It sounds like a Hollywood movie script, which is to say, too good to be true.

A dual-sport athlete receives numerous scholarship offers from Division I schools to play the first national sport of Canada, which surprisingly isn’t ice hockey.

After an extremely successful lacrosse career at Penn State, he decides to scratch his football itch with the one year of eligibility he has remaining. Although, he hasn’t played competitive football since high school, he nonetheless enrolls at Monmouth University to play one season.

The following summer the wide receiver, unsurprisingly, goes undrafted. However, this does not deter him from his goal.

He tries out for five NFL teams in as many seasons, but fails to crack the final 53-man roster until his fourth stop.

He diligently worked his way from obscurity and was rewarded for his efforts when he recently signed a lucrative contract to play for the New England Patriots. This fall he will be receiving passes from Tom Brady (minus the first four games of the season).

This isn’t a Hollywood script, it is the life story of NFL wide receiver Chris Hogan.

You may remember Hogan from his brief stint in Miami, where he gained notoriety for the nickname his teammates gave him during the filming of HBO’s Hard Knocks.

Reggie Bush dubbed Hogan as “7-Eleven” because he is “always open.” However, this episode of NFL recognition for Hogan was fleeting.

NFL Huddle - Chris Hogan of 'Hard Knocks' cut by Miami Dolphins. Read it now at http://t.co/WLbeXDh9

— NFL HUDDLE (@NFLHuddle) September 12, 2012

Now that Hogan is a starting receiver, he still realizes what got him into the enviable position he currently occupies in Foxboro.

“When I first came into the league it was based off of pure athleticism. I was raw. Playing receiver in the league is completely different than in college. You have to master your craft, be so much more precise,” Hogan said.

Walter Payton is credited with stating, “When you're good at something, you'll tell everyone. When you're great at something, they'll tell you.”

If that is the case, then Hogan should be considered great. The Buffalo Bills wide receivers coach Sanjay Lal praised Hogan’s route-running ability and work ethic during his tenure with the Bills.

“In terms of the route-running, he is one of the fastest to pick up all the small technique things we teach. And then no one works harder than him,” Lal said.

This drill is one of the ways your players can outwork others to rise up the depth charts and become a difference-makers on the field.

Purpose of the Drill

The purpose of this drill is to use the defensive line pass rush hoops to teach wide receivers how to effectively and efficiently run the speed out.

Drill Setup

Place a wide receiver in normal alignment, either on the ball or off the ball. The width of the field between the aligned wide reciever and the sideline is determined by your playbook. 

Ten yards up-field from the wide receiver, place a defensive line pass rush hoop flat on the ground.

The hoop will be utilized by the wide receiver to guide them through the rolling run of a speed out, rather than a typical hard brake.

Key Coaching Points

After the whistle is blown, players will accelerate up-field to the designated landmark at 10 yards depth.

Once the player reaches the 10-yard designation, instead of coming under control to prepare for a 90-degree break, they will continue to move their feet, drop their outside shoulder and run through a rolling cut toward the sideline.

Players who perfect this drill will be able to run it without decreasing speed throughout the duration of the route. 

Key points that wide receiver should keep in mind while running the drill:

• Hug the hoop
• Stay in tight
• Inside hip and shoulder are low while accelerating toward the sideline

This route is uses pure speed, rather than a traditional 9-degree break, to beat a defensive back.

 

SEE ALSO: Skills and Drills: Northwestern Wildcats press coverage towel drill – wide receivers

SEE ALSO: Skills and Drills: Miami Dolphins cone drills for running backs and wide receivers