The idea of USC wide receiver Marqise Lee not getting selected in the first round of the NFL draft would produce laughter a year ago. It was still considered foolish in December when Lee enjoyed a successful Las Vegas Bowl.

But NFL teams spent the past four months dissecting Lee and passed on the 2012 Biletnikoff winner during Thursday’s first round of the draft. Not even former USC coach Pete Carroll, the current Seattle Seahawks coach, took Lee as he traded his pick.

And two former Pac-12 coaches, Philadelphia Eagles coach Chip Kelly and San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh, also passed.

Many believed Kelly would select Lee, who caught 20 passes for 344 yards and three touchdowns when Kelly coached at Oregon.

Perhaps the ultimate irony is that Oregon State wide receiver Brandin Cooks, buried in Lee’s shadow a year ago, was selected 20th by the New Orleans Saints, a team many projected Lee to go to in mock drafts.

“His size was probably a concern, he was a little smaller than other receivers or not as fast as guys like Cooks,” said an AFC South coach that asked not to be identified. “He’ll be another second-rounder like (former USC wide receiver) Robert Woods.”

Five wide receivers were taken in the first round, including Florida State’s Kelvin Benjamin by the Carolina Panthers. Benjamin was projected lower than Lee in mock drafts but is 6-foot-5, a tall target for Cam Newton.

“He’s not the tall target like Benjamin,” the AFC South coach said. “They wanted someone big for (quarterback) Cam Newton. Lee will be OK if he gets picked (in the second round).”

Lee was at Radio City Music Hall in New York for the draft. He was unavailable for comment Thursday night.

The fact he slipped will raise questions about the distractions that faced Lee during his junior year with former USC coach Lane Kiffin getting fired, a knee injury in the fifth game and three coaches in a single season after interim coach Ed Orgeron resigned and was replaced by offensive coordinator Clay Helton.

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