4 - Eddie Royal

Position: Flanker
Class: Sophomore
Height: 5' 10"
Weight: 171 lbs.
High School: Westfield
Hometown: Herndon, Va.

 

Led the team in receptions last fall as a true freshman ... A tremendous athlete who stepped in and took over the starting flanker position ... Also topped the team in punt and kickoff returns ... Started 11 of 13 games, playing in 12 ... A second-team freshman All-America pick as a utility man by Rivals.com ... Missed the spring practice session after having surgery over the winter ... Suffered from compartment syndrome in his left leg ... Coaches want him to get stronger and more explosive over the summer ... Needs to become dedicated in the weight room ... Will be asked to return punts once again ... Saw the most action of any of the true freshman last year ...

2004: Led the team with 28 catches for 470 yards and three touchdowns ... Also averaged 28.8 on kick returns and 11.0 on punt returns ... Saw action on 328 snaps on offense and 85 on special teams in the regular season ... Got his first collegiate start against Western Michigan ... Scored the game's first touchdown on an 11-yard reverse ... Later scored on a 35-yard touchdown pass ... Had a big day returning punts against N.C. State ... Had a long of 58 yards ... Finished with 107 yards on three returns ... Also caught two passes for 47 yards ... Caught an 8-yard pass on Tech's first offensive possession against WVU, but suffered a slight concussion on that play ... Missed the rest of the first half ... Returned in the second half to catch five passes for 37 yards ... Finished the game with a career-high six receptions for 45 yards ... Missed the FAMU game due to an illness ... Started at Georgia Tech and scored on a big 80-yard touchdown catch-and-run ... The 80-yard score was the longest by a Tech freshman since freshmen were eligible to play in 1972 ... Finished the game with three catches for 91 yards ... Did suffer a fumble on a kickoff return ... Had four catches for 84 yards, as well as a 25-yard kickoff return, at North Carolina ... Caught two passes for 44 yards, including the game-winning, 39-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter, at Miami ... Had an 18-yard punt return to set up that drive ... Had a 48-yard kickoff return in the Sugar Bowl against Auburn ... Set a new position record in the bench press with a 365-pound mark ...

High School: Named the Mid-Atlantic Offensive Player of the Year by SuperPrep ... Selected the Group AAA player of the year by The Associated Press ... Was The Washington Post All-Metro Offensive Player of the Year ... Earned both SuperPrep and PrepStar All-America honors following his senior season for Coach Tom Verbanic ... Teamed with fellow Tech signee Sean Glennon to lead his team to the Group AAA Division 6 championship with a 14-0 record ... Had 41 pass receptions for 875 yards and 11 touchdowns ... Contributed a 47-yard punt return for a touchdown and a 1-yard TD run on a reverse in the state title game ... Hauled in 48 passes as a junior for 905 yards and 11 touchdowns ... Scored 10 TDs on kick returns during his career ... Rated the No. 1 player in Virginia by SuperPrep and the No. 2 player by The Roanoke Times ... Ranked the No. 13 wide receiver in the nation by Rivals ... Was picked first-team all-state by the state coaches as a receiver and kick returner ...

Personal: William Edward Royal ... Born 5/21/86 in Alexandria, VA ... Son of Pearl Royal ... Majoring in liberal arts and human sciences.