Building The Perfect Receiver

Hall of Fame receiver Cris Carter was on a recent episode of Patrick Peterson and Bryant McFadden’s All Things Covered podcast. Among the topics discussed was Carter’s thoughts on building the perfect receiver. He combined the skills, talents, traits, and characteristics of some of the best receivers into one perfect receiver. All of Carter’s choices were from his pass-catching lifetime. He picked from those that he saw. There’s no mention of Don Hutson, Raymond Berry, or Lance Alworth. 

Cris Carter’s Perfect Receiver:

Size/Frame: Calvin Johnson

     Honorable Mention: DK Metcalf

Strength: Terrell Owens

     Honorable Mention: Sterling Sharpe

IQ: Larry Fitzgerald

Route Running: Marvin Harrison/Chad Johnson

Work Ethic/Mentality: Jerry Rice

     Honorable Mention: Michael Irvin

Hands: Cris Carter/DeAndre Hopkins

Speed: Tyreek Hill/Randy Moss

That’s a scary receiver. It inspires me to create my perfect receiver. That receiver might look something like this. 

Flea Flicker’s Perfect Receiver:

Size/Frame: Randy Moss

Strength: Cris Carter

IQ: Cris Carter

Route Running: Stefon Diggs/Adam Thielen

Work Ethic/Mentality: Cris Carter

Hands: Cris Carter

Speed: Randy Moss

The Vikings strong receiver tradition is reflected in the above receiver. Actually, my perfect receiver might look more like this. 

Flea Flicker’s Real Perfect Receiver:

Size/Frame: Julio Jones

Strength: Sterling Sharpe

IQ: Larry Fitzgerald

Route Running: Keenan Allen

Work Ethic/Mentality: Jerry Rice

Hands: Cris Carter

Speed: Tyreek Hill

I’d also add these attributes/abilities:

Release: Davante Adams

Body Control: Lynn Swann/Cris Carter/Randy Moss

In my opinion, the best catches/most difficult catches aren’t the one-handed varieties like the one Odell Beckham Jr. made that had everyone in a lather. The best/most difficult catches are the reality-defying catches that are made out of bounds yet the receiver somehow comes down in-bounds. Lynn Swann’s best Super Bowl catch was one of those. Julio Jones also made one in the Super Bowl. I never considered Swann one of the best receivers of his era. Although he was at his best when the lights were the brightest. I do think that he was one of the most gravity-defying athletes that I’ve ever seen. As for Cris Carter and Randy Moss, their ability to position themselves in such a manner that only they can make the catch was remarkable.

Blocking: Hines Ward

There have been a few receivers that have taken a special, almost twisted, liking to blocking. Hines Ward stands out. I liked that Troy Polamalu mentioned this quality of Ward’s in his Hall of Fame speech. “I’m not like any other receiver.” 

Hines Ward was a different sort of receiver and that puts him in my “perfect receiver.”