2011 NFL Draft: Is It Wise To Avoid WRs In First Round?

Mel Kiper posted an interesting article this week on his 40 biggest non-QB draft busts since he's been covering the draft. The most striking thing about the list to me is how many wide receivers were on the list. Of his top 40 busts, 10 were wideouts. Check out some of the names & draft positions.

Troy Williamson #7, Reggie Williams #9, Charles Rogers #2, David Terrell #8, Koren Robinson #9, Peter Warrick #4, David Boston #8, Michael Westbrook #4, JJ Stokes #10 & David Verser #10.

Remember, these are just the guys he calls his biggest busts, there's plenty of more candidates for top 10 busts at WR. Mike Williams, who was taken at #10 by the Lions in 2005 and lasted just two years there. He actually had a nice comeback last season with the Seahawks, but that was after nearly three years out of the league. He had just 44 catches and 2 TDs over his first four seasons.

Darrius Heyward-Bey, who was taken #7 overall two seasons ago is still probably too young to call a bust... but the early returns aren't great with just 35 catches and two TDs over his first two seasons. Two other WRs taken after him in the first in his class, Jeremy Maclin & Hakeem Nicks look both headed for stardom after their first two seasons. You might blame the awful QB play in Oakland for his struggles, but the Raiders drafted Louis Murphy in the 4th round of the same draft as Bey and he's been pretty good.

The only other position to rack up nearly as many busts on Kiper's list was pass rusher. I say "pass rusher" because if you combine 4-3 DEs and 3-4 OLBs, it adds up to 8. Ironically, the only Eagle to make his list was a DE. Anyone care to guess who that was? It's pretty easy...