Several scouts and draft gurus are projecting this year’s NFL draft to be historically rich with wide receivers. Here are The Post’s five best draft years at that position in league history:
5. 1988: Only two picks among the top 18 players selected in the ’88 draft reached the Hall of Fame. Both of them were wide receivers — Tim Brown (sixth overall by the Raiders) and Michael Irvin (11th by the Cowboys). Sterling Sharpe (seventh overall) also was on that track until suffering a career-ending neck injury. Anthony Miller (15th overall) amassed more than 9,000 receiving yards with three NFL teams. Brian Blades, Brett Perriman, Quinn Early and Michael Haynes were picked in subsequent rounds.
4. 1974: The Steelers drafted two future Hall of Fame wide receivers and four-time Super Bowl linchpins in the same draft — Lynn Swann (21st overall) and John Stallworth (fourth round). Nat Moore, who caught passes from Bob Griese and Dan Marino over 13 seasons with the Dolphins, and Roger Carr (league-leading 25.9 yards per catch for the Colts in 1976) also were among those selected.
3. 2014: These players are just getting to their primes, but how about a group featuring first-round picks Odell Beckham Jr., Mike Evans, Brandin Cooks and Sammy Watkins? And second-rounder Jarvis Landry actually has posted the most receptions (564) through six NFL seasons. Davante Adams, Allen Robinson, Jordan Matthews, Kelvin Benjamin, Marquise Lee, John Brown and Martavis Bryant also were drafted that year.
2. 1985: Jerry Rice alone makes this a legendary receiver class; the 16th-overall selection by the 49ers out of Mississippi Valley State went on to become the NFL’s all-time leader in touchdowns, receptions and receiving yards. Two WRs selected ahead of him, the Jets’ Al Toon (10th overall) and Cincinnati’s Eddie Brown (13th), had fine careers derailed by injuries. Add in Hall of Famer Andre Reed (fourth round), Vance Johnson (second), Eric Martin (seventh) and Reggie Langhorne (seventh) for solid depth.
1. 1996: The Jets grabbed Keyshawn Johnson with the first-overall selection, and even if he didn’t post the best career of this class, he was one of four receivers taken that year to total at least 800 receptions and 10,000 receiving yards. Terrell Owens (third round) and Marvin Harrison (19th overall) are in the Hall of Fame, while Mushin Muhammad (860 career catches), the Giants’ Amani Toomer (668), Bobby Engram (650) and first-rounders Eric Moulds, Terry Glenn and Eddie Kennison all enjoyed relatively productive NFL careers.