Even DK Metcalf was miffed that he lasted until the last pick of the second round in the 2019 NFL draft. Teams were scared off by a potential neck issue that was discovered in college. Some thought he was such a poor route-runner that that issue would never be corrected.
Metcalf has proved the naysayers wrong in his career with the Seattle Seahawks. He has missed only one game in five seasons due to injury. He has made the Pro Bowl twice and once was named Second-Team All-Pro. With a better offensive scheme in 2024 under new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, Metcalf might have his best season.
Compared to other wide receivers chosen before him in 2019 - a receiver class that has mostly failed except for Metcalf and a few others - the Seahawks receiver is second in receiving yards (5,332), first in receiving touchdowns (43), and second in catches (372). In other words, Seattle got a steal when they chose Metcalf at number 64 overall.
1. Marquise Brown
Draft position: 25th overall
Drafted by: Baltimore Ravens
Career stats (in 72 games): 313 catches/3,644 yards/28 touchdowns
Brown isn't a bad receiver, but he certainly shouldn't have been worthy of a first-round choice. Part of the issue is that while he gets a lot of targets (he had more than 100 in each of the past two seasons with the Arizona Cardinals), he doesn't average many yards per target. In 2023, he had 101 targets and averaged a wretched 5.7 yards. Compare that to Metcalf who had 119 targets but averaged 9.4 yards.
Brown has speed but he is almost more of a possession receiver. That won't work, however, as he is just 5'9". There is more of a likelihood that he is out of the league in three years than being productive at that time.
2. N'Keal Harry
Draft position: 32nd overall
Drafted by: New England Patriots
Career stats (in 49 games): 64 catches/714 yards/five touchdowns
Harry was a great example that former Patriots head coach/unofficial general manager Bill Belichick didn't know how to pick wide receivers, especially in the first round. Harry has turned out to be so inefficient that his current team, the Minnesota Vikings is thinking of transitioning him to tight end.
Harry is currently on his third team in six seasons but in the last three seasons, he has a combined 19 catches (he had zero in 2023) and one touchdown. If he doesn't stick as a TE with the Vikings, he likely won't play in the NFL again.
3. Deebo Samuel
Draft position: 36th overall (second round)
Drafted by: San Francisco 49ers
Career stats (in 66 games): 283 catches/4,122 yards/19 touchdowns (38 touchdowns receiving and rushing combined)
Samuel is the second-best receiver of the draft class but is more versatile than any other other players. He can act as a running back efficiently nearly as well as a receiver. His ability to move around in the offense has augmented what the 49ers have been able to do.
Samuel is a free agent after the 2024 season and San Francisco might not be able to afford him long-term as the team has other key players to try to bring back. Mostly, this is written in hope. A 49ers team without Samuel is better for the Seahawks.
4. AJ Brown
Draft position: 51st overall (second round)
Drafted by: Tennessee Titans
Career stats (in 77 games): 379 catches/5,947 yards/42 touchdowns
The most successful pure receiver in the 2019 draft was also Metcalf's teammate in college. One might wonder how Ole Miss lost any games with Brown and Metcalf both playing for the team. Whatever was going on, at least both seemed prepared to succeed in the NFL.
In the last two seasons, both with the Philadelphia Eagles after Tennessee traded Brown to them before the 2022 season, the receiver has had at least 1,456 yards. Twice in his career, he has had 11 touchdown years. He has thrice made the Pro Bowl and he's been named Second-Team All-Pro twice.
5. Mecole Hardman
Draft position: 56th overall (second round)
Drafted by: Kansas City Chiefs
Career stats (in 68 games): 166 catches/2,212 yards/16 touchdowns
One might wonder two things about Hardman. One is how he managed to fail in Kansas City when his quarterback was Patrick Mahomes. The other is how much worse would Hardman's numbers be if he didn't spend a bit of time with the Chiefs' quarterback.
Still, even after leaving Kansas City and then flaming out quickly with the New York Jets, the Chiefs brought Hardman back last year and he even scored a touchdown in the Super Bowl. The three catches he had in the game were the second-most he had in any game in 2023.
6. JJ Arcega-Whiteside
Draft position: 57th overall (second round)
Drafted by: Philadelphia Eagles
Career stats (in 40 games): 16 catches/290 yards/one touchdown
Arcega-Whiteside is by far the worst receiver chosen before Metcalf. Not only did he have just 16 catches, he hasn't played with anyone in two years. He cannot catch well and does not have breakaway speed.
Still, Pete Carroll tried to resurrect his career and traded for the receiver in 2022. He was eventually signed to the practice squad but released midway through the season. His Wiki page says he was a "former member of the Seattle Seahawks." That is a bit of a stretch.
7. Parris Campbell
Draft position: 59th overall (second round)
Drafted by: Indianapolis Colts
Career stats (in 44 games): 117 catches/1,087 yards/five touchdowns
The vast majority of Campbell's statistics came in 2022 when he was with the Colts. He had 63 catches for 623 yards and three touchdowns. Still, that was not enough to make Indy want to keep him around, and last year Campbell played for the New York Giants.
He did not offer much to New York either, however. He had 20 catches for a paltry 104 yards. Now he plays for the Philadelphia Eagles and is battling for the WR3 spot.
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8. Andy Isabella
Draft position: 62nd overall (second round)
Drafted by: Arizona Cardinals
Career stats (in 43 games): 33 catches/447 yards/three touchdowns
Among the biggest failures of the wide receivers of the 2019 draft, Isabella is number two. In his first five seasons, he played for four teams and only got three starts. He only played in two games last year and did not contribute a catch.
He is still on the Buffalo Bills roster but he does not have a roster spot locked. The issue is that he isn't big at 5'9" and 190 pounds nor is he overly quick. To say choosing him instead of Metcalf was a mistake would be a massive understatement.
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