Why the LA Chargers should not draft a wide receiver in the first round

3. History indicates that picking a receiver in the top 10 is a wasted pick

Of course, there are counter-examples to this as there is with anything in the NFL. However, when you really look at it, you get the best value in picking a receiver outside of the top 10. There are so many talented receivers that slip later in the draft that spending a top-10 pick on one is, quite frankly, unjust.

If you are going to spend a top-10 pick on a wide receiver then you have to get a bonafide stud that is undoubtedly one of the five best receivers in the league. This might seem like unfair standards, but with so many solid receivers taken after the top 10 that simply has to be the passing criteria

There have been four solid wide receivers taken in the top 10over the last decade — Julio Jones, A.J. Green, Mike Evans and Amari Cooper. Evans and Cooper are both among the league’s best, Jones and Green are the only two that were bonafide top-five guys.

There have also been seven receivers that have not lived up to expectations. Corey Davis, Mike Williams, John Ross, Kevin White, Sammy Watkins, Tavon Austin and Justin Blackmon have all failed to be the WR1 that their teams expected them to be.

I get that Chase is his own person and just because these previous receivers did not fully work out does not guarantee that he won’t. I am not here to say that Chase is a bust. However, I am here to say that the LA Chargers can get just as an impactful receiver as Chase later in the draft.

Heck, let’s just run through the best receivers in the league this season and when they were taken in the NFL Draft.

DK Metcalf (64th overall), Stefon Diggs (146th overall), Tyreek Hill (165th overall), DeAndre Hopkins (27th overall), Davante Adams (53rd overall) and Keenan Allen (76th overall) have been the best receivers in football this season.

The most recent draft class is the perfect example. Everyone was high on CeeDee Lamb, Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs heading into the draft. And while they have all been solid and have potential, the best rookie receiver has been Justin Jefferson by a mile.

Jefferson was the 22nd overall pick in the draft and was the fifth receiver taken.

There is just so much value later in the draft to justify spending an early draft pick on a receiver when there are massive needs on the LA Chargers that need to be addressed.