After a stellar freshman season, Wolverine fans viewed Breaston as the next Michigan Heisman Trophy winner, a player in the mold of Desmond Howard. Breaston spent his next two seasons gaining most of his success on special teams but was not a focal point of the offense. Prior to his senior season, he worked hard during the 2006 offseason, taking over full-time split end duties and went on to lead the team in receptions while continuing to excel as a punt returner.

Breaston lettered three times in football at Woodland Hills High School, where he led the team to a 14-1 record and to a berth in the Pennsylvania 4-A state championship game. He helped Woodland Hills win the WPIAL Class AAAA title, gaining 219 yards on 15 carries during a 41-6 victory. The Gatorade Pennsylvania Player of the Year in 2001, Breaston was rated the third-best skill athlete and was named Northeast Offensive Player of the Year by SuperPrep. He received a four-star rating and was ranked as the nation's eighth-best player by Rivals100.com.

Breaston was selected as Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's co-Player of the Year (with quarterback Tyler Palko) and named an All-American running quarterback by Max Emfinger. The versatile athlete gained 2,545 career rushing yards and 37 touchdowns as a quarterback. As a senior, he carried 151 times for 1,718 yards (11.4-yard average) and 24 touchdowns, completed 33 of 79 passes for 600 yards and was involved in 34 scores overall, including 10 touchdown runs of more than 50 yards.

Breaston returned two punts for touchdowns as a senior, including a 93-yarder vs. McKeesport High, and accounted for more than 5,000 all-purpose yards during his last two seasons combined. Breaston lettered twice in basketball and track, winning the district title in the 300-meter hurdles as a junior.

The product of a hot recruiting war, Breaston enrolled at Michigan in 2002, spending the season on the sideline as a redshirt. He was named Big Ten Conference co-Freshman of the Year and earned Scripps/Football Writers Association Freshman All-American honors as a wide receiver and Sports Illustrated All-American honorable mention as a return specialist. Breaston ranked third in the Big Ten with an average of 13.8 yards per punt return and set Michigan single-season records in punt returns (45) and yards (619), returning two punts for scores. He also caught 38 passes for 444 yards (11.7 avg.) and three touchdowns, adding 65 yards and two scores on 12 carries (5.4 avg.).

A finger injury forced Breaston to sit out the 2004 Indiana game, and he started only four games as a sophomore. He ranked third on the team with 34 grabs for 291 yards (8.6-yard avg.) and three scores, adding 76 yards on 10 rushing attempts. Breaston returned 24 punts for 292 yards (12.2 avg.) and one score and had 28 kickoff returns for 689 yards (24.6 avg.), as he finished with 1,348 all-purpose yards. He was named to The Sporting News and ESPN.com All-Bowl teams after gaining 315 all-purpose yards vs. Texas in the Rose Bowl.

Breaston sat out the Michigan State game with a shoulder injury, starting seven of 11 games in 2005. As a receiver he gained 291 yards, catching 26 passes (11.6 avg.) and a pair of touchdowns. He also rushed 10 times for 101 yards (10.1 avg.) and returned 29 punts for 356 yards (12.3 avg.). Breaston totaled 646 yards with a score on 23 kickoff returns (28.1 avg.) and piled up 1,394 all-purpose yards.

Despite leading the team with 58 receptions for 670 yards (11.6 avg.) and two touchdowns and ranking third in the conference in both punt and kickoff returns, Breaston was not named All-Big Ten in 2006. He compiled 1,548 all-purpose yards, as he totaled 332 yards with a score on 29 punt returns (11.4 avg.) and 467 yards on 21 kickoff returns (22.2 avg.) while starting 12 of 13 games.

In 48 games at Michigan, Breaston started 25 times and hauled in 156 passes for 1,696 yards (10.9-yard average) and 10 touchdowns. He carried 42 times for 321 yards (7.6 avg.) and a pair of scores. Breaston returned 127 punts for 1,599 yards (12.4 avg.) and four touchdowns, adding 1,993 yards and one score on 81 kickoff returns (24.6 avg.). He scored 106 points, completed 1 of 2 pass attempts for a 36-yard touchdown and recorded three solo tackles. On 406 touches, Breaston amassed 5,609 all-purpose yards, an average of 116.85 yards per game.

Positives: Has good, darting agility and the ability to adjust on the move and the quickness in his change-of-direction agility to redirect … Can track the ball well over his outside shoulder and has a good short-area burst … Has the functional long speed to be effective up the seam … Has the loose hips to separate after the catch and runs good straight-line patterns, showing the timed speed to take the ball up the seam … Alert to sticks and does a nice job of keeping his feet working along the sideline … Does a good job of settling underneath and is good at side-stepping over trash … Very good with ball security, especially on returns and runs, with the ball close to his chest and held at the chest … Shows much better ball concentration and hand-eye coordination fielding the return ball than he does as a receiver … Did a much better job of catching the ball in stride and turning up field as a senior than he had in the past … Has the foot quickness to make second-level defenders miss … You can see the effort in his cut blocks, as he takes good angles and attacks linebackers low to take them off their feet … Shows good hand-eye coordination to look the kicked ball in … Patient runner who waits for his wedge to develop on kickoff returns and shows a good straight-line burst to take it up the seam on punt returns … Has the loose hips to redirect in his stride and plays much faster returning the ball than when having to separate after the catch.

Negatives: Lanky athlete with a sprinter's build -- lean, smooth-skinned, little bubble, slender legs and marginal muscle thickness … Needs to use his arms better to extend and catch away from the frame rather than letting the ball absorb into his body … Sees the coverage adequately, as he still goes through stretches where he will run into spots on the field rather than elude, but he did not play receiver until his freshman season at Michigan … Seems to shy away from contact as a receiver and has had several drops of easy throws due to concentration lapses … Despite a solid senior season as a receiver, he has never stood out on offense or demonstrated the ability to be a take-charge, go-to type … Shies away from the physical aspect of competing for the jump ball and only makes passive hits as a blocker … Needs to make better body adjustments on the move (more crisper and sudden runner on returns than as a receiver) … Not a quick-twitch type that can suddenly separate, as he is more of a fluid runner who needs room to build up his stride … More of a one-speed cut runner, needing to do a better job of dropping his pads to accelerate out of his breaks quicker … Must be more alert to coverage, as he tends to run into spots rather than avoid the defender in the open field … Prefers to catch the ball in stride rather than reaching for it … Looks hesitant going for the ball at its high point, tending to keep his eyes on the closing defender rather than concentrating on looking the ball in, resulting in as many drops as catches prior to 2006 … Will generally go down from the initial hit … When blocking in-line, he doesn't have the hand placement or punch to finish and needs to be more physical when taking on edge rushers.

Compares To: Bobby Wade, Tennessee Titans … Breaston has good athletic ability and timed speed … While he has potential, he has failed to live up to expectations as a receiver … He is too much of a body catcher and needs to show better urgency getting to the ball in a crowd, as he tends to shy away from contact … Even with his impressive 2006 totals as a receiver, most came in a handful of games and he can't be considered a go-to type, especially with his lean-looking frame … His best chance for success at the next level could come on special teams.

2004: Sat out the Indiana game (Oct. 2) with a dislocated finger.

2005: Did not play vs. Michigan State (Oct. 1) with a shoulder contusion.

Campus: 4.54 in the 40-yard dash … 290-pound bench press … 480-pound safe squat … 253-pound power clean … 34-inch vertical jump.

Attended Woodland Hills (North Braddock, Pa.) High School, playing football for head coach George Novak … Lettered three times in football, leading the team to a 14-1 record and to a berth in the Pennsylvania 4-A state championship game … Helped Woodland Hills win the WPIAL Class AAAA title, gaining 219 yards on 15 carries during a 41-6 victory … The Gatorade Pennsylvania Player of the Year in 2001, Breaston was rated the third-best skill athlete and was named Northeast Offensive Player of the Year by SuperPrep … Received a four-star rating and was ranked as the nation's eighth-best player by Rivals100.com … Was selected as the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's co-Player of the Year (with quarterback Tyler Palko) and named an All-American running quarterback by Max Emfinger … The versatile athlete gained 2,545 career rushing yards and 37 touchdowns as a quarterback … As a senior, he carried 151 times for 1,718 yards (11.4-yard average) and 24 touchdowns, completed 33 of 79 passes for 600 yards and was involved in 34 scores overall, including 10 touchdown runs of more than 50 yards … Returned two punts for touchdowns senior season, including a 93-yarder vs. McKeesport High and accounted for more than 5,000 combined all-purpose yards during his junior and senior seasons … Lettered twice in basketball and track, winning the district title in the 300-meter hurdles as a junior.

General studies major, enrolled in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts … Born Steven William Breaston on Aug. 20, 1983 … Resides in North Braddock, Pa.