What DOES IT TAKE TO BE a wide Receiver?
A wide receiver should have long arms, decent speed, and great hands. The receiver's job is primarily to catch the ball, but he must also be a great route runner and be able to make plays after catching the ball. The receiver should be quick enough to make sharp turns and accelerate quickly so that he can get open on a consistent basis. Jerry Rice was the exact definition of the receiver position and is the textbook standard for all receivers in the league today.
Calvin Johnson
Team: Detroit Lions #81
Height: 6'5" Weight: 236 lbs 4.35 40 yard dash time. Large hands and body give him a deep route advantage. Great agility and speed make it difficult for safeties to contain him, while his size makes him impossible to cover by corners. Uses his body to shield the ball. Runs clean routes with sharp cuts, making him it difficult for average corners to cover him. Very high vertical leap makes catching high passes easy for him. He high points the ball consistently. |
*Run clean routes with sharp cuts
How to do this:
Run your designed route accurately and without coverage. Make sure when you change directions your cuts are sharp and not sloppy; well
executed.
*High point the ball
How to do this:
When you are running to catch, turn and catch the ball at its highest point.
How to do this:
Run your designed route accurately and without coverage. Make sure when you change directions your cuts are sharp and not sloppy; well
executed.
*High point the ball
How to do this:
When you are running to catch, turn and catch the ball at its highest point.
Larry Fitzgerald
Team: Arizona Cardinals #11
Height: 6'3" Weight: 218 lbs A slower wide receiver with a 4.63 40 yard dash time, but his high leaping ability and long arms allow him to make catches over more athletic defensive backs. Strong receiver who out-muscles most defenders fairly easily. He uses this to get open where his speed would limit him. Great route runner with good body control in the air. Rarely allows defenders to get between him and the ball. Almost always high points the ball, using his size and leaping ability to ensure the catch. |
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*Great route running
How to do this:
Run your designed route cleanly and smoothly.
*Great route running
How to do this:
Run your designed route cleanly and smoothly.
A.J. Green
Team: Cincinnati Bengals #18
Height: 6'4" Weight: 207 lbs 4.48 40 yard dash time. His athleticism and size make him a large target. He uses his vertical game to go over defenders. He lacks strength, and is forced to use his length to make up for it. Not great after the catch, but can make average defenders miss in the open field. Doesn’t always high point the ball, relying more on his length than his jumping ability. This causes him to drop some passes he could catch fairly easily. |
Greg Jennings
Team: Green Bay Packers #85
Height: 5'11" Weight: 198 lbs 4.48 40 yard dash time. A shorter, shifty receiver who plays mostly "in the slot". Has great hands compliment his above average speed and agility. He uses his hands and long arms to make up for his lack of height. Runs precise routes to get open. Uses his agility to get past larger defenders, and his long arms to catch over defensive backs. Excellent ball control allows for him to keep a tight grip. His lack of leaping ability limits his value in the deep passing game. He is much more effective in the short yardage game and underneath routes. |
*Playing in the slot
How to do this:
Position yourself in the gap between the tackle and the wide receiver.
*Running precise routes to get open
How to do this:
Run a direct route; no change of directions or pivoting along the route.
*Underneath routes
How to do this:
Run underneath the linebacker or defensive backs; going underneath the coverage of the defense.
How to do this:
Position yourself in the gap between the tackle and the wide receiver.
*Running precise routes to get open
How to do this:
Run a direct route; no change of directions or pivoting along the route.
*Underneath routes
How to do this:
Run underneath the linebacker or defensive backs; going underneath the coverage of the defense.