Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Fall camp position breakdown: Wide Receivers
8/21/2018 12:01:00 PM | Football
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Richie James may be gone to the NFL, but Middle Tennessee's wide receiving corps is still strong heading into the season.
With one of the program's all-time best, Ty Lee, leading the way, wide receivers coach Austin Silvoy is excited for what the group could do.
"Everybody has given great effort in camp, and we're really focusing on fundamentals," he said. "We have a lot of competition … I'm proud of where they've come this camp."
Here are the receivers on the roster:
Starters entering camp
Ty Lee, Jr., 5-9, 178
Austin Silvoy: "Ty just needs to focus on his job and play with that same competitive nature he's always played with. He competes on every rep, and he just needs to keep that up."
Notable:
Patrick Smith, R-Sr., 6-0, 187
Austin Silvoy: "Pat's smaller, but he plays with a big-body mentality. He's just tough."
Notable:
Jocquez Bruce, R-Jr., 5-10, 175
Notable:
CJ Windham, Jr., 6-2, 209
Austin Silvoy: "CJ has had a really nice camp. Big bodies always have a bigger target, but CJ, Zeke [Cobb] and Jimmy [Marshall] also bring us some physicality, too. They're just tough."
Notable:
Next four entering camp
Tavonn Salter, Sr., 6-2, 194
Austin Silvoy: "Tavonn has made some great, competitive catches. He's really come on and we've seen some great improvement out of him since the spring."
Notable:
Jimmy Marshall, So., 6-5, 228
Notable:
Devon Jackson, Jr., 6-2, 205
Notable:
Ruben Garnett, R-Jr., 5-9, 168
Notable:
Other WRs
Zack Dobson, Fr., 5-8, 170
Notable:
Zeke Cobb, R-Fr., 6-3, 215
Notable:
Isiah Upton, R-Jr., 6-0, 191
Notable:
Tyrese Johnson, So., 5-8, 171
Notable:
Gatlin Casey, Gr., 6-3, 215
Notable:
Xavier Dupree, R-So., 5-11, 170
Notable:
Yusuf Ali, R-Fr., 5-9, 175
Notable:
Peyton Burke, R-So., 5-11, 183
Notable:
Parker Bullion, Fr., 6-4, 215
Notable:
Josh Vardaman is the staff writer for goblueraiders.com. Follow him on Twitter @J_Vardaman and also follow @MTAthletics for more on the Blue Raiders.
With one of the program's all-time best, Ty Lee, leading the way, wide receivers coach Austin Silvoy is excited for what the group could do.
"Everybody has given great effort in camp, and we're really focusing on fundamentals," he said. "We have a lot of competition … I'm proud of where they've come this camp."
Here are the receivers on the roster:
Starters entering camp
Ty Lee, Jr., 5-9, 178
Austin Silvoy: "Ty just needs to focus on his job and play with that same competitive nature he's always played with. He competes on every rep, and he just needs to keep that up."
Notable:
- Top-10 all-time at MT with 142 receptions (5th all-time), 1,654 receiving yards (7th all-time), 14 TDs (10th all-time)
- Preseason All-Conference USA (2018)
- All-C-USA Second Team member (2017)
- 79 receptions (4th most in a season at MT), 955 yards (7th most in a season), 6 total TDs (5 rec.) in 2017
- Ranked 19th nationally, first in C-USA in receptions per game in 2017 (6.1)
- One of four players to start and play in all 13 games in 2017
- FWAA Freshman All-American (2016)
- C-USA All-Freshman team (2016)
- Honorable Mention All-C-USA (2016)
- Moultrie, Georgia native (Colquitt County High School)
Patrick Smith, R-Sr., 6-0, 187
Austin Silvoy: "Pat's smaller, but he plays with a big-body mentality. He's just tough."
Notable:
- 29 receptions, 329 receiving yards, 2 TDs in 2017
- Missed two games in 2017 due to injury
- 28 receptions, 332 yards, 4 TDs in 2016
- Nashville, Tennessee native (East Nashville Magnet)
- Mr. Football nominee as a senior (2013)
Jocquez Bruce, R-Jr., 5-10, 175
Notable:
- 9 receptions, 59 receiving yards, 2 TDs (1 rec.), 206 rushing yards in 2017
- Played RB against Bowling Green, rushing 16 times for 115 yards and 1 TD
- Missed all but the Hawaii Bowl in 2016 due to injury
- Knoxville, Tennessee native (South Doyle High School)
- Originally enrolled at Tennessee as a blue shirt in June 2015
CJ Windham, Jr., 6-2, 209
Austin Silvoy: "CJ has had a really nice camp. Big bodies always have a bigger target, but CJ, Zeke [Cobb] and Jimmy [Marshall] also bring us some physicality, too. They're just tough."
Notable:
- Made 11 starts in 2017
- 25 receptions, 351 yards, 1 TD in 2017
- Most Improved Receiver Award following spring drills (2017)
- Powder Springs, Georgia native (McEachern High School)
Next four entering camp
Tavonn Salter, Sr., 6-2, 194
Austin Silvoy: "Tavonn has made some great, competitive catches. He's really come on and we've seen some great improvement out of him since the spring."
Notable:
- Most Improved Receiver Award following spring drills (2018)
- 6 receptions, 125 yards, 2 TDs, 20.8-yards per catch in 2017
- Transfer from Mt. San Antonio (2017)
- Atlanta, Georgia native (Stephenson High School)
Jimmy Marshall, So., 6-5, 228
Notable:
- 8 receptions, 79 yards, 2 TDs in 2017
- Macon, Georgia native (Tattnall Square Academy)
- Lettered in football, basketball, baseball and track and field
- All-state in football (2016)
- GHSA-Private All-Star selection in basketball (2016)
- Future 150 basketball camp invite
Devon Jackson, Jr., 6-2, 205
Notable:
- Transfer from Santa Ana College (Santa Ana, California)
- CCCFCA First Team All-American (2017)
- 67 receptions, 1,270 yards, 14 TDs in 2017
- Renton, Washington native (Lindbergh High School)
Ruben Garnett, R-Jr., 5-9, 168
Notable:
- 5 receptions, 71 yards, 1 TD, 1 blocked punt in 2017
- 4 receptions, 57 yards, 1 TD in the Raycom Media Camellia Bowl
- Moved from RB in spring 2017
- Hepzibah, Georgia native (Aquinas High School)
- Finished high school career with 5,465 all-purpose yards, 62 touchdowns, 171 tackles, 12 TFLs, 5 INTs, 6 FR
Other WRs
Zack Dobson, Fr., 5-8, 170
Notable:
- Didn't play football in 2017
- Knoxville, Tennessee native (Fulton High School)
- Ended high school career with 1,411 receiving yards, 2,824 all-purpose yards, 80 tackles, 5 INTs
- Younger brother of 2016 Arthur Ashe Courage Award winner Zaevion Dobson
Zeke Cobb, R-Fr., 6-3, 215
Notable:
- Redshirted in 2017
- Missed entire season due to injury in fall camp
- Limited in 2018 spring drills while recovering from injury
- Dalton, Georgia native (Dalton High School)
- Ended high school career with 97 receptions, 1,786 yards, 20 TDs
Isiah Upton, R-Jr., 6-0, 191
Notable:
- 2 receptions, 44 yards in 2017
- Nashville, Tennessee native (East Nashville Magnet)
- Played QB at East Nashville
- Ended high school career with 4,823 passing yards, 44 TD passes, 2,327 rushing yards, 25 rushing TDs
- Two-time all-state
Tyrese Johnson, So., 5-8, 171
Notable:
- 8 receptions, 86 yards in 2017
- Halls, Tennessee native (Halls High School)
- Lettered in football, basketball, baseball and track and field
- Two-time all-state in football
- School career records in receptions (136), receiving TDs (27), receiving yards (2,249)
Gatlin Casey, Gr., 6-3, 215
Notable:
- Graduate transfer from Lehigh University
- First Team All-ECAC (2016)
- 60 receptions, 854 yards, 12 TDs in 2017
- Navarre, Florida native (Navarre High School)
Xavier Dupree, R-So., 5-11, 170
Notable:
- Hasn't competed in any games at MT
- Decatur, Georgia native (South Gwinnett High School)
- Lettered in football and track and field
- 2014 Kevin Maloof Award winner in football
- Uncles Kendall and Rondell Newson are former Blue Raider players
Yusuf Ali, R-Fr., 5-9, 175
Notable:
- Redshirted in 2017
- Special Teams Scout Player of the Year (2017)
- Detroit, Michigan native (Maplewood High School in Maplewood, Tennessee)
Peyton Burke, R-So., 5-11, 183
Notable:
- Hasn't competed in any games at MT
- Lexington, Kentucky native (Tates Creek High School)
- Played QB at Tates Creek
- Class 6A passing leader in 2015 with 2,651 yards, 34 TDs
Parker Bullion, Fr., 6-4, 215
Notable:
- Brentwood, Tennessee native (Brentwood High School)
- Two-time all-region in football
Josh Vardaman is the staff writer for goblueraiders.com. Follow him on Twitter @J_Vardaman and also follow @MTAthletics for more on the Blue Raiders.
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