Detroit Lions Depth Chart: WR Jarett Dillard

The Depth Chart series on Side Lion Report takes a closer look at some of the football players who may go unnoticed on the Detroit Lions depth chart. Be sure to follow this series if you are interested in learning about some of the lesser known players that the Lions are bringing to training camp on July 23.

Jarett Dillard

Height: 5-11

Weight: 190

Age: 26

Born: December 21, 1985

College: Rice

Position: WR

Jersey #: TBA

SLR Says:

Jarett Dillard has some competition in his attempt to make the final 53-man roster. He has to beat out Stefan Logan, Maurice Stovall, and a host of other recently signed free agent wide receivers for that fifth and final spot on the roster. Currently, Logan and Stovall have the upper hand because they have played in the Lions’ system and are familiar with the playbook already; however, Dillard will be competing for the fifth wide receiver roster spot and will most likely never see game reps at the position. Dillard will be used as backup insurance and, most importantly, as a special teams ace—if he makes the roster. He is ineligible for the practice squad and is most likely going to be cut unless he can beat out Logan and Stovall.

What the experts have to say:

NFLDraftScout.com:

"Draft Scout Snapshot: DS Rating on 8/24/08: #25 WR, #197/750 Overall, Projected Rnd: 62007: 12 GP; 12 GS; Rec: 79-1057-13.4-14; 1 Sol-1 TT; Consensus all C-USA pick and honorable mention All America by Sports Illustrated after leading the Owls with 79 catches for 1,057 yards and 14 touchdowns …. His totals for yards and touchdowns are second only to his sophomore year totals, while his total for catches ranks third… Led C-USA receivers with his 14 TDs in addition to his average of 7.5 catches per conference game…. Pre-season All-American in several publications, and the pre-season Texas College Player of the Year in Dave Campbell’s Texas Football. One of just four second-team Water Camp All-Americans (Colt Brennan of Hawaii, Ray Rice of Rutgers and Michael Hart of Michigan were the others) who were invited to attent the Camp Foundation’s All-American weekend in January….2006: 13 GP; 13 GS; Rush: 2-5-2.5-0; Rec: 91-1247-13.7-21; KR: 1-33-33-0; Re-wrote the Rice record book for wide receivers while sprinting past the field of more recognized candidates to become a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award….First Team All American by ESPN.com…Second-team All American by The Walter Camp Foundation, AP, The Sporting News and SI.com….First end at Rice to earn All American honors since Buddy Dial in 1958 and the first Owl overall to earn such honors since guard Charles Torello in 1997…Consensus All C-USA Pick after earned All Freshman honors…Rice’s first finalist for a major individual post-season award since Trevor Cobb won the Doak Walker Award in 1991. Broke the NCAA record for consecutive games with a TD catch in a season when he caught a 1-yard toss from Joel Armstrong in the New Orleans Bowl. It gave him TD catches in all 13 games this year and 15 straight overall (second longest overall streak in NCAA history…Had shared the NCAA season mark of 12 straight games with Randy Moss and Larry Fitzgerald…Fitzgerald holds the overall record with an 18-game streak….had 21 touchdown catches this year to shatter the old Rice season mark of nine, while also setting a C-USA record as well…became the first Owl to top 1,000 yards in receiving (1,247) and also broke the school season mark for catches (91)….21 TDs also set a Rice record for touchdowns, as did his 120 points scored….ranked fourth in the nation with an average of 9.7 points a game…2005: 11 GP; 8 GS; Rush: 1-(-7)-(-7)-0; Rec: 35-524-15-5; Played in all 11 games with eight starts at wide receiver… Had 35 catches for 524 yards and five touchdowns to earn all-Conference USA freshman honors… The 35 catches were the most by any Owl during Ken Hatfield’s 12 seasons as the Rice coach…2004: Redshirt. Post-Draft Outlook: A closer look at the Jaguars’ picks: Round 5/144, Jarett Dillard, WR, 5-10, 187, Rice…Dillard was picked a round behind Mike Thomas, but he might have a stronger chance to make an impact with the Jaguars’ receiving corps. He’s more than two inches taller than Thomas and excels at weaving and darting through tight areas. He has exceptional leaping ability to get the ball at its high point. He led the nation with 20 touchdown catches as a senior, starting all 12 games. He’s the only player in league history to produce three consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons. – by The Sports Xchange"

Video: