Top 25 NFL wide receivers of the 21st century

18. Anquan Boldin

In an era that has been full of players that are flashy and defined the generation in terms of trash talk, Anquan Boldin was a refreshing taste of old-school football. Boldin is easily one of the toughest receivers ever. The man had his face broken and came back just a few weeks later.

Aside from being a cyborg, Boldin was just a fantastic receiver. In his first career game, he destroyed the Lions secondary. Boldin caught 10 passes for 217 yards and two touchdowns. The Cardinals still found a way to lose the game, but it was clear from game No. 1 that Boldin was a force to be reckoned with.

He was a Pro Bowler as a rookie, catching 101 passes for over 1,300 yards and eight touchdowns. He would go on to amass seven seasons of 1,000 yards receiving over his 14 year career, as well as being named a Pro Bowler on three occasions.

In terms of skill and accomplishments, Anquan Boldin is one of the most under-appreciated receivers of all time. He was consistent, constantly put up good numbers, and was quietly one of the best receivers of the last 20 years.