Do wide receivers have to be fast?

Having speed as a wide receiver will help you outrun the opposition, but it isn’t the only skill that you need.

When it comes to speed, you need to be fast in straight lines and on angles.

You also need to have the ability to accelerate and decelerate strategically when running your routes.

Why do you need this?

As a wide receiver, your primary goal is to get into open space so that you can receive the ball.

This means you need to outrun or outwit the defense.

Wide receivers should have a fast acceleration.

It’s more important for the wide receiver to reach their top speed before the opposition can. This means the wide receiver should improve their acceleration and explosive power over 10, 20, 30 and 40 yards.

In addition to that, the wide receiver should know how to accelerate and decelerate using the routes to get into open space.

Please keep in mind that speed provides an advantage, but the footballer needs to have the well-rounded skills to execute the wide-receiver position correctly.

References

Quora discussion

Bleacher Report assessment on speed with wide receivers

AJ Green’s tips for becoming an elite wide receiver.

Want to become a better wide receiver?