Chris Godwin Keeps Making the NFL Pay

A third-round pick in 2017, Godwin has become one of the league's top pass-catchers.

83 players, 10 of them wide receivers, were selected before Chris Godwin in the 2017 NFL draft.

Three years later, he's playing like someone who remembers.

In his 11th game of the 2019 season, Godwin torched the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday to the tune of seven receptions, 184 yards and a pair of touchdowns, taking him over 1,000 yards on the season. Sunday's performance was the third time Godwin has topped 150 yards receiving in a game this season.

Only two of the receivers taken ahead of him in 2016, Juju Smith-Schuster and Cooper Kupp, have topped 1,000 yards in a season. Four of those receivers still don't have 1,000 receiving yards yet in their NFL careers. 

It was the @CGtwelve_ show in ATL 🙌#TBvsATL | @Buccaneers pic.twitter.com/2AU54FFXpY

— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) November 24, 2019

After Sunday's double-dip in the end zone, Godwin leads the NFL with nine touchdown receptions this season, and his 1,071 yards are second only to Michael Thomas. The only other 1,000-yard receiver in the NFL so far this season? Godwin's Tampa Bay teammate, Mike Evans, who also crossed the threshold in Sunday's game.

While there may have been bigger, faster receivers who enticed NFL teams on draft weekend, the complete skill set Godwin displayed at Penn State has translated to the next level. His polished technique, refined route-running ability, reliable hands, and even his prowess as a blocker has made him one of the NFL's most well-rounded pass-catchers.

While the New York Jets and Denver Broncos preferred the likes of ArDarius Stewart and Carlos Henderson, the Bucs landed one of the NFL's best receivers. Considering they could have taken him in the previous two rounds, Godwin's own team even has some explaining to do.

Godwin has plenty of reasons to play with a chip on his shoulder, and in his third season, he's already making the entire league pay for doubting him.