A combination of being a stat nerd, growing increasingly tired of all the fuss over not acquiring Anquan Boldin and claims that Bowe will never be more than a good #2 receiver has driven me to finally research something I have been curious of for most of this off-season.  I see an unlimited amount of potential in Bowe that can make him nearly every bit as good as Andre Johnson.  I wanted to compare Bowe’s stats from his first three seasons to those of other (good) first round picks from their first three years to see if my hope in him is justified or overly optimistic.  Here is my data…

Dwayne Bowe’s stats after 3 seasons:
Totals: 43 games, 203 catches, 2606 yards, 16 touchdowns, 131 first downs
Averages per game: 4.72 catches, 60.60 yards, 0.37 touchdowns, 3.04 first downs

Here are the stats of receivers taken in round one since 1996 (who actually had good careers)…

Keyshawn Johnson (1st overall in 1996)
Totals: 46 games, 216 catches, 2938 yards, 23 touchdowns, 152 first downs
Averages per game: 4.69 catches, 63.86 yards, 0.50 touchdowns, 3.30 first downs

Marvin Harrison (19th overall in 1996)
Totals: 44 games, 196 catches, 2478 yards, 21 touchdowns, 129 first downs
Averages per game: 4.45 catches, 56.31 yards, 0.47 touchdowns, 2.93 first downs

Eric Moulds (24th overall in 1996)
Totals: 48 games, 116 catches, 1941 yards, 11 touchdowns, 83 first downs
Averages per game: 2.41 catches, 40.43 yards, 0.22 touchdowns, 1.72 first downs

Randy Moss (21st overall in 1998)
Totals: 48 games, 226 catches, 4163 yards, 43 touchdowns, 161 first downs
Averages per game: 4.70 catches, 86.72 yards, 0.89 touchdowns, 3.35 first downs

Torry Holt (6th overall in 1999)
Totals: 48 games, 215 catches, 3786 yards, 19 touchdowns, 150 first downs
Averages per game: 4.47 catches, 78.87 yards, 0.39 touchdowns, 3.12 first downs

Plaxico Burress (8th overall in 2000)
Totals: 44 games, 166 catches, 2606 yards, 13 touchdowns, 125 first downs
Averages per game: 3.77 catches, 59.22 yards, 0.29 touchdowns, 2.84 first downs

Santana Moss (16th overall in 2001)
Totals: 36 games, 106 catches, 1578 yards, 14 touchdowns, 71 first downs
Averages per game: 2.94 catches, 43.83 yards, 0.38 touchdowns, 1.97 first downs

Reggie Wayne (30th overall in 2001)
Totals: 45 games, 144 catches, 1899 yards, 11 touchdowns, 103 first downs
Averages per game: 3.2 catches, 42.2 yards, 0.24 touchdowns, 2.28 first downs

Andre Johnson (3rd overall in 2003)
Totals: 45 games, 208 catches, 2806 yards, 12 touchdowns, 138 first downs
Averages per game: 4.62 catches, 62.35 yards, 0.26 touchdowns, 3.06 first downs

Larry Fitzgerald (3rd overall in 2004)
Totals: 45 games, 230 catches, 3135 yards, 24 touchdowns, 155 first downs
Averages per game: 5.11 catches, 69.66 yards, 0.53 touchdowns, 3.44 first downs

Lee Evans (13th overall in 2004)
Totals: 48 games, 178 catches, 2878 yards, 24 touchdowns, 120 first downs
Averages per game: 3.70 catches, 59.95 yards, 0.50 touchdowns, 2.50 first downs

Braylon Edwards (3rd overall in 2005)
Totals: 42 games, 173 catches, 2685 yards, 25 touchdowns, 117 first downs
Averages per game: 4.11 catches, 63.92 yards, 0.59 touchdowns, 2.78 first downs

Roddy White (27th overall in 2005)
Totals: 48 games, 142 catches, 2154 yards, 9 touchdowns, 94 first downs
Averages per game: 2.95 catches, 44.87 yards, 0.18 touchdowns, 1.95 first downs

Now here are the stats of the two receivers drafted before Bowe in 2007...

Calvin Johnson (2nd overall in 2007)
Totals: 45 games, 193 catches, 3071 yards, 21 touchdowns, 136 first downs
Averages per game: 4.28 catches, 68.24 yards, 0.46 touchdowns, 3.02 first downs

Ted Ginn Jr. (9th overall in 2007)
Totals: 48 games, 128 catches, 1664 yards, 5 touchdowns, 79 first downs
Averages per game: 2.66 catches, 34.66 yards, 0.10 touchdowns, 1.64 first downs
* has 2 rushing touchdowns, 1 punt return touchdown and 2 kick return touchdowns: makes overall average = 0.20 touchdowns per game

Among this list, only Fitzgerald averaged more catches per game than Bowe after their first three seasons.  Only Randy Moss, Fitzgerald and Braylon Edwards averaged more touchdowns per game than Bowe (and he tied with Lee Evans).  And finally, only Keyshawn, Randy Moss, Torry Holt, Andre Johnson and Fitzgerald moved the chains more times per game than Bowe.

BE PATIENT CHIEFS FANS, OPEN YOUR EYES, AND BEGIN TO SEE IN BOWE THE SAME THINGS THAT HALEY SEES IN HIM TOO.