By Tony Thomas
The Group of Five continues to impress with the amount of talent at the skill positions, and wide receiver is no exception. The pass catchers listed here are big-play threats and consistently give defensive coordinators Excedrin headache #100. They have flypaper on their hands, make would-be tacklers look silly, and score touchdowns at will.
Ricky White III
UNLV Rebels
6’1”, 190 lbs.
A 2023 3rd Team All-American selection by the Associated Press, Ricky White III earned 1st Team All-Mountain West Conference honors after catching 88 passes for 1,483 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging 16 yards per catch. Those numbers were good enough for #7 nationally.
Jayden Maiava isn’t the future at UNLV, he’s the present.
My goodness what a throw, and Ricky White is a bonafide STAR! 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/I6haeeFsYT
— Cam Mellor (@CamMellor) October 14, 2023
White posted seven games of 100 yards receiving, including five straight. In addition, White recorded five games with a 20-yard average per catch. Also, White caught two TD passes in a game three times last season.
Against Vanderbilt, White hauled in 12 passes. In a win over Air Force, White gained a season-high 169 yards and a touchdown. In his collegiate career, White has 149 catches, 2,325 yards, and 13 touchdowns to his credit.
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Roc Taylor
Memphis Tigers
6’3”, 215 lbs.
In 2023, Roc Taylor caught 69 balls for 1,083 yards and four touchdowns. Those numbers were good enough to be selected 2nd Team All-AAC. Taylor posted six games of over 100 yards receiving, including a season-high 159 yards on five catches (31.80-yard average) and two touchdowns in a 59-50 win over South Florida.
IMO these are the two best plays from the Memphis Navy game.
Number 2 Roc Taylor's head tap#MemphisvsNavy pic.twitter.com/amuOYlEnI8— Caleb Hilliard (@CalebHilliardTV) September 15, 2023
Taylor reunites with veteran Memphis starter QB Seth Henigan for another season to ignite that high-octane Memphis offense.
Sean Atkins
South Florida Bulls
5’10”, 172 lbs.
A record-setter for the Bulls last season, Sean Atkins set the single-season school marks with 92 catches for 1,054 yards and scored seven touchdowns. Those numbers were good enough for 2nd Team All-AAC honors. Not too shabby for a former preferred walk-on who was a semifinalist for the Burlsworth Trophy.
Scholar’s Serendipitous Starters: CFF Week 8
Sean Atkins, South Florida at UConn
FPPG: 19.1
O/U 54, USF -2.0
Fantrax Rostership: 18%
Opponent Passing Defense: 251.3 YPG & 10 P-TDs
PFF Grade: 71.2#PlayCollegeFantasyFootball pic.twitter.com/jqLMZgEy4w— John Laub 🇺🇸 (@GridironSchol91) October 18, 2023
Atkins started all 13 games for the Bulls in 2023 and caught five or more passes in 12 of 13 games last season. In addition, Atkins recorded two games of over 100 yards receiving and two games with multiple TD catches.
Against Temple, Atkins gained 169 receiving yards. In the Navy game, Atkins gained 116 yards and scored two TDs. Atkins caught a season-high ten passes vs UTSA and will most certainly be a top target again for QB Byrum Brown in 2024.
The 2023 season for Atkins was indeed phenomenal when you consider he had gained just north of 300 yards receiving total over his first four seasons…combined.
Jalen Royals
Utah State Aggies
6’0”, 195 lbs.
A 3rd Team All-American selection by the College Football Network and the Mountain West Conference leader in touchdown receptions in 2023, Jalen Royals caught 71 passes for 1,080 yards and 15 touchdowns for the #2 scoring offense in the league, on his way to 1st Team All-Mountain West Conference honors. Royals caught multiple TD passes four times last season, including a season-high seven catches for 185 yards and three touchdowns in a one-point win on the road at UConn.
Jalen Royals mosses the Georgia State DB.
Utah State ties it up
— Brendan Moore (@bmoorecfb) December 23, 2023
Catch him if you can, but you won’t, as Royals possesses track speed (4.3 in the 40-yard dash). Any attempt to stop him is a fool’s errand mired in futility.
Tory Horton
Colorado State Rams
6’2”, 190 lbs.
A 1st Team All-Mountain West Conference selection a season ago, Tory Horton led the conference in pass receptions with 96 for 1,136 yards and eight touchdowns. In addition, Horton returned a punt 79 yards for a score vs Utah State, albeit in a losing effort. Horton caught double-digit passes in four games a year ago.
Colorado State’s Tory Horton with another 2 TD Game👇
And it’s only the 2nd Quarter🫡
— Opening Kick College Football (@OpeningKick) October 1, 2023
In a win over Utah Tech, Horton caught ten passes for 227 yards and three touchdowns in a 41-20 victory. Horton has had a distinguished collegiate career, one that includes two seasons at Nevada, with 239 catches for 3,262 yards and 26 touchdowns on his resume.
