1996 Wide Receiver Draft Class

Only three receivers from the famed 1996 draft class are still in the NFL, and all three are on terrible teams. Perhaps that class of standouts is finally on its last leg. Recent reports about arguably the most successful receiver of the class, Terrell Owens, being in drastic decline in Buffalo are surfacing, and while having to play in Buffalo might be fate's punishment for all his antics of the years, let's see how he stacks up with the rest of his '96 draftmates.

'96 Wide Receiver	Rec	Yards	TD	Played Thru	Now...
Marvin Harrison	1,102	14,580	128	2008	Out of the game after gun problems. Peyton Manning and the undefeated Colts seem to be adjusting fine.
Terrell Owens	966	14,337	140	present	Wasting away in Buffalo, but at least they're selling tickets, right?!
Muhsin Muhammad	829	11,062	61	present	Back in Carolina after stint in Chicago, but far from the 2003 Panthers that went to SB XXXVIII
Keyshawn Johnson	814	10,571	64	2006	ESPN analyst who made the job permanent after saying he'd help mold new Panther draft pick Dwayne Jarrett. Johnson was cut the next day.
Eric Moulds	764	9,995	49	2007	Cut in camp by Tampa Bay Bucs in 2008.
Amani Toomer	668	9,497	54	2008	Signed by Chiefs in August only to be cut before the year thus making him a 1-team guy his who career. Enjoy the ring.
Bobby Engram	650	7,751	35	present	Limping along in KC after spending 8 years of his prime with the then-high-flying Seahawks.
Joe Horn	603	8,744	58	2007	Looking for his cell phone. Can you hear me now?
Terry Glenn	593	8,823	44	2007	Serving as Intern Coach with the Dolphins and Tony Sporano, who ran the offense in Glenn's time with the Cowboys.
Eddie Kennison	548	8,345	42	2008	Out of the game after a hokey-pokey year with St. Louis in 2008.

First of all, what a hell of a class. It's odd seeing how some of these guys ended their careers while three are still limping along, clinging to the glory they once found. Each of the three receivers still active from this class participated in a Super Bowl, and each is currently struggling in 2009 as their teams are a combined 5-12.

Owens is currently fifth all time in receiving yards, with Marvin Harrison and Tim Brown well within striking distance. Only the still-active Isaac Bruce (15,111) and Owens' former teammate Jerry Rice (22,895) remain ahead of him. He's sixth in receptions and second in touchdowns (one ahead of Randy Moss as of this week, although neither will catch Rice). It's surprising not to see any contender make a serious play for Owens in the attempt to have him do for a contender what Randy Moss did in New England, be reborn, rejuvenated, and retaliatory on the rest of the league.

If this season is the swan song for the 1996 draft class, they gave it a hell of run.