NFL CAREER – Meachem appeared in all 16 games in 2011 with eight starts, caught 40 passes for 620 yards (15.5 avg.) and added four carries for 18 yards (4.5 avg.). In his first five seasons, the 2007 first round draft pick has totaled 141 receptions for 2,269 yards (16.1 avg.) and 23 touchdowns, providing an explosive element in the team’s passing game with his combination of size, speed and hands. Meachem is ranked third all-time on the club’s list for yards per catch and tied for seventh in touchdown grabs.
NFL CAREER – Meachem appeared in all 16 games in 2011 with eight starts, caught 40 passes for 620 yards (15.5 avg.) and added four carries for 18 yards (4.5 avg.). In his first five seasons, the 2007 first round draft pick has totaled 141 receptions for 2,269 yards (16.1 avg.) and 23 touchdowns, providing an explosive element in the team’s passing game with his combination of size, speed and hands. Meachem is ranked third all-time on the club’s list for yards per catch and tied for seventh in touchdown grabs.
CAREER TRANSACTIONS – Signed to a five-year contract, 7/24/07; Drafted by the Saints in the first round (27th overall) of the 2007 NFL Draft.
2011 – Started eight games and appeared in all 16 contests, making 40 receptions for 620 yards (15.5 avg.) and carrying four times for 18 yards (4.5 avg.)…Caught five passes for 70 yards with a 30-yard TD in the opener at Green Bay, Sept. 8…Made five receptions for 51 yards with a TD vs. Houston, Sept. 25. His two-yard TD reception gave the Saints a 17-16 edge and their first lead in a game that featured six lead changes…Hauled in four passes for 59 yards including a 25-yard grab at Jacksonville, Oct. 2…At Atlanta, Nov. 13, caught two passes for 69 yards that included a third quarter 33-yard TD…Made three receptions for a team-high 119 yards with a 67-yard TD vs. Detroit, Dec. 4…Set postseason career-highs in every category, making four receptions for 111 yards including a 56-yard touchdown reception in NFC Wild Card Playoff vs. Detroit…Caught three passes for 18 yards in NFC Divisional Playoff at San Francisco. 2010 – Appeared in 16 games with seven starts and finished third on club in receiving with 44 catches for 638 yards with five touchdowns, leading the club by averaging 14.5 yards per grab…Also had four rushes for 14 yards…Recovered from offseason toe surgery, had four receptions for 57 yards at Arizona, Oct. 10, including dragging down a 35-yard TD with 1:49 left to put the Saints within three…Finished with four receptions for 71 yards, including a 42-yard TD at Tampa Bay, Oct. 17…Had six catches for 76 yards, including a game-high 50-yard grab vs. Pittsburgh, Oct. 31…Tied career-high with two TD receptions, totaling three catches for 50 yards (16.7 avg.) vs. Seattle, Nov. 21…Had only one reception on Thanksgiving at Dallas, Nov. 25, but when he got under a throw by QB Drew Brees for a season-long 55-yard gain with just over two minutes remaining, it helped set up the game-winning TD…Reached century mark for first time in 2010, with three catches for a game-high 106 yards, including a 55-yard TD grab and a 42-yard reception to put New Orleans at the Cincinnati 15-yard line on the game-winning fourth quarter drive…Posted career-high ten grabs for 101 yards at Atlanta, Dec. 27…In NFC Wild Card Playoff at Seattle, 1/8/11, had three receptions for 29 yards and returned three kickoffs for 70 yards. 2009 – Appeared in all 16 games, including seven starts, adding 45 receptions for 722 yards (16.0 avg.) and nine touchdown grabs. Scored a tenth after stripping a ball and returning it to the end zone following an interception…Caught two passes for 51 yards, including a 39-yard TD and averaged 24.7 yards on six kickoff returns vs. Detroit, Sept. 13…Started at WR and caught two passes for 70 yards, including a 36-yard TD vs. New York Giants, Oct. 18…Started in three-wideout set and hauled in five receptions for 98 yards, including a 54-yard TD that tied the score at the end of the third quarter vs. Carolina, Nov. 8…Saw significant time in reserve role and had a career-long 41-yard run and fourth quarter 27-yard TD grab at St. Louis, Nov. 15…Started in a three-WR set and hauled in two passes – both for TDs – for ten yards in first multi-score game of his career at Tampa Bay, Nov. 22…Started in three-WR set vs. New England, Nov. 30 and posted a team-high five catches-four which went for first downs, including two key third down conversions – for 69 yards with a 38-yard TD…Started at Washington, Dec. 6 and turned in career-best day, catching eight passes for 142 yards, including a 53-yard TD that tied the score with just over a minute left in regulation to send the game to overtime. Made spectacular, alert play when he stripped ball from S Kareem Moore after an interception, recovered fumble in mid-air and raced 44 yards for a TD. The game was his fifth straight contest with a TD and the second multi-score game of his career…Saw action in a reserve role at Atlanta, Dec. 13 and made four catches for 57 yards, including a 42-yard third down grab. Also gained four yards on a reverse on a key third-and-two play to keep a scoring drive alive…Started and caught two passes for 66 yards, including a 30-yard TD vs. Tampa Bay, Dec. 27…In NFC Championship vs. Minnesota, his 12-yard catch at the Vikings 22-yard line in overtime set up game-winning field goal. 2008 – Extremely productive in the first four games he appeared in, hauling in seven passes for 235 yards and two TDs during stretch with 12 catches for 189 yards and three touchdowns overall…Made NFL debut memorable, with first pro catch a 19-yard TD at Washington, Sept. 14…Had two grabs for 86 yards at Denver, including 74-yard reception…Caught a 52-yard pass and a 47-yard TD vs. San Francisco, Sept. 28…Hauled in two passes for 31 yards vs. Minnesota, Oct. 6…Took a reverse 20 yards for TD at Detroit, Dec. 21…Had three catches for 36 yards and a seven-yard TD vs. Carolina, Dec. 28. 2007 – Inactive for all 16 games…Offseason knee injury slowed progress until late in season.
COLLEGE – Started 15 of 37 games in three-year career at Knoxville, tallying 125 catches for 2,140 yards (17.1 avg.) with 17 touchdowns…Just sixth player in school history to gain over 2,000 receiving yards and left ranked fifth in TD catches…Had breakout 2006 season after posting 71 catches for a school-record 1,298 yards and 11 TDs… Earned All-American first-team honors from Football Writers Association and The Sporting News…All-SEC first-team pick…Gained over 100 yards receiving in six games…Played in 11 games as a sophomore in 2005, with two starts, and led team with 29 receptions for 383 yards (13.2 avg.) and two TDs…Played in every game in 2004 as redshirt freshman and ranked third on team with 25 receptions for team-high 459 yards (18.4 yard avg.) and four TDs…Redshirted his first year after August knee injury…Majored in Communications.
PERSONAL – All-State as senior at Booker T. Washington (Tulsa, Okla.) HS, recording 543 receiving yards and 10 TDs and rushing for 531 yards and eight TDs, guiding team to 13-1 record and runner-up state championship…Played point guard on two-time state championship basketball team…Hosted Christmas toy drives in 2010 and 2011.
