The scouts got it wrong when it came to talent in the 2010 NFL Draft. Antonio Brown was the 23rd WR taken, selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 196th selection. Who were the 22 wideouts considered more valuable than the now-controversial Brown, who is likely to play for Oakland Monday against Denver … barring another incident or tantrum?
No. 191 Dezmon Briscoe
Dezmon Briscoe was the WR taken before Antonio Brown. Drafted out of Kansas, Briscoe played in 25 games for the Bucs, who picked him up after didn’t cut it with the Bengals, and Washington. Briscoe caught 43 passes for 502 yards and 7 TDs before his NFL career ended after 2012.
177: Carlton Mitchell
A sixth-round pick of the Cleveland Browns out of South Florida, Carlton Mitchell played in 16 games from 2010-11 and made three receptions for 31 yards.
165: Kerry Meier
Kerry Meier spent the entire 2010 season on IR after injuring his knee in the preseason. In 2011, he played in 12 games, but did not record a single catch. He was placed on waivers in April 2013 after spending 2012 on IR.
159: Riley Cooper
Riley Cooper spent six seasons with the Eagles, who drafted him. He made 169 catches for 2,418 yards with 18 TDs. He also became embroiled in controversy in 2013 when a video surfaced of Cooper being denied backstage access at a Kenny Chesney. Cooper used racial slurs toward the security guards who refused him entry backstage. The Eagles fined Cooper an undisclosed amount, but he was otherwise allowed to continue playing.
156: David Reed
David Reed was taken by the Ravens from Utah and was primarily a kickoff return specialist. He had 1,740 return yards and six catches for 68 yards in his career that lasted through 2013 with Baltimore and Indy. He tried out for the Niners in 2014 but was cut.
108: Jacoby Ford
Jacoby Ford has 3 kickoff returns for TDs in 2010 after being chosen by the Raiders out of Clemson. He added another in 2011. As a receiver he caught 57 passes in three years. He missed the 2012 season and finished his playing days in 2013 with 13 receptions.
107: Marcus Easley
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Marcus Easley was drafted out of UConn by Buffalo. He was on IR in his first two seasons. He eventually caught 3 passes for 71 yards and played special teams making 35 tackles. Easley was released in 2017 after six seasons with the Bills. He actually played in three seasons.
101: Mike Williams
Mike Williams spent four years in Tampa after being selected out of Syracuse. He finished his career in Buffalo. Williams had 215 of his 223 catches as a Buc.
99: Mardy Gilyard
Mardy Gilyard played in a number of leagues, indoor and out. He had 8 catches for 78 yards between the Rams and Jets.
90: Taylor Price
Taylor Price came to the Patriots from Ohio U. He wound up with 5 catches for 80 yards in his NFL career, which saw him spend time in New England and Jacksonville.
89: Armanti Edwards
Armanti Edwards continues to play in 2019, in the CFL. He was the quarterback for arguably the biggest upset in college football history when Appalachian State went into “The Big House” and stunned Michigan, 34-32. The Panthers took him as a Swiss Army Knife-type of player. He had 6 receptions in the NFL and also was a return artist. He has more than 200 catches in the CFL.
88: Andre Roberts
Andre Roberts is with his fifth NFL team, the Buffalo Bills. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals from The Citadel and spent four seasons with them. Next up was Washington, then Detroit, Atlanta and the New York Jets last season. He has 254 receptions for 2,990 yards and has more than 5,300 kickoff and punt returns yards combined.
87: Eric Decker
Eric Decker had a solid career from 2010-17, playing for the Broncos, Jets and Titans. He wound up with 439 receptions for 5,816 yards and 53 TDs. Decker came to Denver from the University of Minnesota.
84: Jordan Shipley
Jordan Shipley was Colt McCoy’s favorite target at Texas. He had 79 catches in the NFL, playing for the Bengals, Jaguars and Bucs.
82: Emmanuel Sanders
Emmanuel Sanders was another great pick by the Steelers in this draft. Chosen out of SMU, Sanders spent four years in Pittsburgh and made 161 catches. He then went to Denver, where he currently plays, and has improved dramatically with 374 catches and 25 TDs in 5 seasons.
78: Brandon LaFell
Brandon LaFell came to the Panthers from LSU. After four seasons in Carolina, he moved to Cincinnati and New England for two seasons apiece and was in Oakland last year. He currently is a free agent.
77: Damian Williams
Damian Williams had 106 of his 107 NFL catches in four seasons with Tennessee, which drafted him out of USC. His career wound down in 2014 with the Dolphins, for whom he made on grab, and the Rams.
60: Golden Tate
Golden Tate has been a fine performer in the NFL. He has been with four teams, first with the Seattle Seahawks out of Notre Dame. Tate has 611 receptions for 7,214 yards. One of his 38 TDs was the famed “Fail Mary” for the Seahawks. He currently is serving a suspension and will return in his first year as a New York Giant.
39: Arrelious Benn
Arrelious Benn came to Tampa Bay from Illinois. He spent three seasons there and caught 59 passes. He spent 2013 and ’14 on IR before resurfacing with Jacksonville, where he caught six passes.
36: Dexter McCluster
Dexter McCluster (pictured, No. 22) gained 3,000 yards rushing and receiving combined for three teams. He was drafted by the Chiefs out of Misssissippi. McCluster also was a return specialist, adding another 3,000 yards taking back punts and kickoffs.
24: Dez Bryant
Another of the diva wide receivers is Dez Bryant, who the Cowboys drafted from Oklahoma State, also the Cowboys. Bryant had 531 receptions for 7.459 yards and 73 TDs in Dallas. He was cut last season but signed by the New Orleans Saints and injured his Achilles in his first practice.
22: Demayius Thomas
Demariyus Thomas came to the Broncos from Georgia Tech. He remained in Denver until the trading deadline last season. He’s now with the Patriots. Thomas has 688 career receptions for 9,330 yards.
195: Antonio Brown
Antonio Brown has proven to be one the best and most controversial receivers in the NFL. Taken in the sixth round from Central Michigan by the Steelers, Brown brings 837 catches for 11,207 yards into 2019. He has 74 TD receptions, 15 of which came last season when he led the NFL in the category.
