Amon-Ra St. Brown is the focal point of the Lions’ explosive passing offense, making him one of the best value picks in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Detroit selected St. Brown at No. 112 overall in the fourth round that year, but the receiver has far outperformed his draft position, with 4,851 career receiving yards.
This includes three 1,000-yard seasons, three straight Pro Bowl appearances, and two consecutive first-team All-Pro selections.
The 2021 wide receiver draft class is one of the best in recent memory, with St. Brown among several high-profile wideouts selected that year.
However, among the 16 wide receivers taken before the Lions selected St. Brown, there are several duds, demonstrating that Detroit received excellent value for their star — and he hasn’t forgotten.
St. Brown is known for having a Tom Brady-like chip on his shoulder about the receivers drafted ahead of him, even keeping their names in a notebook and being able to recite them in order at the drop of a hat.
If your memory of the 2021 NFL Draft isn’t as sharp as St. Brown’s, The Sporting News breaks down the wide receivers selected ahead of him on draft day.
2021 NFL Draft wide receiver class
Ja’Marr Chase
- Round: 1
- Overall pick: 5
- College: LSU
- Team: Bengals
Chase dominated the league as a rookie and is widely regarded as the best receiver in the game. In his first four seasons, he made four Pro Bowls, two All-Pro teams, was named Offensive Rookie of the Year, and won the WR Triple Crown in 2024, leading the league in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns.
Jaylen Waddle
- Round: 1
- Overall pick: 6
- College: Alabama
- Team: Dolphins
Waddle surpassed 1,000 yards in each of his first three seasons with the Dolphins’ explosive passing offense. While Waddle is coming off a down year, he remains one of the league’s most dynamic players.
DeVonta Smith
- Round: 1
- Overall pick: 10
- College: Alabama
- Team: Eagles
Smith was drafted after winning the Heisman Trophy in 2021, and he now forms a dynamic duo with A.J. Brown in Philadelphia. He has over 4,000 receiving yards in his career, having played alongside one of his former college teammates, Jalen Hurts.
Kadarius Toney
- Round: 1
- Overall pick: 20
- College: Florida
- Team: Giants
Toney, the fourth receiver drafted in 2021, is already with his third NFL team. He started his career strong with the Giants, but he was traded to the Chiefs in the middle of 2022. Toney played a role in the Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory that year, but he faded thereafter. Kansas City released him after 2023, and he played only three games for the Browns in 2024.
Rashod Bateman
- Round: 1
- Overall pick: 27
- College: Minnesota
- Team: Ravens
Bateman is not the most explosive player on the list, but he has been a consistent contributor to 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 expectations as a second-round pick, and the Jets traded him to the Browns after two seasons. The wide receiver has improved slightly in Cleveland, but he still only has 2,162 receiving yards after 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 into the NFL. In Arizona, he had only 1,450 yards from scrimmage in three seasons before being traded to the Falcons in 2024. Moore, on the other hand, suffered a season-ending injury prior to the start of the season, a common occurrence in his brief NFL career.
D’Wayne Eskridge
- Round: 2
- Overall pick: 56
- College: Western Michigan
- Team: Seahawks
This pick didn’t work out for Seattle, as Eskridge only had 196 yards from scrimmage while dealing with off-the-field issues. Eskridge appeared in six games for the Dolphins in 2024, totaling 44 yards on three receptions.
Tutu Atwell
- Round: 2
- Overall pick: 57
- College: Louisville
- Team: Rams
While Atwell is not the Rams’ most dynamic player, he has steadily improved with each season. Atwell did not catch a pass in his rookie season, but he followed that up with 42 catches for 562 yards in Los Angeles in 2024.
Terrace Marshall Jr.
- Round: 2
- Overall pick: 59
- College: LSU
- Team: Panthers
The Panthers had high hopes for Marshall, but the LSU product fell short of expectations. He had a career-high 490 receiving yards in 2022, but he has only one career touchdown and has never gone over 200 yards in any other season. Carolina released 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 stand out, but he has given the Chargers a reliable outside option. He had a career-high 72 catches for 769 yards in 2022, and he had more than 580 receiving yards in 2023 and 2024.
Dyami Brown
- Round: 3
- Overall pick: 82
- College: North Carolina
- Team: Commanders
Brown has been in Washington for four seasons, but his performance has not matched his draft status. Brown had a career-high 308 yards in 2024 after averaging less than 200 yards in three consecutive seasons.
Amari Rodgers
- Round: 3
- Overall pick: 85
- College: Clemson
- Team: Packers
Green Bay drafted Rodgers as a slot receiver and return specialist, but he was released midway through 2022. Rodgers has only 249 receiving yards in four seasons with three different teams.
Nico Collins
- Round: 3
- Overall pick: 89
- College: Michigan
- Team: Texans
Collins proved to be a third-round steal for the Texans. The former Michigan receiver has become one of the league’s best receivers, with 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 incredible speed coming out of Auburn, but it did not translate to the NFL. The Browns pick had 186 yards in his first two seasons before being released, and he hasn’t played in the league since.
Dez Fitzpatrick
- Round: 4
- Overall pick: 109
- College: Louisville
- Team: Titans
The Titans selected Fitzpatrick three picks before the Lions selected St. Brown, but the difference in production could not be more stark. Fitzpatrick had five receptions for 49 yards in his rookie season, but he has not caught a pass in three games while playing for three different teams since.
