Ole Miss Football: Former Rebels wide receiver duo could join exclusive club

Two former Ole Miss football stars have the potential to make history. Will wide receivers A.J. Brown and D.K. Metcalf both be first round picks?

Ole Miss football could make some history this year. Quarterbacks, pass rushers and offensive lineman have long been the most sought-after position groups in the NFL Draft. That figures to be the case again when the 2019 NFL Draft begins on Thursday, April 25.

There could be as many as four or five players drafted at each of those positions, leaving less room for the skill position players. Wide receivers and running backs might make the headlines, but they are often viewed as replaceable, at least to some degree.

Only the truly elite can crack those stringent assumptions. For that reason, it’s rare to see anyone team produce multiple first-round picks at the same skill position, be it running back or wide receiver. Ole Miss is looking to buck that trend with A.J. Brown and D.K. Metcalf.

Brown and Metcalf have been bounced around draft boards this spring, but most experts have the duo off the board in the first 40 or so selections. Brown dazzled in college and has captured the attention of film junkies and analyst. Metcalf didn’t have quite the same level of on-field production, but his freaky combine results have NFL teams drooling over his untapped potential.

Three different teams have produced two first-round receivers in the NFL Draft

2007 – LSU – Dwayne Bowe (No. 23, Kansas City Chiefs ), Craig Davis (No. 30, San Diego Chargers)
2007 – Ohio State – Ted Ginn Jr.(No. 9, Miami Dolphins), Anthony Gonzalez (No. 32, Indianapolis Colts)
1997 – Florida – Ike Hilliard (No. 7, New York Giants), Reidel Anthony (No. 16, Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

Brown and Metcalf are both being billed as first-round talents. If NFL teams agree, they could add their names to an exclusive list and achieve a feat which hasn’t been matched in more than a decade.