Lee’s likely exit an unusual one

When former Pitt receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Antonio Bryant declared early entry for the… When former Pitt receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Antonio Bryant declared early entry for the NFL draft, there was little doubt concerning their decisions and perceived futures as professionals.

When Greg Lee decided to entertain thoughts about entering the 2006 NFL draft, however, eyebrows all around the Pitt football community raised. Although he has not officially announced his decision, most signs point to his leaving early.

Lee, the Tampa, Fla., native who has lead the Panthers in receiving each of the last two years, was considered by many to be the next valedictorian of Pitt’s “Receiver U” after Fitzgerald made his exit.

Lee’s sophomore-year performance did nothing but boost his “Receiver QPA” at Pitt. Lee put up big numbers, leading the Big East with 108 yards per game and ranking fifth nationally with 1,297 yards.

Following his breakout year, nearly every college football publication, most notably Sports Illustrated, regarded the budding junior as a pre-season All-American, not to mention a Biletnikoff Award favorite.

Heading into the 2005 season, Lee might as well have been as big as hip-hop sensation Sisqo after the chart-topping “Thong Song,” with the adoring public anxiously anticipating his follow-up release.

But much to the chagrin of Panther fans around the nation, Lee’s junior season left much to be desired, not unlike that of the Panthers as a whole and nearly identical to Sisqo’s next album.

Lee’s streaky year involved many questions as to the receiver’s true character on the football field. Lee’s talent was undeniable, as seen in spots such as a 69-yard touchdown scamper off a screen pass against South Florida and a balancing touchdown grab in the back of the end zone against West Virginia in the Backyard Brawl.

However, as often as Lee made Panther fans say “Wow,” he provoked the same people to scream “What?”

Out of high school, Lee was reported to have run a 4.5-second 40-yard dash, allowing him to outrun most of the defenders who could be giving chase at any given time. So what happened to that speed in Lincoln, Neb., when Lee was run down short of the end zone, making the Panthers settle for a field goal, perhaps costing them the game?

And what happened to Lee’s spectacular hands at Louisville, dropping numerous crucial passes that could have kept Panther drives alive?

The speculated answers to both of those questions met each other at familiar conclusion: effort. Nobody can know for sure, but the armchair quarterbacks out there decided that Lee was dogging it on the field.

Ok, so maybe I’m being a little too hard on the guy. After all, the offense changed and he wasn’t getting the ball as often as he should have, right?

Fact of the matter is big time players make big time plays. Had Lee been a true game changer as labeled, he would have made Dave Wannstedt and the coaching staff get him the ball. And what do NFL scouts look for in a receiver? Exactly that.

Bottom line: Greg Lee is a good receiver. Not great. Not spectacular. Not first day of the NFL draft quality.

So what possessed Lee to plunge into the cold NFL waters before he at least put a foot in to test them? The Post-Gazette reported that Lee felt there would be a better group of wide receivers in the 2007 draft, dropping his potential draft-pick round even further.

Some of the 2007 NFL wide receiver prospects include USC’s Dwayne Jarret, Ohio State’s Ted Ginn Jr. and Notre Dame’s Jeff Samardzija, all talented receivers likely to be taken ahead of Lee.

Good call, Greg.

The good news about all of this is Lee has yet to hire an agent, leaving him with the option of retaining his eligibility, should he decide to withdraw from the draft and return for his senior season.

So, if you want to see Greg Lee back in a Pitt uniform in 2006, I suggest you let him know.

Soon.

Pat Mitsch is a staff writer for The Pitt News and he will forgo his remaining three years at Pitt to enter his name in the sportswriting draft. Well, he would if it was real. E-mail him at prm17@pitt.edu.