National Football League

Is this the NFL's Golden Age of receivers? Top 10 list sparks discussion

Updated Jul. 29, 2021 9:37 p.m. ET

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As the NFL season draws near, the sports world is debating once again. The focus this time: Which wideouts are the best in the league?

On Wednesday, ESPN released its rankings of the NFL’s top 10 wide receivers.

Here's the breakdown:

1. Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers
2. DeAndre Hopkins, Arizona Cardinals
3. Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills
4. Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs
5. Julio Jones, Tennessee Titans
6. Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers
7. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
8. Michael Thomas, New Orleans Saints
9. DK Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks
10. A.J. Brown, Tennessee Titans

The No. 1-ranked Adams led the NFL in touchdowns last season with 18, while No. 4 Hill (15) and No. 7 Evans (13) were close behind.

In terms of receiving yardage, Diggs was the man, leading the NFL with 1,535. He was followed by Hopkins (1,407) and Justin Jefferson (1,400) — and it's safe to say the Minnesota Vikings' star rookie had some thoughts on the snub. 

Jefferson wasn't the only surprise, however. Other marquee names missing from their list include Calvin Ridley (Atlanta Falcons), Allen Robinson II (Chicago Bears), Odell Beckham Jr. (Cleveland Browns), Cooper Kupp (Los Angeles Rams), Amari Cooper (Dallas Cowboys), Adam Thielen (Vikings) and Chris Godwin (Buccaneers).

On Friday's "First Things First," Brandon Marshall shared his thoughts on how the list shook out, specifically the top three spots. 

"When I look at top wide receivers, that means you can beat man-to-man," he said. "I’m not working off quarterbacks. I’m not working off stats. DeAndre Hopkins right now is the No. 1 wide receiver in the game. He’s not the quickest, he’s not the fastest, but he’ll beat you time after time after time when it’s one-on-one, and also in the tight windows, he’s gonna make every single catch.

"Then you go to my No. 2, and this is Adams. Yes, he has an offensive-minded coach. Yes, he’s got Aaron Rodgers, but I can assure you one thing. This boy’s feet [are] something different. Adams has everything. He can play in the slot, he can play on the front side, on the backside. This dude is just different.

"And Diggs, he can easily be in the conversation to be No. 1 as well. His start and stop is next-level. The NFL’s never seen any quickness like [him] before. The dude is small, but he plays huge."

Marshall's cohost, Nick Wright, also thought the list needed a few adjustments, but he revealed that regardless of how the chips fall, the list proves one thing: The NFL has never had a better collection of pass-catching stars in its history.

"I love lists," Wright began. "I think Keenan Allen might be a touch high. I, personally, even though he was hurt, would have Odell on there. I’d probably have DK ahead of Mike Evans, but for the most part, they’ve got the bones of this right. But what I find most interesting is what this list represents as far as the undeniable fact that we are in the Golden Age of wide receivers."

Wright said that for proof of that statement, all you have to do is look at who was left off the list.

"A top 10 list [in the past] wasn't that hard to make," he said. "Now, you’re leaving awesome players off, and that, to me, speaks to how deep the position is right now."

As the 2020-21 NFL season approaches, it will be fun to watch the wealth of great receivers across the league — even those who didn't make the list. 

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Davante Adams

DeAndre Hopkins

Stefon Diggs

Tyreek Hill

Julio Jones

Keenan Allen

Mike Evans

Michael Thomas

DK Metcalf

A.J. Brown

Calvin Ridley

Allen Robinson

Odell Beckham Jr.

Cooper Kupp

Justin Jefferson

Adam Thielen

Chris Godwin

Amari Cooper

Brandon Marshall

Nick Wright

First Things First