Anquan Boldin

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Anquan Boldin
Date of birth October 3, 1980 (age 26)
Place of birth Flag of United States Pahokee, Florida
Height ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight 223 lb (101 kg)
Position(s) WR
College Florida State
NFL Draft 2003 / Round 2 / Pick 54
Career Highlights
Pro Bowls 2004, 2007
Awards 2003 NFL Offensive R.O.Y.
Stats
Statistics
Team(s)
2003-present Arizona Cardinals

Anquan Kenmile Boldin (born October 3, 1980 in Pahokee, Florida) is an American football player for the NFL team Arizona Cardinals. In 2003, Boldin was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year by the Associated Press. He was drafted by the Cardinals in the 2003 NFL Draft out of Florida State University. He was drafted in the 2nd round because of his relatively slow combine speed.[1]. He ran a 4.71 40 yard dash. He is the cousin of CFL All-Star defensive back Korey Banks.

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[edit] High school career

Boldin was a standout football and basketball player at Pahokee High School. His quarterbacking prowess led him to be named Florida's Mr. Football in 1998. During his senior season, Pahokee rolled to a 10-0 regular season record, routinely defeating teams by large margins. Pahokee defeated archrival Glades Central 34-14 in the Muck Bowl, Florida's biggest high school football showdown. Surprisingly, the Blue Devils were upset 29-14 by Coach Corky Rogers' powerhouse Bolles team from Jacksonville in the 2A state championship game. Boldin is considered to be among the best players the state has ever produced. Many of his numbers were later eclipsed by Adrian McPherson. Boldin's remarkable athleticism and work ethic have allowed him to rebound from several serious knee injuries in college and the NFL.

[edit] College career

Anquan Boldin attended Florida State University. A very versatile player, he played both wide receiver and quarterback. In just 23 games at wide receiver, Anquan Boldin caught 118 passes for 1,790 yards (15.2 yards per rec. avg.), and 21 TD.

[edit] Pro career

Despite the initial concerns of the NFL scouts, Boldin has broken several NFL records. In his rookie year, Boldin became the most prolific rookie receiver in league history with 101 catches and was the only rookie selected for the 2004 Pro Bowl. Boldin also set an NFL record for most receiving yards in his first game (217). He also holds an NFL record for most receptions in the first 26 games of an NFL player (157) as well as being the fastest to record 300 career receptions (47 games).

Boldin teams with Larry Fitzgerald, who was drafted a year after Boldin in 2004, to create one of the most dangerous wide receiver tandems in the NFL. In 2005, he suffered injury and missed part of the season, yet still caught more than 100 passes and over 1,400 yards receiving. On top of that, the Cardinals WRs became only the third duo from the same team to each catch over 100 receptions (see Herman Moore and Brett Perriman, also Rod Smith and Ed McCaffrey). Boldin and Fitzgerald also topped the 1,400-yard mark, only the third duo to achieve that in NFL history. They joined Detroit's Herman Moore and Brett Perriman, who accomplished the feat in 1995, and St. Louis' Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce, who did it in 2000.

Since his inception in the NFL, Boldin has drawn strong comparisons to Sterling Sharpe for his powerful legs and punishing possession skills.

[edit] External links

Preceded by
Clinton Portis
NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year
2003 season
Succeeded by
Ben Roethlisberger