2023 Wide Receivers

[TwentyTwo]

Hard to believe the calendar has already flipped to August!

There are some quality WR's to keep an eye on for the 2023 season. Here are just a few!

Ladd McConkey (Jr.) 6'-0 185 Georgia
Past two seasons....89 receptions 1,209 yards & 12 TD's + 11 carries 178 yards & 3 TD's; also Punt Returner sometimes
Incredible underdog story. Rivals 3 star Coming out of HS in 2020; # 1,143 recruit and the 188th-best wide receiver, according to On3 Sports’ consensus ratings.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1591614875901599747

PFF says....7th valuable receiver in the country, according to PFF’s wins above average metric. His 42 combined receiving 1st Downs & TD's was 2nd best among SEC WR's. 178 rushing yards over the past two seasons, which ranks 4th for Power Five WR's.
currently viewed as a top 3 Round prospect for the NFL 2024 draft.

Luke McCaffrey (Jr.) 6'-2" 198 Rice
1st full season as a WR last year; 58 rec 723 yards & 6 TD's + 12 carries for 148 yards & TD
Began career at Nebraska as a QB/WR; Athletic enough to play RB
A True "Swiss-Army-Knife" ; 4.4-type speed

Rickey Pearsall (Sr) 6 '-1" 192 Florida
Last season speedster caught 33 passes for 661 yards & 5 TD's + 8 carries 113 yards & TD
.....Had 5 receptions for 148 yards and 2 TD's vs. Florida State!
Began career at Arizona State

Taylor Morin (Jr.) 5'-10" 176 Wake Forest
Goes into the 2023 season tied for 8th in program history with 17 career TD receptions… 122 career receptions is tied for 17th in program history and needs 474 yards to crack the top 10 in program history in receiving yards.

Sam Wiglusz (Grad student) 6'-0 183 Ohio U.
1st season w Bobcats lead team with 73 catches; 877 yards & 11 TD's! (long of 75 yards)
Began career as WALK-ON at Ohio State ; just turned 24; favorite WR Cooper Kupp

Chase Roberts (Soph.) 6'-4" 210 BYU
True Freshman started 3 games ; Recorded 22 grabs for 357 yards & 3 TD's
Exploded onto the scene becoming 6th BYU freshman and first since Cody Hoffman (2010) to to record a 100-yard receiving game with 122 yards & TD reception in BYU's 26-20 (2OT) win over No. 9 Baylor on Sept. 10. Roberts added a TD Pass
After HS played in 2019 Under Armour All-America Game; Dad played DB at BYU

John Paul Richardson (Jr.) 6'-0 180 TCU (Oklahoma St. Transfer)
Last season caught 49 passes 503 yards & 4 TD's; Long of 83 yards vs Iowa State!
Dad Bucky played QB at Texas A&M

Jaxon Janke (Sr.) 6'-3" 210 South Dakota State
Enters Sr. season w 193 career receptions ; 24 TD's! and 2,848 receiving yards
On the NFL radar with 4.5 speed
Twin brother Jadon also plays WR for the Jack Rabbits

 

[white lightning]

I love to see these last few guys as they are tall and fast. Just don't let the nfl force them to gain weight to be tightends. It happens
way to often to our guys and not the other guys. Like white rb's bulking up to play fullback. So dumb and only because they are white.

Love the writeups and the pictures. It's getting closer. You can just feel football is right around the corner!

 

[TwentyTwo]

Yes indeed WL! Thanks!

Here's some more quality college WR's

Luke Grimm (Jr.) 6'-0 190 Kansas
Last season 52 receptions 623 yards & 6 TD's
Career 93 rec 1,227 yards & 11 TD's

Trent Whittemore (Jr.) 6'-4" 211 UCF (Florida transfer)
Plenty Upside...Career at Florida 33 catches 425 yards & 2 TD's; came to Gators as a DB
Looking for a Break out season if he can stay healthy with QB John Rhys Plumlee

Drake Stoops (Sr.) 5'-10" 190 Oklahoma
Former WALK-ON coaches son has 80 career receptions 914 yards & 7 TD's

Brad Rozner (Gr.) 6'-4" 200 N.C. State (Rice transfer)
101 career receptions 1,676 yards 15 TD's

Hayden Hatten (Jr.) 6'-2" 205 Idaho
Last season 83 receptions ; 1,209 yards! 16 TD's!
Career : 151 rec ; 2,218 yards 24 TD's
Big time FCS prospect on the NFL radar

2024 NFL Draft Prospect Zoom Interview: Hayden Hatten, WR, Idaho

Hayden Hatten the star wide receiver from Idaho is one of the top prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft. Check it out

nfldraftdiamonds.com

Joesph Manjack (Soph.) 6'-3" 202 Houston
2022-23 American Athletic Conference All-Academic Team
Made 3 starts ; missed 8 games w injured hand
15 rec 158 yards & TD ; began career at USC

Jake Smith getting messed over....Highly recruited out of HS ; multiple injuries while at Texas

Was going to start 2023 Arizona State soon too....

NCAA slammed for denying Arizona State football player Jake Smith's transfer appeal​

NCAA slammed for denying Arizona State football player Jake Smith's transfer appeal

Social media slammed the NCAA for its ruling on ASU's Jake Smith, who wouldn't have even been allowed to play at USC if he had remained there.

sports.yahoo.com

Per NCAA rules, student-athletes who transfer multiple times without a degree require a degree or a waiver to be cleared and Smith, listed on ASU's roster as a redshirt junior, was not granted a waiver by the NCAA.

 

[TwentyTwo]

Again appreciate the feedback!

Was just a bit of a bummer that you were the only reply to this entire 2023 WR thread ...
Thought it would have generated more interesting pre-season and during the season.
Where 3 WR's should be selected by Round 4 (McConkey; Pearsall; L McCaffrey) + Stoops ; Hatten & Janke getting Roster spots

Maybe Isaac TeSlaa (Arkansas) or Pete LeBlanc (UL-Lafayette) end up in Canada if not a Practice Squad?

In previous years there were 21 ; 25 ; 34 replies.
And in 2019 there were 50...FIFTY Post!

But it was really encouraging to see all the 2024 Draft post the past week during the NFL Combine and the attention given to the WR's.

I love to see these last few guys as they are tall and fast. Just don't let the nfl force them to gain weight to be tightends. It happens
way to often to our guys and not the other guys. Like white rb's bulking up to play fullback. So dumb and only because they are white.

Love the writeups and the pictures. It's getting closer. You can just feel football is right around the corner!

In 2024 Miami WR Xavier Restrepo ranks 5th best WR according to PFF.

BYU Chase Roberts is a Sleeper if he can stay healthy + get consistent QB play could tear it up at 6'-4" 210 with speed to burn!

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1707979450514841741

Kansas Luke Grimm had a break out Bowl game 4 rec 160 yards ...3 TDs

Former Cal Walk-on Trond Grizzell (6'-4" 200) has the makings of a Big Timer!

Texas State Joey Hobert could get on a NFL Radar

Texas Tech Soph. to be Coy Eakin ( 6'-2" 210) will be another to watch

And Arizona State's Jake Smith will finally be eligible & playing again! Could be one of the most electric All-purpose players once he shakes the rust off.

Logan Loya (UCLA) ; Taylor Morin (Wake Forest) ; JP Richardson (Oklahoma St) ; Troy Stellato (Clemson) Hudson Clement & Preston Fox (West Virginia); Joe Manjack (Houston) ; Sean Atkins (South Florida) ; Holden Willis (Middle Tenn)

Will continue to keep the finger on the pulse of skill positions.....

 

[Bucky]

Appreciate the work! I’m a dummy and skimmed through this thread prior, but never left a comment!

 

[Leonardfan]

Is Loya staying at UCLA for another year?

 

[TwentyTwo]

WR Caleb Chapman 6'-5" 220 from FCS Incarnate Word was not invited to the NFL Combine either; got to think he goes to a NFL Summer Camp as a UDFA......Curious to see what he does at his Pro Day.
Wasn't sure if he had an extra year? This Covid eligibility has been confusing at times.

Appreciate the work! I’m a dummy and skimmed through this thread prior, but never left a comment!

Thanks! That's ok Bucky....always value your input in the other threads ; did you used to be CelticDB?

Is Loya staying at UCLA for another year?

Assumed he was with Covid season ; so checked to make for sure

Yes with Ethan Garbers throwing to him too!

https://www.si.com/college/ucla/football/ucla-football-looking-ahead-to-the-offense-in-2024-jf1989

Another WR to add for ' 24 Justin Olson (6'-2" 205) who is now at Charlotte. Not sure why he transferred from Middle Tennessee ...
Chase Penry ( Boise State)

 

[Bucky]

@TwentyTwo yessir that was me.

Good to see we’ve got some WRs in line for next season as well!

Forgot about Chapman! Last play I saw him make was terrific TD catch but I believe he tore his acl in the process. Noticed he played well at a lower level.

 

[Don Wassall]

Luke McCaffrey is a couple inches shorter than his dad Ed, who caught 565 NFL passes despite having to serve a four year racial apprenticeship, but has the same lanky build. If we're going to make the obligatory comparison to another White receiver, Luke reminds me somewhat of Kevin Walter, except more talented and Walter had a nice NFL career, again after serving a four year racial apprenticeship. I can see Luke also serving a racial apprenticeship despite his bloodlines before having a really solid pro career.