Larry Hedden Class: Junior Hometown: Hoover, Ala. High School: Briarwood Christian Height / Weight: 6-5 / 241 Position: TE Experience: 2L

Furman: The Southern Conference's premier tight end and the latest in an impressive line of outstanding Furman tight ends stretching back 30 years (since 1977 Furman has had 22 tight ends named All-SoCon)...should contend All-America candidate this fall...sports good size, hands, and mobility...key member of a Paladin offense that returns five starters -- all along the offensive front...part of a contingent of seven Birmingham area products now in the Furman program. 2007 -- Garnered consensus first team All-Southern Conference honors in balloting by league head coaches and media after catching 36 passes for 421 yards and three touchdowns, second only to Patrick Sprague (59, 883 yds, 6 TDs)...oddly enough, began the year as a backup to preseason All-SoCon tight end selection Chris Truss, coming off the bench in three of the Paladins' first four games before moving into the starting lineup after a season ending injury to Truss...recorded receptions in all 11 games, including a season best eight receptions for 78 yards against 11th-ranked Georgia Southern (24-22 win)...finished out the season with six catches for 74 yards against Western Carolina (52-21 win)...three touchdown catches came in Paladin victories: Coastal Carolina (27-17 win), Chattanooga (28-22 win), and Elon (52-49 win)...nabbed four passes for 45 yards versus Clemson. 2006 -- Saw action in nine contests, primarily in a reserve capacity... earned the first start of his career at tight end against West Georgia (24-7 win)...had a 22-yard reception against Western Carolina (42-7 win). 2005 -- Member of scout team...awarded redshirt and extra year of eligibility.

High School: 2005 graduate of Briarwood Christian (5A) High School, which also produced Paladin wide receiver Matthew Gordon...football coach was Fred Yancey...saw action at tight end, wide receiver, and quarterback...caught 71 passes for 858 yards and eight touchdowns in his prep career...led county with 46 receptions for 658 yards and four touchdowns in 2004 en route to earning all-county honors...as a junior caught 25 passes for 200 yards and two scores in helping his squad to a 13-2 record and state championship...also starred in basketball, earning All-Over The Mountain honors after helping pace his squad to an area crown in 2004.

Personal: Full name is Larry Steven Earl Hedden...son of Tim and Pamela Hedden...born July 7, 1986, in Davenport, Iowa...has a sister, Anna, and a brother, Frank...father played basketball at Montevallo...grandfather, Larry Hedden, a member of Indiana's Basketball Hall-of-Fame, was a forward and three-year letterman at Michigan State (1956-58) who helped lead the Spartans to a Big Ten Championship and Final Four appearance in 1957...health and exercise science major.