Route Running
One of the biggest reasons it’s difficult for college receivers to translate to the NFL is route running.
College offenses will not always ask receivers to run an expanded route tree, but Penn State ran a lot of pro-style concepts and perhaps Hamilton’s greatest skill as a football player at this point is his ability to run good routes.
How to create separation and finish, by DaeSean Hamilton https://t.co/uPGHm9OtK5 pic.twitter.com/JsZaNroq75
— Sayre Bedinger (@SayreBedinger) April 30, 2018
This looks like a really simple route, and in the grand scheme of things, it is.
It’s the way Hamilton runs it compared to other players that makes him wide open by about five yards when the ball gets to him.
He gets a good release off the line of scrimmage and beats the defensive back inside, then breaks off the top of the route with a sharp cut to the middle of the field.
The defensive back was hopeless on this play.
You will see Hamilton do this a lot when watching his games. He does a great job of using foot quickness and explosiveness to win with route running.