Last season Hargreaves III was targeted 113 times and that, according to PFF, made him the most targeted cornerback in the NFL. He seemed to be outplayed on many occasions, but as a rookie, I think he did a bang up job. In the first 6 games of the season, Hargreaves III was given the nickname ‘Burnt Toast’ by many Bucs fans. I believe that was unfair to do the rookie, who I thought played rather well.
Hargreaves will admit that in the first few months of the season he didn’t feel quite like himself, and that should be easy to see, not all rookies, no matter how skilled or confident, adjust to the NFL right away. I’m sure it still seems surreal to the young man.
In his second season, Hargreaves has to shake loose the cobwebs and play aggressively. Last season he gave up 1,069 yards and again according to PFF, Hargreaves is the only corner to give up 1,000 yards, last season. Hargreaves was in position everytime the ball was thrown to his receiver but instead of making the play he made the tackle. He has to make the play this year and I believe he will.
Regardless of stats and what most perceive of his rookie season, Hargreaves is a ball hawk that is how he was in such great position to make the tackles on the receiver last year just this time, he needs to turn around and make the play instead of the tackle. On 80 passes thrown at him, he made 68 tackles, 9 pass defends and 1INT. If he would have turned around and made a play on the ball more often then the tackle number would be around the 50’s with pass defends up in the 20’s, like his counterpart Brent Grimes.
