NFL Coaches, Execs, Scouts Reveal Surprising Top NFL Wide Receivers

Another thing that separates St. Brown is his willingness to do the dirty work that most wide receivers are typically reluctant or flat out resistant to, like in-line blocking and being the decoy to allow other teammates to get open targets. St. Brown has also been an integral part of the gadget play system for the Lions as he’s thrown, run, and caught touchdowns the last two seasons. 

What The Experts Say:

“Some reporting moments stick with you. When I visited Lions training camp three years ago, Jared Goff told me that whenever he's in trouble in the pocket, he thinks to look for only one receiver: St. Brown. Thirty-six regular-season wins and 340 receptions later, St. Brown continues to be Goff's first thought while forming one of the league's best tandems,” said ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

"He doesn't have the size, but he has these high-level traits: Feet, hands, instincts, run-after-catch, competitive toughness," an NFC executive said. St. Brown, who famously watched 16 receivers get drafted ahead of him in 2021, is the NFL's only player with 100 receptions and 10 receiving touchdowns in each of the past two seasons.

"Has elite football instincts for the position," an NFL coordinator said. "Understands how to attack leverage. Runs hard every play. Plays inside and outside. Makes all the tough catches on high-leverage downs. Blocks, plays physical. The only thing he doesn't do is win outside the red line [close to the sideline], but that's not how the game works anyways."

According to ESPN stats,  Lions quarterback Jared Goff boasted a remarkable 129.4 passer rating when targeting St.Brown. St. Brown’s 81.6% reception rate was the best among wide receivers with a minimum of 75 targets last season. The connection and chemistry between St. Brown and Goff is arguably the most consistent in the league, where a slew of duos are extremely productive.

St. Brown is just getting started, but could be well on his way to building a Hall of Fame résumé as his game is not overly reliant on athleticism or scheme. If this pace holds, by the time he turns 30 years old, it may not even be a discussion. It’s not pretty or flashy, but St. Brown and his game are dominating at the highest levels, and the NFL is noticing.