University of North Texas Athletics
Green Gang: Spring Season Rewind: The Wide Receivers
4/13/2010 12:00:00 AM | Return to Play
By Steven Bartolotta, April 13, 2010, 12:17 p.m.
Now that the spring is basically over (yeah there are two practices left, but it's done) we thought we would dissect a few positions and who stood out during the spring and what to expect as we head forward into the fall camp, which need I remind you is less than four months away. We will start with WR (and mix in the TE's).
Spring Star - Willie Taylor. The sophomore from Dallas wasn't on anybody's radar this spring after two dormant years, but he finally had a breakout spring and could muscle his way onto the two-deep in the fall. He's small, very fast and elusive, a perfect fit for a slot receiver spot. He's going to have to carry-over this effort from the spring into the fall, but the promise and potential he showed in high school, seems to have finally arrived in Denton.
Runner Up- Benny Jones. The walk-on senior is a string-bean at only 165, but he's tall and made a lot of plays during practices and scrimmages this spring. With a lot of guys out at WR with injuries, this was the time for Jones to show up and he did. The question for Jones will be can he beat out a Michael Outlaw, Tyler Stradford, or B.J. Lewis in the fall. With the spring that he turned in, that's now a real possibility to think about.
Honorable Mention - Draylen Ross. The big guy has made the transition from D-line to TE and it has gone very smoothly. Ross plans on dropping about 10-15 more pounds before the fall, but he was a great addition to the offensive side of the ball. A good blocker with great size, he will basically double as an extension of the offensive line but defenses will have to be wary about his pass catching abilities to. New OC Mike Canales envisions Ross as a huge asset, especially in short-yardage situations.
Fast Forward To The Fall - With everyone back and healthy, you will have Outlaw, Stradford, Jamaal Jackson, and Darius Carey more than likely as your starters. Not to say that Lewis, Jones, Taylor, Breece Johnson, Riley Dodge or newcomers Chris Bynes and Brelan Chancellor won't get their chances to play. Stradford has track star speed but he has gone nearly two years without playing a game, which you hope he has no trouble adjusting to. Carey could be on the verge of a breakout year, he was that good in the spring. Toss in the TE/H-Back/U-Back or whatever you want to call it, and you have Ross and Micah Mosley out there at any given time and Canales will have plenty of weapons to choose from. At the very least, depth is not an issue. The hard part will be figuring out who to use, when to use them, and how to use them. With Canales pulling the levers though, I like the possibilities.
