 where he collected 466 yards and three touchdowns. In 2022 he became a member of the Baltimore Ravens, appearing in 17 games and catching two touchdowns. He is now a member of the LA Rams.
Tajae Sharpe (140th overall)
The Tennessee Titans drafted Tajae Sharp University of Massachusetts. He appeared in 16 games during the 2016 season, starting ten of those games. His rookie year he collected 2 touchdown receptions and just over 500 yards.
After a three-year stent with Tennessee he suited up for Minnesota in 2020, then Atlanta in 2021. He never eclipsed 500 yards again, and he is no longer on an NFL team.
Jordan Payton (154th overall)
Jordan Payton was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round. Payton was the Brown’s third receiver drafted in 2016 behind Ricardo Louis and Corey Coleman.
Payton was drafted out of UCLA, and played a total of four games for the Browns, and caught only one ball for a whopping three yards. Payton got into so e off the field issues, and was suspended for the remainder of the season. He was waived by Cleveland at the end of the season.
Trevor Davis (163rd overall)
The Green Bay Packers selected Trevor Davis in the fifth round, just two spots above Tyreek Hill. Davis was drafted out of Cal, where he tied the school record for kick return touchdowns. Davis caught a single touchdown in the NFL and was only with the Packers for three years before being traded to the Raiders for a sixth-round pick.
He was then cut and claimed off waivers by the Miami Dolphins. Davis never made a name for himself as a receiver, but actually had a respectable career as a return man, totaling 1,890 total return yards as a punt and kick return specialist. Still, Davis didn’t last long in the NFL, and is currently a free agent.
