“He Has Juice”
June 3rd, 2014
Bucs WR Robert Herron has jets for legs.
When Bucs training camp begins this summer, for the folks who want to come out and gawk at sweaty cheerleaders get an early glimpse of the Pewter Pirates, a cool thing to keep an eye out for is Robert Herron.
The rookie wide receiver from the powerhouse program known as Wyoming is fast. Lightning fast. Joe loves watching him on crossing patterns. When Herron throws it into overdrive coming across the field, defensive backs can’t hang with him. He gets separation each time on these patterns.
“He can go. He has juice!” wide receivers coach Andrew Hayes-Stoker said today of the sixth-round draft pick. “Defensive backs should be scared of his juice.”
Somewhere, Chucky has a devilish grin on his face. And Bucs fans should, too. Herron (pronounced like the lake, “Huron“). This guy’s wheels could be a game-changer.
“He has done a good job,” Hayes-Stoker said. “You definitely see the explosive ability right away. You see the leaping ability and you see the speed. He has to learn how to tempo his speed in order to be an asset. As far as the mental aspect of the game, he’s done a really nice job. He just has to refine it and shape it down as far as getting some of the details down. As far as the tempo of the game, refine the details.
“He has to learn how to use [his blazing wheels]. Use some of it and then — boom! — at the very end of the route, burst on a guy. Just for him, learn how to use [it]. It’s like having a car with 600 horsepower. You give it to a new driver and sometimes, that’s a lot of power to have. He just has to learn how to control it and how to use it.”
Joe thinks this is very cool. The Bucs have their tall receivers — “the Dunkaneers” — but they are not exactly speed demons.
What a great change-of-pace receiver Herron could be. Joe does know that defensive backs, at least Bucs defensive backs, just cannot cover him on crossing patterns. Herron gets separation each time.
June 3rd, 2014 at 2:17 pm
Finally have a burner
June 3rd, 2014 at 2:21 pm
yes,
June 3rd, 2014 at 2:36 pm
If only McCown had a arm for such a receiver.
June 3rd, 2014 at 2:43 pm
Joe,
Is this “overdrive” what separates him from other just as fast receivers?
June 3rd, 2014 at 2:48 pm
Sounds like we don’t have a burner but a jet afterburner
June 3rd, 2014 at 2:50 pm
Bob:
Not sure what you want to call it but when Herron runs crossing patterns, he pulls away from defenders. No more complex than that. Overdrive. Kick-start. Burst. Explode. Launch. Liftoff. Ignite. You pick the word.
June 3rd, 2014 at 2:55 pm
He’s sort of in the Joey Galloway mold, possessing straight line speed, but 2 inches shorter. While DB’s are busy with Evans, Jackson, Jenkins, or Wright, Herron will be taking the top off quite often I hope.
June 3rd, 2014 at 3:02 pm
Once the games begin there will be an opposing safety who sees it being worthwhile to cut off the route and lay an illegal hit on Herron to put the scare in him about going across the middle. It may look pretty in practice but games are an entirely different thing. Remember Dexter Jackson? Yeah…me too.
June 3rd, 2014 at 3:09 pm
I want to see a 5 receiver set: Demps and Herron going deep, Wright across the middle and Evans and Jackson on crossing routes. Either Demps or Herron would be open long
June 3rd, 2014 at 3:17 pm
Watching him in college I would compare him to a Wes welker if anyone. Very quick burst to get open over the middle. But he will not straight line outrun a faster db. But side to side in different routes. His “sudden quickness” will amaze. He will be fun to watch.
June 3rd, 2014 at 3:31 pm
Quickness is the right word. Thanks, eric
June 3rd, 2014 at 4:52 pm
Can he catch the ball good? I didnt watch him play
June 3rd, 2014 at 5:32 pm
Remember these are limited contact drills where the db’s are not allowed to play press coverage. Hopefully, he has the technique to get off the line and run his route to go with the speed. Once the pads come on these things tend to favor the defense at first.
June 3rd, 2014 at 6:10 pm
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Dallas,
While I’d normally wholeheartedly agree with you.. ever since the Commissioner got served with the concussion lawsuit and now “cares” about player safety…. tackling too hard is now a 15 yard penalty and a fineable offense. The football we grew up with is a thing of the past. That being said, that should bode well for Herron.
Rob
June 3rd, 2014 at 6:42 pm
This is exciting. We have tall guys on the edges, a big TE, and a shinny new pass catching RB from WVU. All the pieces are there, but for the same reason I would tell every friend in my fantasy league to draft a Bucs offensive playmaker is the same reason I’d draft a NE TE before any player on the Bucs; we have no one to throw to em. Josh and mike are quality backups, but neither are perineal. Just like everything rode on #5 going into last year, no team gets anywhere without a quality QB. He will make or break your playoff chances and is the reason teams go deep into January…
June 3rd, 2014 at 7:47 pm
Perineum? Are you sure you know what this means.
June 3rd, 2014 at 10:01 pm
Is he really that much of a burner or are they really saying we have speed all over the field except at cornerback?
June 3rd, 2014 at 11:03 pm
Swaggy64,
Usually slot WR don’t face press. That’s more on the outside.
June 4th, 2014 at 2:03 am
Perennial*
Ha, pun intended?
June 4th, 2014 at 5:41 am
Not sure what to tell you other than what Joe has witnessed with his own eyes. On crossing patterns (Joe has been very specific about this qualifier), Herron simply pulls away from defenders.
Feel free to come to your own conclusions as to why.