WR · pick 23 — first ever wide receiver at #23 (1984)

WR·pick 23

FIRST WR EVER DRAFTED AT #23

Louis Lipps

Drafted by PIT — GM Dick Haley · Southern Miss

1984

WRs drafted at #23 in NFL history

most recent: Matthew Golden (GB, 2025)

How rare was this draftigami?

Trained on every pick through 1983, the model gave a wide receiver at #23 a 9.6% chance in 1984.

Wide receiver at #23, year by year

Each year's estimate uses only that year's draft and the years before it — no peeking ahead. The line smooths across neighboring picks and seasons so a single oddball draft doesn't dominate. The shaded band is the model's 90% uncertainty range.

Peak: 15.1% · 2027 model: 12.8%

Surrounding picks · 1984 draft

#18SDon RogersCLE — GM Art Modell/staff
#19OGRon SoltIND — GM Jim Irsay/staff
#20TEDavid LewisDET — GM Russ Thomas
#21OTJohn AltKC — GM Jim Schaaf
#22CBTerry TaylorSEA — GM Mike McCormack
#24LBTodd ShellSF — GM John McVay
#25LBBilly CannonDAL — GM Tex Schramm
#26RBGreg BellBUF — GM Stew Barber
#27OGWilliam RobertsNYG — GM George Young
#28OTBrian BladosCIN — GM Mike Brown / Duke Tobin

Drafted at this same coordinate later · 7 picks

2025Matthew GoldenGB — GM Brian Gutekunst · Texas
2024Brian ThomasJAX — GM Trent Baalke · LSU
2023Jordan AddisonMIN — GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah · USC
2016Laquon TreadwellMIN — GM Rick Spielman · Mississippi
2007Dwayne BoweKC — GM Carl Peterson · LSU
1991Randal HillMIA — GM Don Shula · Miami (FL)
1985Jessie HesterLV — GM Al Davis · Florida St.

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