RENTON, Wash. -- The season is being viewed as the year of the rookie receivers in the NFL, but so far, Paul Richardson and Kevin Norwood, the Seattle Seahawks' rookie receivers haven’t had much of an impact.
Richardson, Seattle's second-round pick out of Colorado, was viewed as one of the fastest receivers in the 2014 draft with legitimate 4.3 speed. Richardson was expected to be a deep threat, but his longest reception is 11 yards, and he has only 13 catches for 96 yards, despite playing 155 snaps over the past three games.
Norwood, a fourth-round pick out of Alabama, has four receptions for 19 yards.
Several rookie receivers who were selected after Richardson have much better stats this season, including Arizona Cardinals slot receiver John Brown. He has 34 receptions for 468 yards and five touchdowns. Brown was selected in the third round, the 91st pick overall.
"We knew about him," Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said of Brown. "The name came up because his speed was so obvious and all that. They got a great pick in him. Gosh darn, he’s done a fantastic job. Really explosive, just as you’ve seen in the highlights, but when you see him play after play you really appreciate what the guy can do. He’s made a lot of big plays for them this year."
Three receivers selected below Richardson in the second round (45th overall) also are having good rookie years. Here are their numbers:
Green Bay’s Davante Adams (Fresno State, 53rd) -- 27 receptions, 286 yards, three TDs.
Jacksonville’s Allen Robinson (Penn State, 61st) -- 48 receptions, 548 yards, two TDs.
Miami’s Jarvis Landry (LSU, 63rd) -- 42 receptions, 400 yards, three TDs.