As the Detroit Lions have built the core of their team through savvy drafting, Amon-Ra St. Brown stands out as as a particular success. The 112th player taken in the 2021 draft, and the 17th wide receiver taken, the "Sun God" is top-10 in the league in receptions (315; fourth), targets (429; sixth) and receiving yards (3,588; eighth).
It has been well-documented how St. Brown knows the names of all 16 receivers who were drafted before him, and how he keeps tabs on what they're doing (or not doing, in many cases). The teams who passed on him in the draft serve to bolster that chip on his shoulder.
This offseason, the Lions naturally rewarded St. Brown with a contract that briefly (literally about 24 hours) made him the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL based on average annual value. But that chip on his shoulder related to where he was drafted remains, and it's fair to say it will never leave him.
Looking back on every wide receiver taken before Amon-Ra St. Brown in the 2021 draft
We know 16 wide receivers were taken before St. Brown in the 2021 draft. But let's take a look at who they are, the pick they were taken with and their career stats through the 2023 season.
1. Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals, No. 5 overall: 268 receptions, 3,717 yards, 29 touchdowns
2. Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins, No. 6 overall: 251 receptions, 3,385 yards, 18 touchdowns
3. DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles, No, 10 overall: 240 receptions, 3,178 yards, 19 touchdowns
4. Kadarius Toney, New York Giants, No. 20 overall: 82 receptions, 760 yards, three touchdowns
5. Rashod Bateman, Baltimore Ravewns, No. 27 overall: 93 receptions, 1,167 yards, four touchdowns
6. Elijah Moore, New York Jets, No. 34 overall: 139 receptions, 1,624 yards, eight touchdowns
7. Rondale Moore, Arizona Cardinals, No. 49 overall: 135 receptions, 1,201 yards, three touchdowns
8. D'Wayne Eskridge, Seattle Seahawks, No. 56 overall: 17 receptions, 122 yards, one touchdown
9. Tutu Atwell, Los Angeles Rams, No. 57 overall: 57 receptions, 781 yards, four touchdowns
10. Terrace Marshall, Carolina Panthers, No. 59 overall: 64 receptions, 767 yards, one touchdown
11. Josh Palmer, Los Angeles Chargers, No. 77 overall: 143 receptions, 1,703 yards, nine touchdowns
12. Dyami Brown, Washington, No. 82 overall: 29 receptions, 476 yards, three touchdowns
13. Amari Rodgers, Green Bay Packers, No. 85 overall: 40 receptions, 305 yards, zero touchdowns
14. Nico Collins, Houston Texans, No. 89 overall: 150 receptions, 2,224 yards, 11 touchdowns
15. Anthony Schwartz, Cleveland Browns, No. 91 overall: 14 receptions, 186 yards, one touchdown
16. Dez Fitzpatrick, Tennessee Titans, No. 109: five receptions, 49 yards, one touchdown
Some of these guys have already been on another team besides the one that drafted them, and one (Schwartz) did not play a game in the league last season. It's fair to say the Bengals don't regret taking Chase before St. Brown, while the Dolphins (Waddle), Eagles (Smith) and Texans (Collins) can say the same. And Collins had a breakthrough just last season (80 catches for 1,297 yards and eight touchdowns) to add himself to that list.
Chase is No. 1, but St. Brown is inarguably the second-best receiver in his draft class through three years. And he's not likely to be moved from that spot anytime soon.