Robert Meachem Is Showing That His Status As A Draft Bust Is Coming Five Years Late
By Danny Cox
Name: Robert Meachem - WR - #12
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 215 lbs.
Age: 28
Hometown: Tulsa, OK
College: University of Tennessee
Experience: 6 years
Robert Meachem has never been a player that has lived up to expectations since arriving in the NFL. As a New Orleans Saint, Meachem always took a back seat in what was a very crowded group of wide receivers. Now, as a San Diego Charger, Meachem has sunk further down the ladder in a group of receivers not nearly as talented.
Through 12 games this season, Meachem has a mere 14 receptions for 207 yards and two touchdowns. Oddly enough, both scoring receptions came against his former team, but it still isn't anything to be excited about. #12 has caught no more than three balls in any single game this season.
While at the University of Tennessee, Meachem stood out as early as his redshirt freshmen year. He caught 25 passes for 459 yards as a freshman, and ended up with four touchdowns. Meachem was also the only receiver for the Volunteers to have a 100-yard receiving game.
His second year in college saw him fade a bit, but he still led the team with 383 yards on 29 receptions with two touchdowns. It was 2006 though that saw Meachem really show what his worth as a receiver was.
2006 saw the wide receiver total a new school record of 1,298 receiving yards in a season and 11 touchdowns. He had six 100-yard games and ranked fourth nationally in receiving yards per game with 99.85. That was all he needed as he was predicted to be a first-round pick in the next NFL Draft, and that was just what happened.
With the 27th pick of the 2007 NFL Draft, the New Orleans Saints selected Robert Meachem out of Tennessee, and they hoped that he would be a primary weapon for Drew Brees. Unfortunately, Meachem sat out his entire rookie season after undergoing knee surgery.
He finally made his NFL debut on Sept. 14, 2008 and caught his first career pass, which was a 19-yard touchdown against the Washington Redskins. Scoring receptions would become a running trend during his tenure in New Orleans, and that was actually what Meachem became best known for.
Not just any touchdown receptions either, but deep scoring receptions at that.
His second season with New Orleans saw him catch nine touchdowns on only 45 receptions. From there he caught five and six touchdown receptions in the following years, and was quickly becoming a primary target for his upcoming free agent period in 2012.
New Orleans was hoping to keep him in black and gold, but knew he was expendable with as much talent as they had at wide receiver. San Diego was willing to pay a bit more and have Meachem step into their starting line-up and become exactly what they were looking for in a number two receiver beside Malcolm Floyd.
Unfortunately, that expectation has not come to light at all, and it became a whole lot worse this past Sunday in a 16-13 overtime loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Meachem was on the field against the Ravens for only two of the team's 68 possible snaps, and he wasn't even targeted for a pass.
One has to wonder if his lofty expectations are finally showing as never going to come true, and the Chargers got themselves a really expensive sideline piece.
For more Local Football Bloggers and the latest Chargers news, see CBS Sports Los Angeles.
Danny Cox knows a little something about the NFL, whether it means letting you know what penalty will come from the flag just thrown on the field or quickly spouting off who the Chicago Bears drafted in the first round of the 1987 draft (Jim Harbaugh). He plans on bringing you the best news, previews, recaps, and anything else that may come along with the exciting world of the National Football League. His work can be found on Examiner.com.
