Shortly after Wes Welker arrived at Texas Tech, the only school in the nation to offer him a scholarship, Red Raiders coach Mike Leach slapped his 5-foot-9, 185-pound receiver with a nickname: Henery Chicken Hawk.
“I don’t think he likes it,’’ Leach told The Post. “I’m not sure he’s ever seen the cartoon, but it’s a compliment. You couldn’t keep Chicken Hawk down. I know a lot of people call him ‘The Natural,’ because he can do anything on a football field, but I like ‘Chicken Hawk.’ ’’
Chicken Hawk is one of the key New England weapons the Giants will have to keep down tonight if they hope to win Super Bowl XLVI. Aside from quarterback Tom Brady, no one means more to the Patriots offense than this pass-catching fiend.
Welker is coming off the best season of his career — 122 catches with nine touchdowns (he had 123 catches in 2009, but just four touchdowns). Of those 122, 77 went for first downs.
He is to the slot receiver position what Lawrence Taylor was to the outside linebacker in the 3-4, or what Jerry Rice was to the West Coast offense. If you think that’s an exaggeration, consider this: Welker is the only player in NFL history with 110 receptions in four seasons.
“It didn’t surprise me when he didn’t get drafted, but I did think he was going to make an NFL team,’’ Leach said. “There are so many guys who get spit out by the system, I thought if he could get in the right system he could have a career as a slot receiver. I think he’s gone to every Pro Bowl since he’s with the Patriots. I can’t say I saw that coming.’’
Who could? Despite leading his Oklahoma high school team to the state 2A championship as a junior — a game in which “The Natural” had three touchdowns, over 200 all-purpose yards, a 47-yard field goal and an interception — Oklahoma told him he couldn’t even try to walk on.
Oklahoma State said he could try to walk on. Tech offered a scholarship at the 11th hour after another player backed out.
“We figured he’d be a good team guy if nothing else,’’ Leach said. “He started every game for four years.’’
The Chargers signed him to a free-agent deal and cut him after the first game in 2004. The Dolphins took him off waivers, and Welker got a chance to audition for perhaps the only coach in the NFL that values the immeasurable more than size, speed and strength.
In a 2004 game against the Patriots, Welker became the second player in NFL history to return a kickoff and a punt, kick an extra point and a field goal and make a tackle in the same game. Two months later, Welker had a 71-yard punt return against New England to set up a touchdown.
Belichick sent second- and seventh-round picks to the Dolphins for Welker in 2007. Suddenly he was teamed with one of the league’s greatest quarterbacks as the slot receiver in a system that fit Welker to perfection.
“The magic of Wes Welker is this,’’ Leach said. “Nothing he’s accomplished surprises him. Nothing.’’