Has a Wide Receiver Ever Gone First Overall? (Highest Drafted WRs in NFL History)

While many people think of the NFL Draft as the best way to find a franchise quarterback, it's also a great chance to surround a quarterback with dynamic skill players and weapons, especially at wide receiver.

Some of the top receivers in today's game were high first-round draft picks, including Ja'Marr Chase (fifth overall in 2021), Justin Jefferson (22nd overall in 2020), CeeDee Lamb (17th overall in 2020) and more.

Since a quarterback typically goes first overall, however, how common is it for a wide receiver to be taken with the first pick in the draft?

Let's take a look at the highest drafted wide receivers in NFL history.

Has a Wide Receiver Ever Been Drafted First Overall?

Yes, a wide receiver has been drafted first overall before. It's happened three times, actually, but not in almost 30 years.

The last wideout to be the No. 1 pick was Keyshawn Johnson, who was taken by the New York Jets out of USC in 1996. Johnson went on to have a productive 11-year career, making three Pro Bowl appearances and helping the Tampa Bay Buccaneers win their first Super Bowl title during the 2002 campaign.

Before him, Irving Fryar (1984) and Dave Parks (1964) were also wide receivers who went first overall. Fryar was selected by the New England Patriots from Nebraska and proceeded to play 17 seasons in the NFL, making five Pro Bowls. Parks went to the San Francisco 49ers from Texas Tech and enjoyed a strong start to his 11-year career, but faded after his first three seasons.

None of these players were draft busts, but the NFL has become so dominated by quarterbacks in recent decades that it simply doesn't make much sense to use the top pick on a less valuable position like wide receiver anymore.

Highest Drafted Wide Receivers in NFL history

In addition to the trio mentioned above, a number of other wide receivers have also been taken early in drafts. Here's a list of every wide receiver who was a top-5 pick on draft day:

Player	Year	Round	Overall Pick	NFL Team	College
Dave Parks	1964	1	1	San Francisco 49ers	Texas Tech
Irving Fryar	1984	1	1	New England Patriots	Nebraska
Keyshawn Johnson	1996	1	1	New York Jets	USC
Calvin Johnson	2007	1	2	Detroit Lions	Georgia Tech
Charles Rogers	2003	1	2	Detroit Lions	Michigan State
Lam Jones	1980	1	2	New York Jets	Texas
Braylon Edwards	2005	1	3	Cleveland Browns	Michigan
Larry Fitzgerald	2004	1	3	Arizona Cardinals	Pittsburgh
Andre Johnson	2003	1	3	Houston Texans	Miami (FL)
Wes Chandler	1978	1	3	New Orleans Saints	Florida
Amari Cooper	2015	1	4	Oakland Raiders	Alabama
Sammy Watkins	2014	1	4	Buffalo Bills	Clemson
A.J. Green	2011	1	4	Cincinnati Bengals	Georgia
Peter Warrick	2000	1	4	Cincinnati Bengals	Florida State
Michael Westbrook	1995	1	4	Washington Redskins	Colorado
Desmond Howard	1992	1	4	Washington Redskins	Michigan
Kenny Jackson	1984	1	4	Philadelphia Eagles	Penn State
Ahmad Rashad (Bobby Moore)	1972	1	4	St. Louis Cardinals	Oregon
J.D. Hill	1971	1	4	Buffalo Bills	Arizona State
Gary Collins	1962	1	4	Cleveland Browns	Maryland
Ja'Marr Chase	2021	1	5	Cincinnati Bengals	Louisiana State
Corey Davis	2017	1	5	Tennessee Titans	Western Michigan
Justin Blackmon	2012	1	5	Jacksonville Jaguars	Oklahoma State
Jerry Butler	1979	1	5	Buffalo Bills	Clemson
Elroy Hirsch	1945	1	5	Cleveland Rams	Michigan/Wisconsin

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