How To Play Wide Receiver
What good is throwing a football if no one catches it? The wide receiver is the primary target of a quarterback. Find out what it takes to be an elite receiver.
Step 1: Take A Stance
A wide receiver's stance starts with his feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, his hands should touch his knees, then hang comfortably. His inside foot should be back slightly and resting that back foot on his toes.
Step 2: Blast Off
Explode at the snap of the ball. It's important to start fast and be efficient. If the defensive back is trying to disrupt the timing of his route, a wide receiver will make one move off the line of scrimmage to shed him. If he tries too many moves, the delay alone will achieve the defenders goal of slowing him down.
Step 3: Know Your Route
As the ball approaches, the wide receiver reaches up to it. He wants to catch the ball at its highest point to insure that he is the first one who can catch it.
To catch the ball, a wide receiver brings his hands together, touching the thumbs and index fingers to form a triangular shape. The ball should land within that shape. After all, catching a football is the most delicate act conducted on a football field. Great receivers are praised for having "soft hands" - a gentle grip to pull in the ball.
Step 4: Don't Stop Now
Once he catches the football, the receiver pulls it in and cradles the ball. He places one end in the crook of his elbow and clutches the nose of the ball between his first and middle fingers. Now it's time to run. A wide receiver often gets the ball in an open field and every step he takes is a yard closer to the end zone.