Post by Chieftain on Apr 24, 2005 11:11:54 GMT -5
Craphonso Thorpe
Position: Wide Receiver
College: Florida State
Height: 6-1
Weight: 188
Hometown: Tallahassee, Fla.
Analysis | Injury Report | Agility | High School | Personal
OVERVIEW
One of the fastest players in the nation, Thorpe made a successful return to action in 2004, nine months after he suffered a shattered right leg in which both of his major bones were broken on an overtime play vs. North Carolina State. Thorpe was not only a vital part of the Seminoles' football team, but also played an important role on Florida State's track-and-field teams.
Prior to his injury, Thorpe joined the indoor track team in 2002, turning in the Seminoles' top times in the 55-meter, 60-meter and 200-meter dashes. He won the 100- and 200-meter dashes at the 2003 Atlantic Coast Conference Outdoor Track Championships to lead Florida State to the team title and earn ACC Outdoor Track Performer of the Year. Thorpe qualified for his first NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships that year as an at-large candidate in the 4x100m relay, but was unable to compete due to a leg injury. He joined with teammates Kolby Jones, Brian Dzingai and Cedrick Robinson to achieve the fastest time of the season of 39.66 in the 4x100m relay during regional preliminary competition.
Thorpe was USA Today's second-team All-USA selection his senior season at Lincoln High School. He was named to the Super Southern team by the Atlanta Journal Constitution and the All-Southern Team by the Orlando Sentinel. Thorpe was not only one of the nation's top receivers, but also was regarded as one of the state of Florida's top cornerbacks. He caught 64 passes for 1,025 yards and eight touchdowns and returned two kickoffs and two punts for touchdowns his senior season. He also recorded 24 tackles, three interceptions, 14 pass break-ups and recovered two fumbles at the cornerback position. Thorpe helped lead Lincoln to the Class 6A state championship his senior season.
A reserve receiver as a true freshman, Thorpe handled the bulk of the team's kickoff return duties in 2001. He gained 561 yards on 26 returns (21.6 avg.) and caught 15 passes for 286 yards (19.1 avg.) and a touchdown. He remained a backup in 2002, managing 17 catches for 377 yards (22.2 avg.) and four touchdowns. He also returned 11 kickoffs for 222 yards (20.2 avg.).
Thorpe took over flanker duties as a junior, starting the first 11 games before suffering that gruesome leg injury. He finished the 2003 season with a career-high 51 receptions for 994 yards (19.5 avg.) and 11 touchdowns. His 11 scoring grabs rank sixth on the school's single-season record list. He was held out of 2004 preseason camps to continue recovering from surgery. Once the season began, he was ready for action. Thorpe ranked second on the team with 40 catches for 496 yards (12.4 avg.) and two touchdowns in his final year with the Seminoles. He missed the Duke game after suffering bruised ribs vs. Wake Forest, but had no problems with his leg the entire season.
Thorpe finished his career with 123 receptions for 2,153 yards (17.5 avg.) and 22 touchdowns while starting 21 of 48 games. His 123 catches rank 11th, his 2,153 yards rank seventh and his 22 scoring grabs rank sixth on the school's career-record list. He added 845 yards on 39 kickoff returns (21.7 avg.) and 13 yards on six carries (2.2 avg.). Thorpe and Ron Sellers (1967-68) are the only players in school history to gain over 200 yards receiving in a game twice in a career.
ANALYSIS
Positives: Has a lean, cut-up frame with good upper body development, adding over 10 pounds of muscle to his body while rehabilitating from his leg injury during the 2004 offseason … Shows sudden explosion coming off the line of scrimmage and can get to top speed instantly to gain and eat up the cushion … Compensates for a lack of strength with a quick initial burst to avoid the jam … Shows quickness throughout his routes and has the fluid foot movement to gain separation coming out of his cuts … Knows how to use his body to create separation and shows good tracking ability … Natural hands catcher who will not hesitate to compete for the ball, timing his leaps to get to it at its high point … Has a great burst and second gear to take the ball to the house after the catch … Plays with very good field awareness and does a nice job settling into the soft spot of the zone … Maintains concentration going for the ball in a crowd and shows the vision and burst to hit a seam … Will win most foot races vs. man coverage, where he is a threat to get on top of the defender and dictate the route … Has shown marked improvement coming out of his breaks and in running routes, especially on the fade.
Negatives: Has the deep speed to get vertical in a hurry, but seemed hesitant to take a hit the first half of 2004 as he continued to recover from his leg injury … Despite his quickness, he did not make many big plays as a senior, as he was relegated to mostly short and intermediate routes … Added weight before the season, but still lacks bulk and strength to defeat the jam, relying more on his burst to avoid it … If a defender gets a hand on him after the catch, you will not see much yards after catch … Runs good downfield routes, but perhaps because of his injury he looked stiff in his lower body when trying to run his patterns.
INJURY REPORT
2003 -- Underwent surgery to have a rod placed in his right leg (Nov. 15) to repair a fractured right tibia and fibula suffered during the second overtime of the North Carolina State game … Held out of 2004 spring drills in order to continue his rehabilitation.
2004 -- Missed the Duke game (Nov. 6) after suffering bruised ribs two weeks prior vs. Wake Forest.
AGILITY
Campus: 4.34 in the 40-yard dash … 273-pound bench press … 245-pound squat … 306-pound power clean … 4.25 20-yard shuttle … 37½-inch vertical jump. Combine: Attended, but did not perform … 32¾-inch arm length … 9 3/8-inch hands.
HIGH SCHOOL
Attended Lincoln (Tallahassee, Fla.) High School, playing football for coach D
Wilson … USA Today's second-team All-USA selection his senior season and named to the Super Southern team by the Atlanta Journal Constitution and the All-Southern Team by the Orlando Sentinel … Was not only one of the nation's top receivers, but also was regarded as one of the state of Florida's top cornerbacks … Caught 64 passes for 1,025 yards and eight touchdowns and returned two kickoffs and two punts for touchdowns his senior season … Also recorded 24 tackles, three interceptions, 14 pass break-ups and recovered two fumbles at the cornerback position … Helped lead Lincoln to the Class 6A state championship his senior season … Also lettered in track … Won both the district and regional title in the 100-meter dash … Finished second at the state meet in the 100-meter dash … Turned in a top time of 10.62 in the 100-meters … Earned additional top time of 21.96 in the 200-meters, 14.50 in the 110-meter hurdles and 39.82 in the 300-meter hurdles.
PERSONAL
Sports Management major … Born June 27, 1983 … Resides in Tallahassee, Fla.
Position: Wide Receiver
College: Florida State
Height: 6-1
Weight: 188
Hometown: Tallahassee, Fla.
Analysis | Injury Report | Agility | High School | Personal
OVERVIEW
One of the fastest players in the nation, Thorpe made a successful return to action in 2004, nine months after he suffered a shattered right leg in which both of his major bones were broken on an overtime play vs. North Carolina State. Thorpe was not only a vital part of the Seminoles' football team, but also played an important role on Florida State's track-and-field teams.
Prior to his injury, Thorpe joined the indoor track team in 2002, turning in the Seminoles' top times in the 55-meter, 60-meter and 200-meter dashes. He won the 100- and 200-meter dashes at the 2003 Atlantic Coast Conference Outdoor Track Championships to lead Florida State to the team title and earn ACC Outdoor Track Performer of the Year. Thorpe qualified for his first NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships that year as an at-large candidate in the 4x100m relay, but was unable to compete due to a leg injury. He joined with teammates Kolby Jones, Brian Dzingai and Cedrick Robinson to achieve the fastest time of the season of 39.66 in the 4x100m relay during regional preliminary competition.
Thorpe was USA Today's second-team All-USA selection his senior season at Lincoln High School. He was named to the Super Southern team by the Atlanta Journal Constitution and the All-Southern Team by the Orlando Sentinel. Thorpe was not only one of the nation's top receivers, but also was regarded as one of the state of Florida's top cornerbacks. He caught 64 passes for 1,025 yards and eight touchdowns and returned two kickoffs and two punts for touchdowns his senior season. He also recorded 24 tackles, three interceptions, 14 pass break-ups and recovered two fumbles at the cornerback position. Thorpe helped lead Lincoln to the Class 6A state championship his senior season.
A reserve receiver as a true freshman, Thorpe handled the bulk of the team's kickoff return duties in 2001. He gained 561 yards on 26 returns (21.6 avg.) and caught 15 passes for 286 yards (19.1 avg.) and a touchdown. He remained a backup in 2002, managing 17 catches for 377 yards (22.2 avg.) and four touchdowns. He also returned 11 kickoffs for 222 yards (20.2 avg.).
Thorpe took over flanker duties as a junior, starting the first 11 games before suffering that gruesome leg injury. He finished the 2003 season with a career-high 51 receptions for 994 yards (19.5 avg.) and 11 touchdowns. His 11 scoring grabs rank sixth on the school's single-season record list. He was held out of 2004 preseason camps to continue recovering from surgery. Once the season began, he was ready for action. Thorpe ranked second on the team with 40 catches for 496 yards (12.4 avg.) and two touchdowns in his final year with the Seminoles. He missed the Duke game after suffering bruised ribs vs. Wake Forest, but had no problems with his leg the entire season.
Thorpe finished his career with 123 receptions for 2,153 yards (17.5 avg.) and 22 touchdowns while starting 21 of 48 games. His 123 catches rank 11th, his 2,153 yards rank seventh and his 22 scoring grabs rank sixth on the school's career-record list. He added 845 yards on 39 kickoff returns (21.7 avg.) and 13 yards on six carries (2.2 avg.). Thorpe and Ron Sellers (1967-68) are the only players in school history to gain over 200 yards receiving in a game twice in a career.
ANALYSIS
Positives: Has a lean, cut-up frame with good upper body development, adding over 10 pounds of muscle to his body while rehabilitating from his leg injury during the 2004 offseason … Shows sudden explosion coming off the line of scrimmage and can get to top speed instantly to gain and eat up the cushion … Compensates for a lack of strength with a quick initial burst to avoid the jam … Shows quickness throughout his routes and has the fluid foot movement to gain separation coming out of his cuts … Knows how to use his body to create separation and shows good tracking ability … Natural hands catcher who will not hesitate to compete for the ball, timing his leaps to get to it at its high point … Has a great burst and second gear to take the ball to the house after the catch … Plays with very good field awareness and does a nice job settling into the soft spot of the zone … Maintains concentration going for the ball in a crowd and shows the vision and burst to hit a seam … Will win most foot races vs. man coverage, where he is a threat to get on top of the defender and dictate the route … Has shown marked improvement coming out of his breaks and in running routes, especially on the fade.
Negatives: Has the deep speed to get vertical in a hurry, but seemed hesitant to take a hit the first half of 2004 as he continued to recover from his leg injury … Despite his quickness, he did not make many big plays as a senior, as he was relegated to mostly short and intermediate routes … Added weight before the season, but still lacks bulk and strength to defeat the jam, relying more on his burst to avoid it … If a defender gets a hand on him after the catch, you will not see much yards after catch … Runs good downfield routes, but perhaps because of his injury he looked stiff in his lower body when trying to run his patterns.
INJURY REPORT
2003 -- Underwent surgery to have a rod placed in his right leg (Nov. 15) to repair a fractured right tibia and fibula suffered during the second overtime of the North Carolina State game … Held out of 2004 spring drills in order to continue his rehabilitation.
2004 -- Missed the Duke game (Nov. 6) after suffering bruised ribs two weeks prior vs. Wake Forest.
AGILITY
Campus: 4.34 in the 40-yard dash … 273-pound bench press … 245-pound squat … 306-pound power clean … 4.25 20-yard shuttle … 37½-inch vertical jump. Combine: Attended, but did not perform … 32¾-inch arm length … 9 3/8-inch hands.
HIGH SCHOOL
Attended Lincoln (Tallahassee, Fla.) High School, playing football for coach D
Wilson … USA Today's second-team All-USA selection his senior season and named to the Super Southern team by the Atlanta Journal Constitution and the All-Southern Team by the Orlando Sentinel … Was not only one of the nation's top receivers, but also was regarded as one of the state of Florida's top cornerbacks … Caught 64 passes for 1,025 yards and eight touchdowns and returned two kickoffs and two punts for touchdowns his senior season … Also recorded 24 tackles, three interceptions, 14 pass break-ups and recovered two fumbles at the cornerback position … Helped lead Lincoln to the Class 6A state championship his senior season … Also lettered in track … Won both the district and regional title in the 100-meter dash … Finished second at the state meet in the 100-meter dash … Turned in a top time of 10.62 in the 100-meters … Earned additional top time of 21.96 in the 200-meters, 14.50 in the 110-meter hurdles and 39.82 in the 300-meter hurdles. PERSONAL
Sports Management major … Born June 27, 1983 … Resides in Tallahassee, Fla.
