Tez johnson Becomes First Seventh-Roundโค Pick in NFL History to Lead โฃLeague in Receiving Yards
In a stunning turn of events, rookie wide receiverโ Tez Johnson of the Carolina Panthers has ascended to the top of the NFL’s receiving yards leaderboard, becoming the first seventh-roundโฃ draft pick inโ league history to achieve the feat. Johnson currently boasts 749 receiving โyards, narrowly edging out Buccaneers’ receiver Emeka Egbuka (748) headingโฃ into Monday Night football.
Johnson’s improbable rise underscores the evolving landscape of NFL talent evaluation and the potential for overlooked prospects to make an immediate impact. While traditionally consideredโค longshots, seventh-round selections โคrarely contribute considerably as rookies, let alone lead โthe league in a โmajor statistical category. johnson’s success challenges conventional wisdom andโ offers hope to โฃundrafted and late-round players across the league. The panthers’ decisionโ to draft Johnson, โand his subsequent performance,โ could influence future draftโข strategies, promptingโฃ teams to more closely scrutinize โpotential gems hidden in the later rounds.
The NFL’sโ rookie receiving yards leaderboard,through Sunday’s games,currently stands as follows:
- Tez Johnson,Panthers: 749
- Emeka Egbuka,Buccaneers:โค 748
- Tyler Warren (TE),Colts: 662
- Orondeโ Gadsden II (TE),Chargers: 507
- Harold Fannin (TE),Browns: 462
other notable rookie performances โthis weekโ included R.J. Harvey (Broncos), โคJayden Higgins (Texans), โand Ashton Jeanty (Raiders), each recording 4 receptions.Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield, before exiting with an injury, completed nine of 19 passes for 41โ yards andโ a touchdown, demonstrating his ability to convert crucial third downsโ with his legs,โ ranking third in the NFL with โค14โ first downs gained โon โthird-down runs. Mayfield also leads all quarterbacks with at least 10 runs on โthird downโข in conversion rate.