Bobby Engram is one of the best wide receivers in Penn State history, holding school records in receiving yards and receiving TDs. Today, he plies his trade as the receivers coach at Pittsburgh.
Engram won the 1994 Biletnikoff Award, given annually to the nation's top wide receiver, and was a second-round pick in the 1996 draft by the Chicago Bears. He played 14 year in the NFL, for three teams. In short, he knows good receivers. And he coaches one of the nation's best seniors in Devin Street.
Street (6-foot-4, 195 pounds), No. 59 on NFL Media draft analyst Gil Brandt's list of the nation's top 100 seniors, leads Pitt with 766 receiving yards and six receiving TDs. He has 44 catches in eight games and is averaging 17.4 yards per catch, a figure that leads the ACC and is eighth nationally among receivers with at least 40 receptions.
He has three 100-yard games this season and nine in his career. Street had two TD receptions in last week's upset of Notre Dame.
Engram thinks Street has a good chance at NFL success.
"He's tall. He can run. He's got good hands," Engram told pantherlair.com, a website that covers Pitt athletics. "You know, it's hard to judge how guys make that transition from this level to the next. But I think he has all of the attributes. I think he has a desire to be good and go to the next level and do well."
Street teams with true freshman Tyler Boyd (6-2, 185) to give Pitt one of the best 1-2 receiving punches in the ACC; the duo has combined for 97 catches, 1,495 yards and 12 TDs.
Engram told pantherlair.com he shows his receivers footage of NFL receivers, specifically mentioning Jerry Rice, Andre Johnson and Greg Jennings.
"Our offense is a pro-style offense, so they can look at these guys and see them work the same releases, they can see them run the same routes, and it energizes the meeting," Engram said.
Pitt (5-4) plays host to North Carolina (4-5) on Saturday in a game that is key to both teams' bowl hopes. Pitt's Boyd-Street duo won't be the only dangerous receiving threat on the field. UNC boasts junior tight end Eric Ebron (6-4, 245), who might be the most pro-ready player at his position in the nation.
"He might be as good as there is in the country," Pitt coach Paul Chryst said during his weekly news conference. "You can make an argument for it because he has size and he can run and all of those things. That can present some problems."
Ebron leads the Tar Heels with 46 receptions for 690 yards (15.0 yards per catch), with three TDs. He is the No. 2 receiver nationally among tight ends, trailing only Texas Tech's Jace Amaro (88 receptions, 1,102 yards, four TDs, 12.5 yards per catch).
Mike Huguenin can be reached at mike.huguenin@nfl.com. You also can follow him on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.
