Amon-Ra St. Brown is the focal point of a potent Lions passing offense, becoming one of the best value picks of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Detroit took St. Brown No. 112 overall in the fourth round that year, but the receiver has far out-produced his status with 4,851 career receiving yards. That includes three 1,000-yard seasons, three straight Pro Bowls, and two straight first-team All-Pro appearances.
The 2021 wide receiver draft class is one of the better groups in recent memory, as St. Brown was one of several top-tier wideouts taken that year. However, among the 16 wide receivers taken before the Lions took St. Brown, there are also several duds that show Detroit got great value with their star — and he certainly hasn’t forgotten.
St. Brown is known for maintaining a Tom Brady-like chip on his shoulder over the receivers drafted ahead of him, even keeping their names in a notebook and being able to rattle them off, in order, at the drop of a hat.
In case your memory of the 2021 NFL Draft isn’t as good as St. Brown’s, The Sporting News breaks down the wide receivers taken ahead of him on draft day.
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2021 NFL Draft wide receiver class
Ja’Marr Chase
- Round: 1
- Overall pick: 5
- College: LSU
- Team: Bengals
Chase took the league by storm as a rookie and is arguably the best receiver in the league. In his first four seasons, he made four Pro Bowls, two All-Pro teams, won Offensive Rookie of the Year, and took home the WR Triple Crown in 2024, leading the league in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns.
Jaylen Waddle
- Round: 1
- Overall pick: 6
- College: Alabama
- Team: Dolphins
In each of his first three seasons, Waddle surpassed 1,000 yards in the Dolphins’ explosive passing offense. While he is coming off a down year, Waddle is still one of the more dynamic players in the league.
DeVonta Smith
- Round: 1
- Overall pick: 10
- College: Alabama
- Team: Eagles
Smith got drafted after winning the Heisman Trophy in 2021, and now he forms a dynamic duo with A.J. Brown in Philadelphia. He has over 4,000 yards receiving in his career while playing with one of his former college teammates, Jalen Hurts.
Kadarius Toney
- Round: 1
- Overall pick: 20
- College: Florida
- Team: Giants
The fourth receiver drafted in 2021, Toney is already on his third NFL team. He began his career strong with the Giants, but New York traded him to the Chiefs midway through 2022. Toney played a role in the Chiefs’ Super Bowl championship that year, but he fizzled out otherwise. Kansas City let him go after 2023, and he played just three games for the Browns in 2024.
Rashod Bateman
- Round: 1
- Overall pick: 27
- College: Minnesota
- Team: Ravens
Bateman isn’t the most explosive player on the list, but he’s been a steady contributor for a strong Ravens offense. In 2024, Bateman had a career year with 756 receiving yards and nine touchdowns.
Elijah Moore
- Round: 2
- Overall pick: 34
- College: Ole Miss
- Team: Jets
Moore hasn’t lived up to the expectations of a second-round pick, as the Jets traded him after two seasons to the Browns. The wide receiver has been a little better in Cleveland, but he still has just 2,162 receiving yards in four seasons.
Rondale Moore
- Round: 2
- Overall pick: 49
- College: Purdue
- Team: Cardinals
Moore came out of Purdue as a gadget player, but that hasn’t translated to the NFL. In Arizona, he had just 1,450 yards from scrimmage in three seasons before the team traded him to the Falcons in 2024. However, Moore suffered a season-ending injury before the year, a familiar theme in his short NFL career.
D’Wayne Eskridge
- Round: 2
- Overall pick: 56
- College: Western Michigan
- Team: Seahawks
This pick really didn’t work out for Seattle, as Eskridge had just 196 yards from scrimmage while dealing with off-the-field issues. Eskridge played six games for the Dolphins in 2024, totaling 44 yards on three catches.
Tutu Atwell
- Round: 2
- Overall pick: 57
- College: Louisville
- Team: Rams
While Atwell isn’t a dynamic player for the Rams, he has steadily improved each season. Atwell didn’t have a catch in his rookie season, but he’s coming off a 2024 season where he had 42 catches for 562 yards in Los Angeles.
Terrace Marshall Jr.
- Round: 2
- Overall pick: 59
- College: LSU
- Team: Panthers
The Panthers had high hopes for Marshall, but the LSU product didn’t live up to expectations. He had a career-high 490 receiving yards in 2022, but he has just one career touchdown and hasn’t surpassed 200 yards in any other season. Carolina let go of Marshall after 2023, and the receiver spent last year with the Raiders.
Josh Palmer
- Round: 3
- Overall pick: 77
- College: Tennessee
- Team: Chargers
Palmer’s numbers may not jump off the page, but he’s provided the Chargers with a reliable option on the outside. He had a career-high 72 catches for 769 yards in 2022, and he’s totaled over 580 receiving yards in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
Dyami Brown
- Round: 3
- Overall pick: 82
- College: North Carolina
- Team: Commanders
Brown has been in Washington for four seasons, but his production hasn’t matched his draft status. In 2024, Brown totaled a career-high 308 yards after three straight years of producing under 200 yards.
Amari Rodgers
- Round: 3
- Overall pick: 85
- College: Clemson
- Team: Packers
Green Bay drafted Rodgers as a potential slot receiver and return man, but the team let him go midway through 2022. In four seasons, Rodgers has played for three teams but totaled just 249 receiving yards.
Nico Collins
- Round: 3
- Overall pick: 89
- College: Michigan
- Team: Texans
Collins turned out to be a third-round steal for the Texans. The former Michigan receiver has become one of the best receivers in the league, as he has 2,303 yards and 15 touchdowns since the start of the 2023 season.
Anthony Schwartz
- Round: 3
- Overall pick: 91
- College: Auburn
- Team: Browns
Schwartz had blazing speed coming out of Auburn, but that didn’t translate to the NFL. The Browns pick had 186 yards in his first two seasons before Cleveland let him go, and he hasn’t played a game in the league since.
Dez Fitzpatrick
- Round: 4
- Overall pick: 109
- College: Louisville
- Team: Titans
The Titans drafted Fitzpatrick three picks before the Lions took St. Brown, but the production couldn’t be more stark. Fitzpatrick had five catches for 49 yards in his rookie season, but he hasn’t recorded a catch in three games while playing for three different teams since.
