It has been 21 years since the Green Bay Packers selected a wide receiver in the first round of the NFL Draft. In 2002, they selected Javon Walker out of Florida State. While fans have been clamoring for them to pick pass catchers in recent years, the team has no problem waiting a little while to pull the trigger.
When you come away with a player of Davante Adams’ caliber in the second round, it is easy to become jaded. Adams was selected No. 53 overall in the 2014 NFL Draft and has developed into a star in the league.
What he was able to accomplish with Aaron Rodgers is something very few quarterback/wide receiver duos have replicated. They were dominant week in and week out, which is why Adams found himself near the top of the biggest draft steals of the last decade list put together over at ESPN by Matt Miller and Jordan Reid.
“Since entering the NFL from Fresno State, Adams has been a constant in the conversation for the league’s best receiver. He has proven that great route-running and sticky hands are a winning recipe year in and year out, including in 2022 after being traded to the Raiders. In his first season without Aaron Rodgers, Adams caught 100 passes for 1,516 yards and 14 scores. NFL teams initially passed on Adams because of speed concerns, but that hasn’t been an issue in the pros.”
Adams was the ninth wide receiver selected in the 2014 NFL Draft; five of them were selected in the first round. While he would assuredly wouldn’t last until the Packers in the second round in a redraft, some of the wide receivers selected ahead of him have turned out to be studs as well.
Mike Evans, Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandin Cooks have all been productive throughout their careers. Sammy Watkins has battled injuries, as did Jordan Matthews and Marquise Lee. But, there were some whiffs such as Kelvin Benjamin and Paul Richardson.
Entering Year 10, Adams remains at the top of his game as a force in the passing game. Regardless of whether teams are double-teaming him and shading coverage his way, he finds a way to succeed. This could be his most challenging season, however, as he will be catching passes for the first time since high school from someone other than Derek Carr or Rodgers.