TRANSACTIONS:
Originally signed as a rookie free agent by the Giants on April 25, 2010

GIANTS NOTES:
Cruz enjoyed a breakout season in 2011, when he led the Giants in all major receiving statistical categories, set franchise records and scored the team’s first touchdown in the 21-17 victory over New England in Super Bowl XLVI.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
Has played in 19 regular-season games with 7 starts and has started all 4 postseason games in which he played…Career regular-season totals are 82 catches for 1,536 yards and 9 touchdowns. Has also returned 3 punts for 12 yards. In the postseason, Cruz has 21 receptions for 269 yards and a touchdown.

In 2011, played in all 16 regular-season games with 7 starts and started all 4 postseason games…Led the Giants with 82 receptions for 1,536 yards and 9 touchdowns. In the postseason, Cruz had 21 catches for 269 yards and 1 touchdown.

The 82 receptions tied Amani Toomer (2002) for 2nd place on the Giants’ single-season list. Steve Smith holds the record with 107 catches in 2009.

Cruz’s 1,536 yards were a Giants record, breaking Toomer’s former mark by 193 yards (Toomer had 1,343 yards in 2002). The yardage total left Cruz 3rd in the NFL, behind only Detroit’s Calvin Johnson and New England’s Wes Welker and directly in front of Arizona’s Larry Fitzgerald. Johnson was the 2nd overall selection of the 2007 NFL Draft and Fitzgerald was picked 3rd in 2004. Welker and Cruz entered the NFL as undrafted free agents.

Cruz was the first Giants player to finish in the top 3 in the NFL in receiving yards since Toomer in 2002.

Cruz was the 11th player (and 10th wide receiver) in Giants history with 1,000 receiving yards in a season.

Joined with Hakeem Nicks (1,192) to give the Giants two 1,000-yard receivers in the same season for the 1st time in team history.

Cruz’s 18.7-yard average was the highest among the 72 NFL players who had at least 50 catches in 2011 and was the highest by a Giant with at least 50 receptions since Del

Shofner averaged 21.4 yards on 53 catches in 1962. No NFL receiver had averaged at least 18.7 yards on at least 82 catches since St. Louis’ Torry Holt in 2000 (19.9-yard average on 82 receptions).

In the Giants’ NFC East-clinching victory over Dallas on New Year’s Night, Cruz caught 6 passes for 178 yards, a 29.7-yard average that was the highest in a game by a Giant with at least 6 receptions since Toomer averaged 30.2 yards (6 catches for 181 yards) in a victory over the Jets on Dec. 5, 1999.

The 178 yards was the highest total by a Giant since Plaxico Burress had 205 in a victory over St. Louis on Oct. 2, 2005.

Cruz had seven 100-yard games in 2011, breaking the former franchise record of 5, set by

Shofner in 1963 and tied by Homer Jones in 1968.

Cruz had 4 touchdown receptions of more than 70 yards this season. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, no pro player had done that since Otis Taylor of the then AFL Kansas City Chiefs in 1966. No Giants receiver had accomplished the feat since Jones in 1965.

Cruz also had a 68-yard touchdown reception. His 5 touchdown catches of at least 65 yards were the 2nd-most in a season in NFL history. The record of 6 was set by Hall of Famer Elroy (Crazy Legs) Hirsch in 1951.

From Nov. 20 to Dec. 4, Cruz had 128 receiving yards vs. Philadelphia, 157 at New Orleans and 119 vs. Green Bay to become the 4th Giants receiver in history with 3 consecutive 110+ yard games, joining Shofner (1963), Jones (1968) and Mario Manningham (2010). No Giant has ever had 4 consecutive 110-yard receiving games.

Cruz had 4 receptions for 25 yards in the Giants’ victory over New England in Super Bowl XLVI (2/5)…Scored the game’s 1st touchdown on a 2-yard pass from Eli Manning with 3:23 left in the 1st quarter.

Caught 10 passes for 142 yards (including 8 for 125 yards in the 1st half) in the NFC Championship Game at San Francisco (1/22). The 10 receptions tied Cruz with Ike Hilliard for the 2nd-highest total by a Giant in a postseason game. The record of 11 was set by Plaxico Burress in the 2007 NFC Championship Game in Green Bay. The 10 catches tie Cruz with 3 other players, including Hilliard, for the 3rd-highest total ever in a championship game Cruz’s 142 yards was the 5th-highest postseason total in Giants history and was 9 yards behind Burress’ 151 in Green Bay, which is 4th. Had his first 2 career catches (for 17 yards) vs. St. Louis (9/19).

Caught 3 passes for 110 yards and his first 2 NFL touchdowns (for 74 and 28 yards) at Philadelphia (9/25).

Finished with 8 receptions for 161 yards, including a 68-yard touchdown on a pass that he juggled and then secured, vs. Seattle (10/9).

Had 6 receptions for 84 yards and returned 3 punts for 12 yards at San Francisco (11/13).

Caught 6 passes for 128 yards, including a 24-yarder for the Giants’ only touchdown, vs. Philadelphia (11/20). Also lined up as the punt returner and had 2 fair catches.

Had a career regular-season-high 9 catches for 157 yard, including touchdowns of 72 and 4 yards, at New Orleans (11/28).

Cruz had his 3rd consecutive 100-yard game when he caught 7 passes for 119 yards vs. Green Bay (12/11).

Contributed 3 receptions for 164 yards at Jets (12/24). Turned a short pass from Manning into a 99-yard touchdown in the 2nd quarter. It was the longest play from scrimmage in Giants history, eclipsing a 98-yard pass from Earl Morrall to Homer Jones at Pittsburgh on Sept. 11, 1966. It was the 4th pass of at least 90 yards in Giants history.

Finished the regular season with 6 catches for a career-high 178 yards including a 74-yard touchdown, vs. Dallas (1/1). In 2010, played in 3 regular season games with majority of his action coming on special Teams. Also played as the 4th wide receiver vs. Chicago (10/3)…Placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury on Oct. 16…In the preseason, Cruz had team-high totals of 15 receptions for 297 yards and 4 touchdowns…Scored touchdowns on receptions of 64, 34 and 5 yards while catching 6 passes for 145 yards in a preseason victory over the Jets (8/16)…Added a 1-yard touchdown catch at Baltimore (8/28).

COLLEGE:
Played in 31 games with 22 starts at UMass…Finished with 131 receptions for 1,958 yards (15.0-yard avg.) and 11 touchdowns…Had 6 career 100-yard games…Two-time 1st team All-Colonial Athletic Association selection…As a senior in 2009, played in 11 games with 10 starts and caught 59 passes for 868 yards and 5 scores…As a junior in 2008, compiled career-high totals of 71 catches for 1,064 yards and 6 touchdowns…Had career-best totals of 13 receptions for a school-record 262 yards, including a career-long  69-yarder, at James Madison on Sept. 13, 2008.

OFF-THE-FIELD ACTIVITY:
Attended the United Way of New York City Gridiron Gala honoring Chris Snee.

Visited MetLife employees at their offices in NYC to congratulate them on a successful year.

Visited PSEG’s Children’s Specialized Hospital to bring smiles to children’s faces.

Kicked off the Giants Play60 Challenge at Little Falls (N.J.) Middle School – encouraging the kids to get 60 minutes of physical activity each day.

Attended the Jay Fund’s Annual Champions for Children’s Gala in New York City.

PERSONAL:
Has a daughter, Kennedy, who was born during the Giants’ 2011 playoff run. Engaged to Elaina Watley. Played wide receiver and defensive back at Paterson Catholic High School in Paterson, N.J., a short distance from MetLife Stadium…Helped the team go 11-0 in 2003, when he had 42 catches for 731 yards and totaled 19 touchdowns, including 15 receiving, 1 rushing, 1 on a punt return, 1 on a kickoff return and 1 on an interception return…First team All-North Jersey, 1st-team All-Passaic County, 1st-team All-B.P.S.L., 1st-team Parochial All-State and 2nd-team Associated Press All-State selection…Played in the North-South All-Star Football Classic at Rutgers Stadium…African American studies major… Son of Blanca Cruz…Born Nov. 11, 1986.