Skip to main content

Preseason Profile: Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR

Darrius Heyward-Bey #85


College: Maryland
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 210 lbs
Arm Length: 38 5/8"
Hand Size: 9"

 

40 Yard Dash: 4.3
3 Cone Drill: 6.8
20 Yard Shuttle: 4.18
Bench Press: 16 reps
Vertical Jump: 38.5"
Broad Jump: 126"

 

The projected starter along side Moore is currently Darrius Heyward-Bey. Darrius’ road to this point has been rocky to say the least. After having a forgettable rookie season he has steadily improved his game each of the last 2 years and finally began to “breakout” last year hauling in 64 catches for 975 yards and 4 scores.

While there are still many things Heyward-Bey has to improve with his game, there are also many things to like about him. He excels at down field blocking in the running game which is very under-rated by many because it doesn’t show up in a stat line. It’s also hard to find someone to plays harder or has a better work ethic than Heyward-Bey. The improvement in his game reflects those things as well.

Much like Moore though, Heyward-Bey also has more responsibility than just his own game now. He will need to lead both verbally and by example for these younger players who are in a position he was in not too long ago. His consistency will be important this year as he tries to put it all together and become a primary target in the offense. The window for “getting up to speed” is closing for Darrius. It’s time for him to step up and reach his full potential that Al Davis saw in him back in 2009.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Looking Forward: Raiders 2012 Free Agents

Khalif Barnes - Weakest link on the offensive line with youth behind him. Raiders will look for for other options. It's not as if there aren't a dozen Khalif's on the street each year. Darryl Blackstock - Was a Chuck Bresnahan guy, but found a home on special teams. Would have to make the team as a reserve LB and special teams guy next training camp. Wouldn't be surprised to see him back as a camp body or gone entirely. Kyle Boller - Hue didn't have enough confidence to turn to Boller. Expect the Raiders to look elsewhere for a backup to Carson Palmer. Jerome Boyd - Was nothing more than a reserve and special teams player. Some good moments and some very bad ones. Camp body again and fate will depend on the defensive coordinator. Tyvon Branch - About the only consistent producer in the secondary. Raiders will want to bring him back. Desmond Bryant - He's been great in limited action and can play inside and out. Key reserve. Michael Bush - He'll find a home a...
16 comments
Read more

Oakland Raiders' Studs and Duds From Preseason Week 1

[embed]http://gty.im/484069738[/embed] The Oakland Raiders finally look like a competitive football team again. That should be the biggest takeaway from their preseason rout of the St. Louis Rams. Quarterback Derek Carr and the offense looked significantly improved from a year ago, thanks in large part to some of the studs listed below. The starting defense was still a little shaky, but there were still a few bright spots. Overall, the Raiders can feel good about their first live action of the year, especially since there appeared to be no significant injuries to come out of it. Studs Rodney Hudson Of all general manager Reggie McKenzie's offseason acquisitions, he committed the most money to center Rodney Hudson. Offensive linemen rarely get the praise they deserve, but a great offensive line as anchored in the middle can be huge for an offense. Hudson was very solid in his debut against a very good defensive front. If Hudson and the offensive line can consistently protect Carr an...
3 comments
Read more

Texans Preview with Stephanie Stradley

Stephanie Stradley, AKA TexansChick from the Houston Chronicle was kind enough to do a Q&A with us. Follower her on Twitter @StephStradley  and check out my answers to her questions on the TexansChick blog.  Big thanks to Stephanie for taking the time to answer my questions.  Raidersblog: How much of a difference has Wade Phillips made to Houston’s defense? Has  scheme played as big of a role as the additions of Joseph and Watt and a healthy Cushing? Stradley: "The biggest difference in the Wade Phillips hire is sort of a institutional confidence. The previous two defensive coordinators were first time coordinators. The Texans have had the youngest starting defenses in the league since Gary Kubiak started in 2006. Inexperienced DCs + Inexperienced Players = A defense ranked by Football Outsiders as 31st-2006, 30th-2007, 29th-2008, 20th-2009, 31st-2010. When Phillips took over, he had a clear plan of the players he did not want to retain and which ones he wanted to target in fr...
8 comments
Read more