EFL Rookie Report #3 - Larry Fitzgerald
Position: Wide Receiver
College: Pittsburgh
Height: 6-2
Weight: 223
Hometown: Minneapolis, Minn.
OVERVIEW
Considered to have the finest hands in the college football game, Larry has simply dominated the action on the field since moving into the starting lineup early in the 2002 season … The former Minnesota Vikings ball boy became friends with Randy Moss and Cris Carter, who taught him some of the tricks of the trade … While he is only a true sophomore he attended a prep school after his senior year of high school, thus making it three years since his high school class graduated … One of the most decorated receivers in Big East Conference history, virtually everyone in the industry has heaped praise on this outstanding athlete … The Sporting News said about him, "Fitzgerald is a once-in-a-decade receiver who runs routes like an NFL vet, contorts his body like a circus freak and cranks out numbers like a switchboard operator. Fitzgerald also is the classiest person in the [college] game." … Virginia Tech's head coach Frank Beamer said, "We've played against a lot of great receivers over the years, but this guy is the best I've ever seen. His ability to go up, time a jump, and snatch the ball out of the air is the best I've seen. Last year, we were right there with him on three balls and he just went up and got 'em all for touchdowns." … The Walter Camp Player of the Year, Biletnikoff Award winner and Columbus Touchdown Club Player of the Year was a unanimous All-America selection as a sophomore … In just 26 games with the Panthers, Larry hauled in 161 passes for 2,677 yards (16.6 avg.) and 34 touchdowns … Only Antonio Bryant (173, 1999-2001) and Latef Grim (178, 1998-2000) had more receptions in a career at Pittsburgh … His 2,677 yards rank behind Grim (2,680), Dietrich Jells (3,003, 1991-95) and Bryant (3,061) … His 34 scoring grabs broke the old school all-time record of 30 by Bryant … Also holds the school record with at least one touchdown catch in 16-straight games … The first player in school history with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons receiving … His 14 games with at least 100 yards receiving broke the previous Panthers all-time record of 13, set by Bryant.
ANALYSIS
Positives:
Has a well-cut frame, with good thickness in the upper body, long, tapered legs and muscular arms … Gets a very good release off the line, using his size and swim moves to easily escape the press … Has above-average quickness off the ball, gaining ground to separate in space … Uses his long body and hip swerve to avoid, but will not hesitate to stiff-arm and drive with his legs to gain extra yardage … Sharp in his cuts, showing no wasted motions coming out of his breaks … Long strider with the ability to pull away after the catch … Shows excellent ball concentration to make the difficult catches look easy and has superb body control and leaping ability, timing the pass perfectly to get to the ball at its highest point … Very explosive going up for the jump ball, doing a perfect job of extending without consideration for his body … Big, strong open-field runner who can break tackles … Very effective on crossing patterns and vertical routes, showing enough quick moves to get deep … Willing to compete as a blocker, showing toughness and a strong hand punch when stalking linebackers in the second level … Plays at a low pad level, driving off the line instantly to get into his patterns … Not a classic burner, but can accelerate to get deep consistently … Shows fluid body control movements and a great burst in and out of his breaks … Has natural, large hands … Shows good stop-and-start action, doing a nice job of working back and sinking in underneath when the quarterback is pressured (has a great feel for the underneath throws, drawing a considerable amount of interference calls) … Sells his routes well and does a fine job using his head fakes and hip swerve to gain separation … Has an above-average post-and-corner move … Shows real good timing on deep routes, tracking the ball in over his shoulder with no problems … Knows how to body position in tight coverage to shield the defender … His initial moves off the snap compensate for a lack of blazing speed … Makes all the catches, especially when having to adjust to the poorly thrown ball … Shows above average aggression in his game and excels at catching the deep ball off fade and post routes … Will not hesitate to sell out and sacrifice himself to make the diving catches.
Negatives: Does not have top-end speed, but does a good job of accelerating past the line of scrimmage … Uses his hands well to escape the jam, but needs to get a little more physical with defenders trying to knock him off stride in deep routes … More of a one-speed runner, who has to rely on hip swerve and head fakes to sell and con the defensive backs (makes up for a lack of speed with his athleticism, size, technique, hands and body control) … Does a good job of shielding the defender, but does not have the strength to drive through and finish blocks … Doesn't have that extra gear speedwise but more than makes up for it with his athleticism, size, technique, hands, body control and intangibles.
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