NFL.com did a spin around the NFL and looked for a player on each team who could be set to have a breakout year in 2012. While I don’t always agree with their take on things, I wholeheartedly endorse their selection of Leonard Hankerson as the Redskins’ potential breakout layer.
Hankerson might not have been in to conversation to be a breakout player this year had he not injured his hip in Week 10 against the Dolphins last year. Had he been able to play in the Redskins’ final seven games he might have broken out in 2011. The rookie dominated a pretty good Miami secondary, catching eight passes for 106 yards before getting injured late in the game.
Now, Hankerson was not going to average eight catches for 100 yards the rest of the way but he certainly had the potential to be the team’s top receiver and biggest threat for the last half of the season.
But as it turned out all of that had to wait until this year. And if he was going to break out last year with Rex Grossman at quarterback, then he has the potential to really burst onto the scene with Robert Griffin III throwing him the ball. From the NFL.com article:
Griffin was highly accurate at Baylor and used the weapons around him. All Redskins wideouts should see a boost with the rookie QB at the controls, but Hankerson, especially, could see his career altered by RG3's arrival. Hankerson's not a household name here in June, but riding Griffin's coattails could thrust him into the lights.
And Hankerson, a big target at 6-2, will help Griffin as much as RG3 will help the receiver. It should be fun to watch.
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