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Hakeem Nicks: One Year Wonder or the New York Giants’ Next Great Wide Receiver?
Published: April 28, 2009
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When you see action as a starter for just one year in college, your overall ability is suspect.
Case in point: Mark Sanchez at Southern Cal.
He had one excellent year as a starter, led his team to a Rose Bowl victory, and was claimed by the New York Jets who traded up to harvest his talents.
But one year wonders are not always successful.
The Western Athletic Conference’s No. 1 football team, the Boise State Broncos, are known for having great quarterbacks. Like USC, they just seem to crawl out of the woodwork.
In 2007, Boise State University backup quarterback, Taylor Tharp was thrust into the limelight succeeding the masterful Jared Zabransky (“Z”).
Tharp took over a team that just one year prior went to the BCS—2007 Fiesta Bowl.
“Z” and company defeated the Oklahoma Sooners 43-42 in overtime in what is called, the greatest college game ever played.
Boise State finished the 2007 season ranked No. 5 by the BCS and were the nation’s only undefeated team.
Tharp had a lot to live up to.
He had a good year—won some fantastic games, but he lost the conference title and the Hawaii Bowl.
Now consider the North Carolina Tarheels’ wide receiver Hakeem Nicks.
He had a tremendous senior year, but not until Brandon Tate was injured. After that, it was pretty much all Hakeem at UNC.
On draft day this past weekend, the New York Giants drafted Nicks instead of highly regarded Kenny Britt, the wide receiver from Rutgers whom many thought the Giants would take.
The Giants wanted Nicks so badly they passed on Britt.
They held their ground by not buying into the demands of New York fans for somewhat available veterans Anquan Boldin of the Cardinals and Braylon Edwards of the Browns.
What the Giants get from Nicks is a guy without all the baggage who can truly catch the ball.
So many receivers would love to play for the Giants, but do not have the hands.
You have to be pretty awesome to begin with, as the wind that blows at Giants’ Stadium will test the very best.
For Hakeem, the winds truly did test him.
When the Giants had him over for a workout, Hakeem caught every single pass that was thrown to him.
Nicks is truly a talented receiver.
Nicks may be suspect to some, but barring a strange mishap, he along with Eli Manning, a very good draft, and a resurrected defense will help the Giants return to the Super Bowl.
