As long as sports exist, there will always be the debate of who the best player to play the sport was. Is Tom Brady the greatest quarterback of all time? Is Lebron James better than Michael Jordan? Would Barry Sanders be considered the best RB of all time if he were on a better team? These debates will no doubt continue on for forever.
There may be one argument that could prove very hard to dispute though: that the 2014 WR draft class was the best we’ve ever seen.
Peter Schrager, a writer for Fox Sports and co-host of GMFB, recently discussed the impact that this legendary group of young men has made on the league. It is absolutely worth the watch.
The WR group from the 2014 Draft may be the best class of any position ever. @PSchrags charts their past 3 weeks.@mikeevans13_ @OBJ_3 @AllenRobinson @teamlee1 @sammywatkins @brandincooks @drm_12 @A1hurns pic.twitter.com/NX9id3BDXZ
— GMFB (@gmfb) April 5, 2018
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In this video, Schrager discusses the movement that the wide receivers from this class has seen over the past three weeks…Many players moving onto new teams while only a few stay where they’ve been for the past few years.
While talking about the change of scenery for many of these players, Schrager says something that many people have to agree with when hearing the names of this class.
“The wr group from the 2014 draft class may be the best class of any position ever.”
High praise for a group of players that, arguably, are worth it. The best news though…is that the Bears now have welcomed in one of those players. Allen Robinson.
Robinson recently signed a 3-year, 42 million dollar contract to come to Chicago and provide young QB Mitchell Trubisky with that big weapon on the outside. He’s a large wide receiver who can win with his size, but he’s also a savvy route-runner who is only 24 years old.
As you look at the list of players that Schrager breaks down in the video above, you see outstanding names like Jarvis Landry, Allen Hurns, Sammy Watkins, Jordan Matthews, Donte Moncrief and others. So, where does Robinson rank in this list of young wideouts?
There’s no debating that Odell Beckham Jr. is the most talented wide receiver of this draft class. When he’s healthy, and on the field, he’s arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL. His production speaks for itself. Mike Evans is also included in the conversation as one of the best of this class, but right behind him is a man who will suit up in blue and orange this season.
While OBJ certainly came very close, Robinson is the only one who can say that he’s had a season with 1,400 receiving yards and 14 Touchdowns. An incredibly impressive feat that only a few NFL players have accomplished. Ever.
Yes, there are hesitations before vaunting Robinson up to be a locked-in first ballot Hall Of Famer. He’s coming off a significant injury and didn’t post great numbers after that record-setting season. But he’s only 24 and players at that age have recovered well from an injury of that magnitude and he wasn’t playing with the best quarterback down in Jacksonville.
Blake Bortles under throws a wide open Allen Robinson. Bortles has to make that throw. pic.twitter.com/av9X9g8bnj
— NFL Update (@MySportsUpdate) August 18, 2017
If the stars align, Robinson might be viewed as underpaid when we look back in three years. In a creative offense like Matt Nagy’s, the sky’s the limit.
Did the Bears just get one of the “best of the best”? It’s looking that way.