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2014 NFL Draft: Looking at the first round 10 years later

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2014 NFL Draft: Looking at the first round 10 years later

Sep 7, 2014; Tampa, FL, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin (13) reacts and smiles after he catches the ball for a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Carolina Panthers defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20-14. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The No. 20 overall pick, wide receiver Brandin Cooks by the New Orleans Saints, turned out pretty well. While he’s bounced around a few teams, Cooks has started over 125 games and caught over 600 passes in a solid NFL career that’s still going. After Cooks and No. 21 pick Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, a solid starting safety for several years, the 2014 draft class hit a bit of a dead zone.

22. Johnny Manziel – out of the league in two years (see Cleveland section above)

23. Dee Ford, EDGE, Chiefs – one Pro Bowl season, out of the league after 2021

24. Darqueze Dennard, CB, Bengals – started 30 games as a nondescript slot CB, out of the league since 2021

25. Jason Verrett – see injury section above

26. Marcus Smith, DE, Eagles – never started a game, managed 6.5 sacks in five seasons

27. Deone Bucannon, S, Cardinals – struggled badly before moving to LB, where he had a couple of decent seasons before washing out after the 2020 campaign with the Buccaneers

28. Kelvin Benjamin, WR, Panthers – plus-sized wideout had an impressive rookie year (73 catches, 1,008 yards) before tailing off considerably by 2018, his final NFL season

29. Dominique Easley – see injury section above

That’s a prolonged drought of success, for all sorts of different reasons across the players taken there.

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