Summer Additions: None
Summer Departures: None
The wide receiver room is not usually one to be lacking in explosive talent at the University of Miami. 2019 is no different. Coach Stubblefield inherited a unit that is ready to prove themselves. As a player, Stubblefield is a guy who did not rely on freakish size or elite athletic ability. He mastered the art of getting open and catching balls at all costs. He plans to add those same principles and attention to detail to these Miami receivers who have been blessed with their elite natural abilities. This receiver group just needs some fine tuning and an offense that can display fully their talents for them to take flight.
As a whole, the group is quite young and unproven, but the potential is endless. Even though, he’s only been in Coral Gables for a few months, transfer WR KJ Osborn immediately established himself as the adult in the room with his work ethic and overall maturity. Osborn likely would have been one of, if not the, top returning receiver in the MAC conference had he not transferred to Miami. Now, he’s poised to be one of the top pass catchers in the ACC. Osborn has not only been a huge asset off the field, but he looks to be just as big of an asset on the field. He showed in the spring that he can be a true #1 receiver. He doesn’t necessarily blow you away in any area, but he’s just **** good across the board. He can run routes at all levels of the field. He isn’t afraid to go across the middle and make a tough catch, and he displayed in the Spring Game at Camping World that he can be a threat after the catch too.
Jeff Thomas is the other most experienced receiver in the room. Despite leading the team in catches, yards and receiving TD’s, everyone seems to think they’ve only seen a glimpse of what Thomas can really do. He’s the kind of talent that keeps defensive coordinators up at night because he can blow the game wide open at any moment. It just seems that Thomas has been under utilized in his first two years at Miami. Enos has made it clear that those times are over and will make a concerted effort to get Thomas the ball in a variety of ways. The deployment of Thomas in different ways is something to keep an eye on in camp. It will also be interesting to see how Thomas’ time with Coach Stubblefield has helped his game. Thomas has been a guy who can just rely on his speed and quickness to blow by DB’s, but if he can be more technically sound and able to control his speed in his routes, JT4 will be virtually unguardable.
As Thomas and Osborn appear to be the clear cut 1 and 2 options, a big question going into camps is, who is going emerge as the 3rd receiver option for the Hurricanes? Brian Hightower and Dee Wiggins could be in a battle for the other outside receiver spot alongside KJ Osborn. Many thought Hightower could have a big year as a freshman after a big spring and a TD in the first game against LSU, but the momentum never continued and he ended with a relatively quiet year. Much like Osborn, Hightower is a well-rounded receiver who can run all the routes. He must take a big step forward and become a more consistent option for the Hurricanes offense this year. Wiggins surprised many with how much he played last year because he was probably the least touted recruit out of the bunch. He proved he is a hard worker and a physical receiver, but the dropped passes became an issue for him as the year went on. If he can clean that up, he can be a solid contributor in this offense.
Mark Pope is another guy that many think could be that 3rd option at receiver for the Canes. By far the most hyped recruit out of the 2019 class, Pope had an extremely quiet freshman campaign. By many accounts, Pope has made strides in the spring and summer and is inching closer to becoming the player many thought he could be coming out of high school. Not to mention, videos of him, Al Blades, Gilbert Frierson and company dancing in the locker room have kept us entertained through a long summer of no football. Pope is one of the fastest guys on roster and can play outside at X/Z and in the slot as well. Keep an eye on where Pope falls in the hierarchy of receivers. Pope is a popular pick to have a breakout season. Hopefully, he can take the dances from the locker room and use them in the end zone on gamedays.
One of the other elder statesmen in the group and 2nd leading returning receiver, Mike Harley, is looking to take another step forward in his junior year. He had a much-improved sophomore year with a couple splash plays and tough catches throughout the year. He’s a great locker room presence with tremendous energy and a vocal leader on the team. He’s also one of the fastest guys on roster. The biggest thing with Harley is consistency. He will likely start camp as the #2 slot receiver behind Jeff Thomas.
Miami’s highest rated recruit in 2019, Jeremiah Payton, is a dark horse to slide into that #3 receiver option for the Canes after a phenomenal spring. He came into spring practice and not only showed his abilities on the field, but he showed he is mature beyond his years. His demeanor and willingness to learn did not go unnoticed by players and coaches in the spring. After a summer of getting his body ready for college football, Payton appears physically and mentally ready to really contribute as a true freshman. He’ll likely be in the rotation to get reps on the outside at either X or Z. Stay tuned to see just how far Payton can work his way up the depth chart this year.
The physical specimen Evidence Njoku has struggled to match his athletic ability with production on the field. The redshirt sophomore has his work cut out for him to find playing time in a loaded receiver room, but he has the potential to be a big time redzone and 3rd down target. Any kind of production from Njoku would just be a bonus for the receiver group.
Marshall Few earned himself a scholarship, and he proved that he deserved it with a solid spring. Few will likely see time on special teams this year.
Bottom Line
This group is loaded, and it covers all the bases with speed, size, experience, youth and a coach (Stubblefield) who lives off paying attention to detail. Combine that with a duo of TE’s that are as good as any in the country. There are pass catchers for days in this Miami offense. It is a recipe for success. Now, the Chef Dan Enos just has to put it all together and make it taste nice. In recent years, Miami receivers didn’t move around too much formationally. Enos showed quickly that he has changed that. He’ll have guys playing inside and out, use shifts, motions and a variety of formations. Ultimately, that will create favorable matchups and set these receivers up for more success than they have ever seen. Overall, I think this group is the deepest on the team. There’s about 7 guys who can make a major impact this year.
As fall camp begins in just a matter of hours, there’s a couple storylines to pay close attention to. How many different ways can they get Jeff Thomas the football? Who emerges as the #3 option behind Thomas and Osborn? How good can Mark Pope really be? Can Jeremiah Payton leap frog more experienced receivers on the depth chart? Football is back tonight at 7, and the answers to those questions will arise sooner rather than later.
Summer Departures: None
The wide receiver room is not usually one to be lacking in explosive talent at the University of Miami. 2019 is no different. Coach Stubblefield inherited a unit that is ready to prove themselves. As a player, Stubblefield is a guy who did not rely on freakish size or elite athletic ability. He mastered the art of getting open and catching balls at all costs. He plans to add those same principles and attention to detail to these Miami receivers who have been blessed with their elite natural abilities. This receiver group just needs some fine tuning and an offense that can display fully their talents for them to take flight.
As a whole, the group is quite young and unproven, but the potential is endless. Even though, he’s only been in Coral Gables for a few months, transfer WR KJ Osborn immediately established himself as the adult in the room with his work ethic and overall maturity. Osborn likely would have been one of, if not the, top returning receiver in the MAC conference had he not transferred to Miami. Now, he’s poised to be one of the top pass catchers in the ACC. Osborn has not only been a huge asset off the field, but he looks to be just as big of an asset on the field. He showed in the spring that he can be a true #1 receiver. He doesn’t necessarily blow you away in any area, but he’s just **** good across the board. He can run routes at all levels of the field. He isn’t afraid to go across the middle and make a tough catch, and he displayed in the Spring Game at Camping World that he can be a threat after the catch too.
Jeff Thomas is the other most experienced receiver in the room. Despite leading the team in catches, yards and receiving TD’s, everyone seems to think they’ve only seen a glimpse of what Thomas can really do. He’s the kind of talent that keeps defensive coordinators up at night because he can blow the game wide open at any moment. It just seems that Thomas has been under utilized in his first two years at Miami. Enos has made it clear that those times are over and will make a concerted effort to get Thomas the ball in a variety of ways. The deployment of Thomas in different ways is something to keep an eye on in camp. It will also be interesting to see how Thomas’ time with Coach Stubblefield has helped his game. Thomas has been a guy who can just rely on his speed and quickness to blow by DB’s, but if he can be more technically sound and able to control his speed in his routes, JT4 will be virtually unguardable.
As Thomas and Osborn appear to be the clear cut 1 and 2 options, a big question going into camps is, who is going emerge as the 3rd receiver option for the Hurricanes? Brian Hightower and Dee Wiggins could be in a battle for the other outside receiver spot alongside KJ Osborn. Many thought Hightower could have a big year as a freshman after a big spring and a TD in the first game against LSU, but the momentum never continued and he ended with a relatively quiet year. Much like Osborn, Hightower is a well-rounded receiver who can run all the routes. He must take a big step forward and become a more consistent option for the Hurricanes offense this year. Wiggins surprised many with how much he played last year because he was probably the least touted recruit out of the bunch. He proved he is a hard worker and a physical receiver, but the dropped passes became an issue for him as the year went on. If he can clean that up, he can be a solid contributor in this offense.
Mark Pope is another guy that many think could be that 3rd option at receiver for the Canes. By far the most hyped recruit out of the 2019 class, Pope had an extremely quiet freshman campaign. By many accounts, Pope has made strides in the spring and summer and is inching closer to becoming the player many thought he could be coming out of high school. Not to mention, videos of him, Al Blades, Gilbert Frierson and company dancing in the locker room have kept us entertained through a long summer of no football. Pope is one of the fastest guys on roster and can play outside at X/Z and in the slot as well. Keep an eye on where Pope falls in the hierarchy of receivers. Pope is a popular pick to have a breakout season. Hopefully, he can take the dances from the locker room and use them in the end zone on gamedays.
One of the other elder statesmen in the group and 2nd leading returning receiver, Mike Harley, is looking to take another step forward in his junior year. He had a much-improved sophomore year with a couple splash plays and tough catches throughout the year. He’s a great locker room presence with tremendous energy and a vocal leader on the team. He’s also one of the fastest guys on roster. The biggest thing with Harley is consistency. He will likely start camp as the #2 slot receiver behind Jeff Thomas.
Miami’s highest rated recruit in 2019, Jeremiah Payton, is a dark horse to slide into that #3 receiver option for the Canes after a phenomenal spring. He came into spring practice and not only showed his abilities on the field, but he showed he is mature beyond his years. His demeanor and willingness to learn did not go unnoticed by players and coaches in the spring. After a summer of getting his body ready for college football, Payton appears physically and mentally ready to really contribute as a true freshman. He’ll likely be in the rotation to get reps on the outside at either X or Z. Stay tuned to see just how far Payton can work his way up the depth chart this year.
The physical specimen Evidence Njoku has struggled to match his athletic ability with production on the field. The redshirt sophomore has his work cut out for him to find playing time in a loaded receiver room, but he has the potential to be a big time redzone and 3rd down target. Any kind of production from Njoku would just be a bonus for the receiver group.
Marshall Few earned himself a scholarship, and he proved that he deserved it with a solid spring. Few will likely see time on special teams this year.
Bottom Line
This group is loaded, and it covers all the bases with speed, size, experience, youth and a coach (Stubblefield) who lives off paying attention to detail. Combine that with a duo of TE’s that are as good as any in the country. There are pass catchers for days in this Miami offense. It is a recipe for success. Now, the Chef Dan Enos just has to put it all together and make it taste nice. In recent years, Miami receivers didn’t move around too much formationally. Enos showed quickly that he has changed that. He’ll have guys playing inside and out, use shifts, motions and a variety of formations. Ultimately, that will create favorable matchups and set these receivers up for more success than they have ever seen. Overall, I think this group is the deepest on the team. There’s about 7 guys who can make a major impact this year.
As fall camp begins in just a matter of hours, there’s a couple storylines to pay close attention to. How many different ways can they get Jeff Thomas the football? Who emerges as the #3 option behind Thomas and Osborn? How good can Mark Pope really be? Can Jeremiah Payton leap frog more experienced receivers on the depth chart? Football is back tonight at 7, and the answers to those questions will arise sooner rather than later.
