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The case against the Cowboys taking a wide receiver in Round 1 of the NFL draft

Wide receivers always look better in the window in April than they do on the field in September.

NFL window shoppers -- and mock drafters -- see the upside of 2018 prospects Courtland Sutton, D.J. Moore and Calvin Ridley. The size of Sutton (6-3, 218), the speed of Moore (4.42 40) the football education of Ridley (Alabama) make each attractive to the Cowboys when they go on the clock at 19 for their first-round selection next Thursday.

And with the release of Dez Bryant last week, a lead receiver suddenly looms as a priority item for the Cowboys on draft day.

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But be careful when shopping for wideouts. Teams that draft wide receivers in the first round hope to find the next Larry Fitzgerald, Calvin Johnson or Odell Beckham Jr. But there have been far too many R.J. Sowards, Troy Williamsons and Jonathan Baldwins for any team looking for short- and long-term impact at wideout not to give pause.

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There have been 73 wide receivers selected in the first round of NFL drafts since 2000. Less than half (34) managed a 1,000-yard season in their careers -- and 12 of those did it just a single time. Only 21 of the 73 went to a Pro Bowl. That's the long-term impact.

The short-term impact is even gloomier. Only six of those 73 first rounders managed 1,000-yard seasons as rookies. Those 73 averaged 36 receptions for 508 yards and three touchdowns as rookies. The three wide receivers selected in the top 10 of the 2017 draft caught only 45 passes. Combined.

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Beckham Jr., who walked in and caught 91 passes for 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns as a rookie in 2014, is the exception. Even the greats don't walk in as greats.

Fitzgerald is on a Hall of Fame path with 1,234 career receptions, which places him third all-time. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in 2004. But only 58 of his receptions came in his rookie season for 780 yards and eight touchdowns.

Reggie Wayne ranks 10th all-time with 1,070 receptions. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in 2001. But only 27 of his receptions came in his rookie season for 345 yards with no touchdowns. Andre Johnson ranks 11th all-time with 1,062 receptions. He was drafted by the Houston Texans in 2003. But only 55 of his receptions came in his rookie season for 976 yards and four touchdowns.

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Calvin Johnson was the second overall pick of the 2007 draft. He came closer to a 2,000-yard season than any receiver in NFL history, catching 122 passes for 1,964 yards in 2012. But in his rookie year, he managed only 48 catches for 756 yards and four scores. Bryant caught just 45 passes for 561 yards and three touchdowns in his rookie season.

There's an NFL adage that you can find a receiver in every round of every draft. But it's more than an adage. It's truth.

Anquan Boldin set an NFL rookie record with 101 receptions for 1,377 yards in 2003. The Arizona Cardinals found him deep in the second round, the sixth wide receiver and 64th player off the board.

Cooper Kupp led all NFL rookie wide receivers in receptions last season with 62 for 869 yards and five touchdowns. The Los Angeles Rams found him in the third round, the seventh wideout off the board.

Michael Thomas led all rookie receivers in receptions in 2016 with 92 catches for 1,137 yards and nine touchdowns. The New Orleans Saints claimed him in the second round with the 47th overall pick, the sixth wideout off the board.

The top 10 pass catchers in 2017 included four first rounders, three seconds (Jarvis Landry, Golden Tate and Thomas), a third (Keenan Allen), a sixth (Antonio Brown) and an undrafted wideout (Adam Thielen). The top 10 receivers in yardage last season included five first-rounders plus Allen, Brown, Thomas and a pair of fifth-rounders, Tyreek Hill and Marvin Jones.

===More WR reading===

Why Cowboys aren't truly looking to draft another 2014-style Dez Bryant

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A receiver doesn't have to arrive in the NFL as a first-rounder to become a go-to guy (seventh-rounder Marques Colston), a receiving champion (second-rounder Muhsin Muhammad), a Pro Bowler (third-rounder Steve Smith), a Super Bowl hero (sixth-rounder David Tyree) or even a Hall of Famer (fourth-rounder Andre Reed).

There are an average of 33 wide receivers drafted each year. The best receiver in the NFL today was a mere sixth rounder (Antonio Brown). The Cowboys shouldn't limit their search for a wideout to the first round. You pay your scouts to find players. Trust your scouts.