Examining the vital details of receiving at the boundary. 

Unless I’ve missed something, Austin Carr isn’t a rare athlete within the spectrum of NFL wide receiver prospects. The Northwestern Wildcat is among the pack of receiver prospects I watch every year:

• Between 5’10” and 6’1″
• Between 190-205 lbs.
• Enough speed to catch a go route of 30-40 yards and maintain pace with a cornerback.
• Enough quickness to accelerate past a linebacker or safety and maintain that advantage for at least 15-20 yards.
• Reliable hands on routes where the ball arrives within a catch radius no greater than arm’s length from their torso.

The determining factor that helps some of these players separate from the pack is detail. Small details that take a lot of practice to get right.

No matter what field you enter in life, the very best are those who have mastered the details of the job and made them second nature so they can focus on the unusual matters that occur (and usually knock the less skilled off their game).

Here are three plays from Carr at the boundary. Each target reveals details the receiver must acquire, refine, or develop greater consistency if he wants a shot at a long career in the NFL.

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