Michigan State wide receiver Devin Thomas expected to be a first-round selection in the 2008 NFL draft. So did Oklahoma wide receiver Malcolm Kelly, as did Southern Cal tight end Fred Davis.

All were stunned to slide into the second round — and all were as surprised to wind up on the same team. Washington built its receiving corps of the future in one round of one draft last April when the Redskins selected Thomas with the 34th overall pick, Davis the 48th pick and Kelly at 51.

"It was just one of those years where everything fell right for us," Redskins director of personnel Vinny Cerrato said.

Wide receiver was atop Washington's wish list heading into the draft, and the Redskins figured to get the best one on the board with the 21st overall pick in Thomas.

But when Atlanta called offering two second-rounders and a fourth for the right to move up, the Redskins relinquished the 21st pick.

"When we traded back, we knew we were giving up Devin Thomas," Cerrato said.

But the wide receivers were sliding as a group and, despite a perceived lack of speed, the Redskins did like Kelly. More importantly, quarterback Jason Campbell liked Kelly. The Redskins brought Campbell to a private workout on the Oklahoma campus to throw to Kelly.

"He covers a lot of ground," Campbell told Cerrato on the flight back home. "He doesn't seem like he's slow."

But when the Redskins went on the clock with the 34th overall pick, lo and behold, Thomas was still there.

"We were shocked," Cerrato said.

There was no longer a need to consider Kelly. Thomas was faster (4.43 clocking in the 40) and more productive (30 more catches for 400 more yards) than Kelly in 2007 plus he's an elite return specialist.

When the Redskins went on the clock again at 48, the No. 1 tight end on their draft board was still available. New head coach and offensive guru Jim Zorn wanted to stockpile offensive weapons, so the Redskins selected Davis, the Mackey Award winner as the best tight end in college football.

"We had him in the first round," Cerrato said of the Redskins' projection.

When it came time to pick again at 51, the best value on the draft board surprisingly was Kelly, whom the Redskins would have taken at 34 had Thomas and defensive end Philip Merling been gone. So taking Kelly 17 picks later was an automatic.

"All three have a chance to play early," Zorn said. "They all have a chance to contribute on offense and on special teams."

And all three are eager to contribute. All three believe they were wronged on draft day and are eager to vindicate themselves.

"We talk about it all the time," Kelly said. "But no matter where you were drafted, you still have to go out and show them the type of player you are. They talk about the money you lost. But if you do what you have to do, you can get a bigger deal next time."

Campbell is 26, Davis 22 and Kelly and Thomas 21. They will have plenty of time to grow together — and all expect bigger deals the next time.