All eyes were on Raiders wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey when he took the field for his first practice after reporting to training camp in Napa as a rookie in 2009.
Heyward-Bey, the seventh overall draft pick that year, had dazzled the Raiders with his combination of great size and blazing speed, but many draft analysts pointed to his lack of great production at Maryland and questioned his hands.
Sure enough, the first pass that day thrown to Heyward-Bey – with no defenders on the field – clanked off his hands.
It went downhill from there in a nightmare rookie season filled with dropped passes. He caught just nine passes for 124 yards and one touchdown. He missed the final five games with a foot injury. The next year, Heyward-Bey caught 26 passes for 366 yards and one TD. Better, but still not nearly good enough for a top-10 draft pick.
Just when he was about to be certified as a draft bust, Heyward-Bey emerged as the Raiders’ top receiver last year. He caught 64 passes for 975 yards and four touchdowns, all career highs. He ranked 20th in the NFL in receiving yardage. He caught a career-high nine passes for 130 yards in the season-finale against San Diego. Two weeks earlier, he caught eight passes for a career-high 155 yards.
“I look back and I’m happy but not satisfied,” Heyward-Bey said. “For me, I look at a lot of mistakes that I’ve made and things that I can do better. I’ll work on that – and I did during the offseason – and try to apply it to this new seasons.
“I would love to have a lot more run-after-catch opportunities. Just getting off the line more and just be a student of the game. You can’t ever say that you know everything. So to go out there and watch other guys and see what they do and put that in your game.”
Although he’s only in his fourth NFL season, Heyward-Bey is the most experienced wide receiver on the Raiders’ roster. New coach Dennis Allen wants Heyward-Bey to “take the leadership role” for the wideouts. He said he welcomes that responsibility.
“Last year I was a leader in that room, in the meeting room, just being on top of things,” he said. “Being out on the field, I don’t say much, but I just try to go out there and lead by example. Run hard. Any time we have anything going on, the guys look toward me, and I have no problem with that.
“Any time the young guys come up to me and ask me a question, I’m there to help, because I’m trying to win. I’m trying to win the AFC West, I’m trying to win championships here. So, if any of the younger guys want any advice, I’m out there to give it to them. That helps me out. That keeps me on top of my toes and wanting to do better.”
Rookie wide receiver Juron Criner said he’s trying to learn everything he can from Heyward-Bey.
“I watch his every move,” Criner said. “If he sneezes, I’m there to say, ‘Bless you.’ I take as much as I can from a guy like that.”
Earlier this week, Criner pulled Heyward-Bey aside after practice.
“We talked about a couple of things for five minutes after practice,” Heyward-Bey said. “That’s what I’m here for.”
Heyward-Bey’s transformation last season impressed but didn’t shock Raiders free safety Michael Huff. Huff said the light went on for him in his third season, just as it did for former Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha.
“He improved a lot,” Huff said. “Last year he kind of took that step. There’s something about that third year. It just kind of clicked last year. Hopefully he takes the next step and keeps it going.”
Heyward-Bey continued improving during the offseason.
“His route running’s better, he’s catching the ball cleaner,” Allen said. “His blocking has been good.”
The only offseason negative for Heyward-Bey came off the field. He was arrested in April for misdemeanor DUI and later pleaded no-contest.
Heyward-Bey was asked if it was hard to put that incident behind him.
“Football’s my job, it’s my life, and that’s what I focus on, 100 percent of the time,” Heyward-Bey said.
Follow Raiders reporter Eric Gilmore on Twitter: @CBSSportsNFLOAK
