Rookie Profile: WR Chris Givens

[MauiRam]

By Nick Wagoner


Name: Chris Givens

Position: Wide Receiver

Number: 13

College: Wake Forest

From: Wylie, Texas

Height: 5’11

Weight: 198 pounds

High School Career: At Wylie High, Givens was a standout for coach Bill Howard from day one, earning serious playing time as a freshman…Played tailback for a big chunk of his high school career, including a 247-yard, four-touchdown game…While a star on the football field, Givens was equally dominant on the track, if not more…Won the District 9 5A 100 meter title in 2007 and posted the fourth fastest time in Texas in the 100 meter dash…All of that earned him scholarship offers from Kansas, North Carolina, Wisconsin and a host of others before he chose the Demon Deacons.

College Career: Redshirted in his first season in Winston-Salem and moved to wide receiver before he played a game for Wake Forest…Earned Freshman All American honors after leading all first-year players in the major college ranks with eight touchdown catches on 45 grabs for 629 yards as he also handled kickoff return duties…Moved to flanker as a sophomore and finished with 35 catches for 514 yards and four touchdowns…Had his breakthrough season as a junior in 2011 as he moved to split end and won All Atlantic Coast Conference honors for his 83-catch, 1,330-yard, nine touchdown season…Also worked briefly as a returner…Strong junior season brought his college career to a close as he declared for the draft with one year of eligibility remaining.


Need to Know: While maybe it doesn’t have much of a reputation as some sort of football factory, Wake Forest does have its share of history. Before Givens ever stepped on campus, the Demon Deacons’ single season receiving yards leader was a guy many Rams fans are familiar with and love: Ricky Proehl. Now the receivers coach for Carolina, Proehl is someone Givens credits as a mentor and whom helped encourage Givens along the way. Givens holds school records for yards in a season (1,330) and sits in the top five in career receiving yards, receptions and touchdown catches.


He Said It:

“I do know Ricky. I met him a few times. We have a pretty good relationship. He was a little salty about it at first but we’re pretty close and he was just proud of how hard I worked. He had nothing but good things to say about me.” – Givens on his relationship with Ricky Proehl and breaking his Wake Forest receiving records.

They Said It:

“(He) can really, really run and make the home run play.” – Coach Jeff Fisher on Givens’ play making ability.

“He was a fast player at the Combine. He’s a 4.3 guy on the clock but I think you better be able to figure out, like I’ve said, if he can play fast. And this guy plays very, very fast. I think that’s just going to give us a dimension. He’ll be one of our fastest receivers on our team so that’s just going to open up things for (other guys).” – GM Les Snead on the speed dimension Givens brings to the Rams.

Outlook: Instantly becomes one of the fastest wideouts on the team and will be used as a deep threat right away. His experience playing all wideout positions in college will help him adapt and fit in right away. He may not start from day one but expect Givens to become one of the team’s top deep threats and someone the offense looks to for big plays from the jump.

[HUbison]

Had his breakthrough season as a junior in 2011 as he moved to split end and won All Atlantic Coast Conference honors for his 83-catch, 1,330-yard, nine touchdown season

I did not know that. Wouldn't have pegged him as much of a SE at that size. Surely he'll be a flanker at the next level.......I assume.

Instantly becomes one of the fastest wideouts on the team and will be used as a deep threat right away.

So was Donnie Avery. I know, I know....they're two different receivers, but still; I'm just sayin'. Not sayin'......just sayin'.

[RebelYell]

So was Donnie Avery. I know, I know....they're two different receivers, but still; I'm just sayin'. Not sayin'......just sayin'.

When the discussion was Blackmon you kept arguing speed didn't matter. After the Rams drafted two speedy receivers you are still bashing speed. Get over it.

[HUbison]

When the discussion was Blackmon you kept arguing speed didn't matter. After the Rams drafted two speedy receivers you are still bashing speed. Get over it.

As Ghandi once said.......What the frick are you talking about?

[RebelYell]

As Ghandi once said.......What the frick are you talking about?

So you haven't compared every fast receiver mentioned to Avery and discounted its importance?
Or are you now claiming you never said speed wasn't important when discussing Blackmon?

[HUbison]

So you haven't compared every fast receiver mentioned to Avery and discounted its importance?
Or are you now claiming you never said speed wasn't important when discussing Blackmon?

Rebel, I have no idea what you're talking about. Nobody on the face of the earth has ever argued that speed is not important.

Take a step back; figure out who you've mixed me up with; and give it another try.

[Trevor]

Avery sucked, end of discussion.