SWC75
Bored Historian
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- Aug 26, 2011
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Receivers
Seniors: None
Juniors: Taj Harris 6-2 180, (was 164 last year); Sharod Johnson 5-11 185 (was 181);
Sophomores: Luke Benson 6-4 240 (up from 6-3 233); Ethan Fischer 6-0 180 (was 182); Courtney Jackson 5-10 185 (was 172), Isaiah Jones 6-4 205 (was 200), Anthony Queeley 6-2 205 (was 193); Sam Warren 5-10 200 (was 5-11 202), Nate Wellington 5-10 190
Freshmen: Damien Alford 6-6 215 (was 6-5 210), Ordonde Gadsden II 6-5 210, Umari Hatcher 6-3 170, Kendall Long 6-2 210, Steven Mahar Jr. 6-5 230 (was 225), Maxmillian Mang 6-7 265 (was 255), Landon Morris 6-6 230, Trebor Pena 6-0 185, Sam Weaver 6-4 250, JaVontae Williams 6-1 210 (was 6-0 203)
Gone:
Chris Elmore is now listed as a fullback, although he might be on the line of scrimmage at times.
Aaron Hackett transferred to Kent State to finish his career playing under former Syracuse assistant coach Sean Lewis, who is now head coach there.
Nykeim Johnson did the same. I assume it was Lewis who was their recruiter when here and he was also the offensive coordinator.
Russell Thompson-Bishop was not on the fall roster, which recently came out. There’s been no explanation yet.
Ed Hendrix left school in the spring after an injury-filled career most notable for the occasion last year in which he bumped into All-American safety Andre Cisco in a pre-game work-out and ended his career here.
Justin Barron is now a defensive back.
Last year people kept complaining that Taj Harris, who had sculpted himself down to 164 pounds, lacked the strength to win the battles for the ball along the sideline that we kept throwing to him. Occasionally he would make a big play but too often he would be forced out of bounds or have the ball batted away and occasionally intercepted. What we really needed was a big, strong wide-out who could win those battles. It was an odd complaint, (I should know: I made it myself), because the Heisman Trophy winner turned out to be Alabama’s wideout DeVonta Smith, who was 6-0 170. Taj Harris is not DeVonta Smith but Smith proved you don’t need to be muscular to succeed at that position, as did our own Marvin Harrison a while back.
Another thing that made it odd is that the coaching staff has made a point of recruiting big, strong wide receivers:
2017
Russell Thompson-Bishop 6-1 200 ran a 4.46 forty-yard dash and as a basketball player led the state of Connecticut with 4.6 blocks per game – at 6-1. As a senior he caught 46 passes for 1025 yards (22.3) and 14 scores.
Cameron Jordan 6-3 195 ran a 4.51 forty. ““As a senior captain, tallied 22 receptions for 614 yards (27.9!) and 11 touchdowns”
2018
Ed Hendrix 6-3 195 “Caught 68 passes for 1,535 yards (22.6 avg.) and 24 touchdowns in three seasons for the Warriors, including 27 receptions for 585 yards (21.7 avg.) and 14 touchdowns as a senior captain.”
Anthony Queeley 6-2 194 “As a senior captain in 2017, made 77 receptions for 1,197 yards (15.5 avg.) and 13 TDs”
2019
Luke Benson 6-3 210 “Finished his scholastic career with 23 catches for 404 yards (17.6 avg.) and six scores … Carded 66 career tackles, including nine sacks, on defense … Also played basketball and ran track … Was the SOL Continental Conference 100-meter dash champion as a junior and placed eighth at the state meet.”
Kevin Mital 6-3 210 “was Division I Offensive Player of the Year, logging a division-record 17 touchdowns and 1,058 yards”
2020
Damien Alford 6-5 210 “Totaled 1,379 all-purpose yards and 12 touchdowns, including 26 catches for 590 yards (22.7 avg.) and 10 scores.”
Justin Barron 6-4 208 “made 29 receptions for 525 yards (18.1 avg.) and five touchdowns.”
JaVontae Williams 6-0 203 “As a junior, had 33 receptions for 563 yards (17.1 avg.) … Played sparingly as a senior, making eight catches for 278 yards (34.8 avg.) and two touchdowns … Team captain.”
Isaiah Jones 6-4 200 “19 passes for 238 yards (12.5 avg.) and one touchdown.”
Thompson-Bishop, Jordan, Hendrix and Mitral are no longer on the team. Thompson-Bishop and Mitral never caught a pass for SU. Jordan and Hendrix both caught 3 passes for 20 and 24 yards and no scores. Queeley finally saw some action last year and caught 37 passes for 378 yards and 2 scores. He was our ‘possession’ receiver, football’s equivalent of baseball’s ‘contact’ hitter. If you don’t make contact, are you a hitter? If you don’t have possession, are you a receiver? Benson has caught 14 passes in two years for239 yards and 5 scores, including a 70 yarder and a 59 yarder. Alford caught one pass last year for 3 yards. Barron, Williams and Jones have yet to catch a pass and Barron is now a defensive back. Each player has his own individual story but the cumulative result is still very disappointing.
There’s been discussion of putting Harris in Nykeim Johnson’s ‘slot’ position and having Queeley and one of the other big dudes, perhaps Alford or Jones, handle the rough stuff on the outside while Harris gets to play on an ‘island’. From my 2019 preview: “He had great hands and could run with the ball after the catch. He just seemed to have good instincts for the position. He would up with 40 catches for 565 yards and 3TDs and left people believing he could do a lot more.” 2020: “As a freshman he looked like a coming star with 40r 565yd 3td. He was quick and smooth and seemed reliable. Last year his numbers dipped slightly 37r 559yd 2td but his effort seemed to be lacking at times and there were a couple of sideline incidents suggesting that something was wrong…. At this point it’s hard to tell what direction he’s going in, both in terms of his body and his production…. (Triston) Jackson left this message for Harris: “He was telling me to become a leader. Be more vocal. I’m a junior now, and I have to step up and be the leader to show the guys…” Steele lists Taj at #132, 247#124. He might have been higher if he hadn’t switched to QB.
Taj is listed as being up to 180 pounds this year but last year he was listed at 172 and was actually 164. One article I read quoted him as telling the coach that’d he’d eaten all of his spinach.
Popeye - Wikipedia
He had 58 catches, 733 yards and 5 touchdowns last year, all of which led the team. But those numbers shouldn’t lead the team in Baber’s offense. Babers: “I expect him to break the records,” That means Etta Tawo/Ismael numbers. WAER: “The average length of his 5 touchdowns was nearly 45 yards a season ago, with the longest being a 79-yard sideline burner against the Blue Devils, before DeVito’s injury. Harris’s penultimate season in orange wasn’t perfect, though. He made a few costly errors, including dropping a pass from JaCobian Morgan that instead fell into the hands of Louisville’s Kei-Trel Clark for a pick.” Harris played quarterback his last two years in high school and as a senior passed for 1,550 and 19 touchdowns, while rushing for 979 yards and 10 TDs but he hasn’t been asked to use his passing skills in an end-around – yet.
Taj’s 2018 highlights: (2) Syracuse WR Taj Harris Top Plays 2018 - YouTube
2019: (2) Taj Harris - Syracuse University WR 2019 Highlight - YouTube
2020: (2) Taj Harris Is The Go-To WR In Syracuse - YouTube
(He changed his number from 80 to 3 last year)
Queeley earned a spot in the starting lineup last year with making 37 catches for 378 yards and 2 touchdowns. He didn’t have explosive plays but, with the defenses concentrating on Harris, he showed an ability to get open, catch the ball consistently and get the most out of the opportunities he had. At 6-2 205, he’s not going to get knocked around by anyone. Babers: “He’s one of those guys that, when you throw the ball to him, he normally catches it. (A useful trait.) You just don’t see him drop a lot of footballs, whether it’s in practice or in the games. He’s someone that you can really depend on.” SI: “If he takes a step forward, it would force defenses to leave Harris with single coverage.” Steele lists him as #191, 24/7 #160.
The only 2020 highlight I could find but it’s a good one:
(2) Syracuse's Anthony Queeley Touchdown Gives Orange Early Lead Over Notre Dame - YouTube
Benson is a tight end with wide receiver speed. He could probably be used as the other wide-out, although I’ve not heard of any thinking in that direction. He’s played behind Aaron Hackett but managed to wow the fans with two long touchdowns, 70 and 59 yards where he pulled away from defensive backs. The Daily Orange: “Benson, on the other hand, is the faster of the two, often able to beat linebackers in man-to-man coverage and even outran defensive backs at times last season. That skillset could be easily utilized if he can find the ball in the open field.” SI: “With the departure of Aaron Hackett, Benson is expected to step into the starting tight end position. He has already shown playmaking ability as a pass catcher during his first two seasons. His ability to become a more consistent blocker will be key. The tight end position was not targeted a lot in 2020, but if it is utilized more in 2021, Benson could have a big year.”
People have been wondering why he didn’t get thrown to more. Coaches don’t like such questions and Dino’s tendency is to give somewhat silly answers when he doesn’t like a question. Last year he said that Benson “is fast at full speed but he takes a while to get going”. He’s not a slot guy. Tight ends don’t have to burst from the starting blocks. They may have to block someone and then drift over the middle, looking for a seam. They don’t need fast starts. A better answer Dino gave on another occasion was that Benson is considered a pass catching tight end and this offense favors a blocking tight end: Benson will be in there when we need a pass catcher but that will be on a minority of occasions. Hackett could do both and was more experienced and so he played more. Still there’s that Super Bowl stats where the two #87s, Gronkowski and Kelce both led their teams in receiving with a combined 16 catches for 200 yards and 2 scores. Benson in two years has 14/239/5. It’s been suggested that Hackett, who first went to TCU before rejoining Sean Lewis at Kent State, was looking for an offense that used him more. Will Benson follow suit? Could our #87 be an NFL tight end someday? Why does the NFL love the tight end and the colleges seemingly ignore him?
Luke has no You-Tube highlights devoted to him but these contain his two big plays.
2019: 2020: Highlights | Syracuse vs. Duke (at the 1:15 mark)
Update: Luke has an “Owie”, per Babers, which suggests he’ll probably be available for the opener.
If Harris isn’t shifted to the ‘slot’, Jackson will have the inside track on it. Steele has him as the starter and rated him the #128 recruit, 24/7 #98. He caught 10 passes for 69 yards last year but did not score, not exactly what you are looking for from your slot man, who is supposed to be the dagger you slice through the defense with after you’ve forced them to focus on the wide-outs. He’s supposed to cut across the field, looking for daylight or go deep over the middle. Nykeim Johnson, the man to be replaced, caught 20 passes last year for 323 yards and 4 scores, on an 83 yarder. Drops were a problem for Jackson. The DO: ““Three drops came on long throws from quarterback Tommy DeVito, the first being a ball that Courtney Jackson saw fall right through his hands in the first half... The third, which came on a third down and long where DeVito escaped the pass rush, hit Jackson’s hands.”
He was more highly thought of when he arrived here: Nunesmagician: “Jackson’s an impressive athlete, playing both on both offense and defense in football, while also playing basketball. That sort of experience will be put to the test soon on the field, as he seems an heir apparent to the slot receiver position. The fact that he’s already getting an “OR” with Nykeim Johnson means he’s definitely going to see the field a bit this year.” Upon viewing his high school highlight film, I was enthused:
“His highlights: 3-star Pennsylvania WR Courtney Jackson signs with Syracuse
If he’s even, he’s leavin’. And he can see the whole field and knows what seams to hit. “
I was unable to find any highlights in a Syracuse uniform. That’s what happens when you are a slot guy averaging 7 yards a catch. Nunes, 2021: “When Jackson is playing, he’ll most certainly be in the slot and expect to see a lot of him in short yardage over the middle. According to PFF, 10 of his 16 targets (and eight of his 10 catches) were between the hashes and within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage.”
Alford is the definition of a big target at 6-6 215. Steele has him #208, 24/7 #120. From last year’s preview: ““Alford is comfortable springing into the air for a ball on the outside over outmatched defensive backs. He’s also faster than most of the players defending him but that could change against ACC competition. However, Alford gives DeVito a weapon who he can launch a jump ball to. Alford basically has the size of a tight end, with the speed and physical traits of a receiver.” (OrangeFizz) Highlights:
Damien Alford 6'5 210lbs WR
He could sure make a quarterback look good, getting those ‘jump balls’. He also has a loping gait that suggests that he’s as fast as he needs to be” He caught 1 pass for 3 yards last year.
From last year’s preview: “Isaiah Jones Is a JUCO transfer with three years of eligibility. He’s another tall guy at 6-4. His output in ten games last year wasn’t all that prolific: 19 passes for 238 yards (12.5 avg.) and one touchdown. But he’ll add some depth at the position after the defections. His highlights, (from high school):
Senior Season Highlights
I see a lot of tough catches, many of them over the middle, and battles for extra yardage that get first downs and keep drives going. I also note that they have him listed as the #84 wide receiver in the country and that as a high school senior in Florida he caught 62 passes for 1,108 yards and eight touchdowns. He may be a lot more than just ‘depth’.” Not so far: Cuse.com: “Played in 10 games, primarily on the kickoff and punt units.”
Pena made one very big splash, a 98-yard kick-off return against NC State, our first kick-six since 2011. He averaged 32.1 yards for 7 KOR but caught only one pass for -1 yards. Like Cooper Lutz, he was a running back in high school switched to receiver by the coaches and he could, in a pinch be moved back. Steele has him #157 as a receiver, 24/7 as #106 as an ‘athlete’. Running backs coach Mike Lynch: “He’s a guy we can put in there, obviously good in the pass game.” “He understands the runs now, too. He can do both. You can run inside zone. You can run power. As we move forward, you could see his role expand.” His high school stats are excellent: 1,550 yards rushing and 19 touchdowns during his senior season. For now, he’ll be in the battle, if there is one, for the slot. I’d find ways to get this kid the ball, especially on kick returns.
His high school highlights: 2020 Signing Class | Trebor Pena
His big moment last year: Syracuse's Trebor Pena Returns The NC State Kickoff To Sender | ACC Must See Moment
Williams appeared in 5 games last year but had no stats. Steele has him #237, 24/7 #172. From last year’s preview: We got him away from the U of Miami and Oregon so he must be pretty good. The big issue was qualifying academically, which he did. Nunes: “The more Florida speed we can add at the receiver position the better, and Williams certainly fits the bill. He’s also the sort of wideout that can catch passes in various parts of the field, with some good size at nearly 200 pounds. His highlights: 2020 Signing Class | Ja'Vontae Williams
I see some speed and jumping ability as well as plenty of determination. Other than that the tape is not spectacular, (although that QB looks pretty good).”
Sharod Johnson came in with Nykeim Johnson and Kevin Johnson Jr. but in three years has caught only 12 passes for 138 yards and no scores. And 7 of those catches for 97 of those yards came as a freshman. He’s been strictly a depth and special teams guy. Nunes: “Yet, even if he’s not directly contributing, having a veteran with his experience could prove pretty valuable for a position group full of young guys.” Steele had him #228, 24/7 #160, although my 2017 preview said that ESPN had him as #67. It doesn’t mean much now.
Gadsden, Hatcher and Long are the wide receiver recruits for this year. Oronde’s father played for the Miami Dolphins from 1998-2003, catching 227 passes for 3,252 yards and 22 touchdowns. If Junior can do as well here, we’ll be in great shape. Steele ranks him #153, 24/7 #146. He’s another big dude at 6-5, 210. He had 35 catches for 580 yards and 12 touchdowns, quite a TD percentage.
His highlight film is remarkable for the number of unremarkable plays it contains:
Orande Gadsden Highlights | 2021 Signing Class
They seem to emphasize his blocking ability, which is the type of thing coaches notice more than fans. A good block from a wide receiver can turn a 10 yard play into a 50 yard play.
Hatcher is tall but thinner at 6-3 170. Steele has him at #127, 24/7 at #131. He had 56 receptions for 1,400 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2019. Nunes: “Hatcher’s tall (6-foot-3), but fleet-footed and has plenty of big-play ability (he had 56 catches for 1,400 yards and 17 scores back in 2019). Even if we don’t see a ton of him this year, the future with him eventually plugged in is an exciting one.” Orangefizz is in love with him: “Hatcher is the future at “z,” the boundary receiver. He’s primarily split out there even at the high school level. He does his best work when he has space to use and as the boundary receiver he has it. He is a very fluid route runner and sells his fakes well. At 6-3, he’s also a guy that can go up and get it and as the “z” he needs to be able to do that at the college level. He has incredible acceleration and straight line speed. He’s often used in the screen game and does a great job changing speeds once the blocks are set up and once he hits that top gear, he’s very difficult to catch. Going back to the route running, his footwork is incredible. A lot of wideout prospects tend to get open at the high school level with pure speed and acceleration. Hatcher can get open with speed as well, but what’s more impressive is the separation he gets on double moves and certain situations where it’s his agility that gets him open.” That’s a reaction to this highlight film:
Umari Hatcher Highlights | 2021 Signing Day
Long is another muscular guy at 6-2 210, (I’ve seen listing of 6-3 210). Steele rates him #221, 24/7 #210. He caught 45 catches for 760 yards and 10 touchdowns. Nunes: “The former track star has leaping ability and also used to play basketball. All of these things could be precursors to a jump-ball approach we haven’t really seen since Jamal Custis graduated.” OrangeFizz: “Long is 6-foot-3, 210-215 pounds according to 247sports.com and is a hound in the weightroom. His max bench comes in at 365 lbs, according to his hudl.com page, and he can also push 185 pounds for 32 reps.” (This year’s wide-outs could beat up last year’s wide-outs.) SI: “Sturdy, well put together wide receiver with desirable frame to be a massive target. Surprisingly athletic receiver with nice top-end speed. Shows an ability to track the football down the field and to use his hands to catch it. He could explode more in his leaps to become an even more efficient pass catcher. Uses his impressive frame to win jump ball situations and protect the ball through contact. He often gets open from the snap and displays awareness when anticipating the ball. His overall route tree and ability to stem routes to create variation are cause for some concern, but his frame, top-end speed, and ability to track the ball are indicators of a high ceiling if he can piece it all together.”
His highlights: Junior season highlights
He makes tough catches and fights for yardage well. With all those muscles, you wonder if his future might be at tight end. If that’s a future in this offense…
A late edition was Cooper, a college football vagabond who landed here after stints at Arizona and UTEP. Thanks to a medical redshirt, a redshirt, (under the flabby new rules), and the Covid extension he still has two years of eligibility left, which would make for a seven-year career:
www.espn.com
He’s caught 41 passes for 678 yards, an impressive 16.5 average but only 1TD. He’s 5-11, 175, not the sort of big, muscular guy we seem to be going for but a player with considerable experience at this level
He left Arizona due to a “violation of team rules” and presumably came here from UTEP to get back into the power 5 and make his case for the NFL. He will compete for the third wide receiver role with Harris and Queeley. He seems like he could be a slot guy so Jackson and Pena might be his main rivals. CuseNation: “The Orange recruited Cooper out of Narbonne High School in California, where he was a teammate of ex-SU slot receiver Sean Riley. The two took an official visit to campus together along with a third teammate, Cedric Byrd. Cooper was rated three stars and the No. 91 wideout in his cycle by the 247Sports Composite.”(Steele mentions him but says he i8s ‘gone’ from UTEP and doesn’t has a PS number for him.)
He has no highlight film devoted to his exploits at Arizona and UTEP, although there are a couple plays floating around that were part of longer clips. His high school highlight film is interesting:
Came a long way - Devaughn Cooper highlights - Hudl
He has a lot of moves and speed and could be good in both the slot and on kick returns.
Mahar, Mang, Morris and Weaver already are tight ends. Mahar is similar in size to Benson. “As a senior, totaled 20 receptions for 340 yards (17.0 avg.) and four touchdowns” (Cuse.com), suggesting he might have a similar game. Phil Steele rated him the #51 tight end prospect and 247 had him as #36. But last year he just played on special teams. Nunes: “If Syracuse can get use two tight ends at all, having Mahar and Luke Benson out there could create a lot of mismatches. A lot probably depends on how much the offensive line is improved, though. If it isn’t, you’ll see a lot more Chris Elmore as a blocker. If it is, prepare to see more Mahar given his good mix of size and speed.” From my 2020 preview: His highlights: Senior Year - Steven Mahar Jr.
He’s another “throw it up and let him go up and get it” guy who would be great of the fade. He’s also an impressive blocker. The other team’s coach might want to assign someone to cover him occasionally, (which the opposition high school coaches in the highlight film didn’t always do). “
Mang was the other tight end recruit last year. He’s one of two players who came here from Germany, (the other being OL Mark Petry), which is why Steele doesn’t give him a rating, although ESPN had him as the #70 ‘Y-Tight End’, which means he’s more of a blocker than a receiver and 247 finally rated him as the #138 right end overall. He’s now 6-7 265, so he’s closer to the size of an interior lineman and that might even be his future. His highlights:
Maximilian Mang (6'7, 225 lbs) 2018
He’s certainly a big target but he also seems to like knocking people down. He may be more of a blocking tight end or maybe his future could be on the defensive line.
Morris is a big target at 6-6 230 and put up some gaudy numbers in high school: 81 career catches for 1,456 yards and 13 touchdowns. He was a wide-out there. Steele has him at #68, 24/7 #80. Nunes: “He’ll need to learn the blocking schemes to play, but his explosive offensive style can eventually see him on the field. That is, if Gilbert wants to actually throw to the tight ends…Morris is already on campus and appears to be yet another massive body that ‘Cuse can toss out there at the tight end spot. Perhaps this all seems overly optimistic given SU’s lack of tight end usage of late, but... having this many huge targets should theoretically fix short yardage and red zone woes after years of struggle.” His highlights:
Landon Morris Highlights | 2021 Signing Class
Nothing spectacular but he makes the tough catches and the tough blocks.
Seeing Benson with Mahar and Morris right behind him, I’m wondering if throw to the tight end might become a bigger part of our offense in the future, especially in the red zone.
Late Development: Landon Morris has already hit the transfer portal before playing a game for us. “He said that his role since arriving this spring didn't align with SU's recruiting pitch.” Welcome to college football, circa 2021!
Fischer, Weaver, Warren and Wellington are all ‘preferred walk-ons’, (as opposed to walk-ons that we didn’t prefer). Fischler has appeared in one game and didn’t catch a pass.
Seniors: None
Juniors: Taj Harris 6-2 180, (was 164 last year); Sharod Johnson 5-11 185 (was 181);
Sophomores: Luke Benson 6-4 240 (up from 6-3 233); Ethan Fischer 6-0 180 (was 182); Courtney Jackson 5-10 185 (was 172), Isaiah Jones 6-4 205 (was 200), Anthony Queeley 6-2 205 (was 193); Sam Warren 5-10 200 (was 5-11 202), Nate Wellington 5-10 190
Freshmen: Damien Alford 6-6 215 (was 6-5 210), Ordonde Gadsden II 6-5 210, Umari Hatcher 6-3 170, Kendall Long 6-2 210, Steven Mahar Jr. 6-5 230 (was 225), Maxmillian Mang 6-7 265 (was 255), Landon Morris 6-6 230, Trebor Pena 6-0 185, Sam Weaver 6-4 250, JaVontae Williams 6-1 210 (was 6-0 203)
Gone:
Chris Elmore is now listed as a fullback, although he might be on the line of scrimmage at times.
Aaron Hackett transferred to Kent State to finish his career playing under former Syracuse assistant coach Sean Lewis, who is now head coach there.
Nykeim Johnson did the same. I assume it was Lewis who was their recruiter when here and he was also the offensive coordinator.
Russell Thompson-Bishop was not on the fall roster, which recently came out. There’s been no explanation yet.
Ed Hendrix left school in the spring after an injury-filled career most notable for the occasion last year in which he bumped into All-American safety Andre Cisco in a pre-game work-out and ended his career here.
Justin Barron is now a defensive back.
Last year people kept complaining that Taj Harris, who had sculpted himself down to 164 pounds, lacked the strength to win the battles for the ball along the sideline that we kept throwing to him. Occasionally he would make a big play but too often he would be forced out of bounds or have the ball batted away and occasionally intercepted. What we really needed was a big, strong wide-out who could win those battles. It was an odd complaint, (I should know: I made it myself), because the Heisman Trophy winner turned out to be Alabama’s wideout DeVonta Smith, who was 6-0 170. Taj Harris is not DeVonta Smith but Smith proved you don’t need to be muscular to succeed at that position, as did our own Marvin Harrison a while back.
Another thing that made it odd is that the coaching staff has made a point of recruiting big, strong wide receivers:
2017
Russell Thompson-Bishop 6-1 200 ran a 4.46 forty-yard dash and as a basketball player led the state of Connecticut with 4.6 blocks per game – at 6-1. As a senior he caught 46 passes for 1025 yards (22.3) and 14 scores.
Cameron Jordan 6-3 195 ran a 4.51 forty. ““As a senior captain, tallied 22 receptions for 614 yards (27.9!) and 11 touchdowns”
2018
Ed Hendrix 6-3 195 “Caught 68 passes for 1,535 yards (22.6 avg.) and 24 touchdowns in three seasons for the Warriors, including 27 receptions for 585 yards (21.7 avg.) and 14 touchdowns as a senior captain.”
Anthony Queeley 6-2 194 “As a senior captain in 2017, made 77 receptions for 1,197 yards (15.5 avg.) and 13 TDs”
2019
Luke Benson 6-3 210 “Finished his scholastic career with 23 catches for 404 yards (17.6 avg.) and six scores … Carded 66 career tackles, including nine sacks, on defense … Also played basketball and ran track … Was the SOL Continental Conference 100-meter dash champion as a junior and placed eighth at the state meet.”
Kevin Mital 6-3 210 “was Division I Offensive Player of the Year, logging a division-record 17 touchdowns and 1,058 yards”
2020
Damien Alford 6-5 210 “Totaled 1,379 all-purpose yards and 12 touchdowns, including 26 catches for 590 yards (22.7 avg.) and 10 scores.”
Justin Barron 6-4 208 “made 29 receptions for 525 yards (18.1 avg.) and five touchdowns.”
JaVontae Williams 6-0 203 “As a junior, had 33 receptions for 563 yards (17.1 avg.) … Played sparingly as a senior, making eight catches for 278 yards (34.8 avg.) and two touchdowns … Team captain.”
Isaiah Jones 6-4 200 “19 passes for 238 yards (12.5 avg.) and one touchdown.”
Thompson-Bishop, Jordan, Hendrix and Mitral are no longer on the team. Thompson-Bishop and Mitral never caught a pass for SU. Jordan and Hendrix both caught 3 passes for 20 and 24 yards and no scores. Queeley finally saw some action last year and caught 37 passes for 378 yards and 2 scores. He was our ‘possession’ receiver, football’s equivalent of baseball’s ‘contact’ hitter. If you don’t make contact, are you a hitter? If you don’t have possession, are you a receiver? Benson has caught 14 passes in two years for239 yards and 5 scores, including a 70 yarder and a 59 yarder. Alford caught one pass last year for 3 yards. Barron, Williams and Jones have yet to catch a pass and Barron is now a defensive back. Each player has his own individual story but the cumulative result is still very disappointing.
There’s been discussion of putting Harris in Nykeim Johnson’s ‘slot’ position and having Queeley and one of the other big dudes, perhaps Alford or Jones, handle the rough stuff on the outside while Harris gets to play on an ‘island’. From my 2019 preview: “He had great hands and could run with the ball after the catch. He just seemed to have good instincts for the position. He would up with 40 catches for 565 yards and 3TDs and left people believing he could do a lot more.” 2020: “As a freshman he looked like a coming star with 40r 565yd 3td. He was quick and smooth and seemed reliable. Last year his numbers dipped slightly 37r 559yd 2td but his effort seemed to be lacking at times and there were a couple of sideline incidents suggesting that something was wrong…. At this point it’s hard to tell what direction he’s going in, both in terms of his body and his production…. (Triston) Jackson left this message for Harris: “He was telling me to become a leader. Be more vocal. I’m a junior now, and I have to step up and be the leader to show the guys…” Steele lists Taj at #132, 247#124. He might have been higher if he hadn’t switched to QB.
Taj is listed as being up to 180 pounds this year but last year he was listed at 172 and was actually 164. One article I read quoted him as telling the coach that’d he’d eaten all of his spinach.
Popeye - Wikipedia
He had 58 catches, 733 yards and 5 touchdowns last year, all of which led the team. But those numbers shouldn’t lead the team in Baber’s offense. Babers: “I expect him to break the records,” That means Etta Tawo/Ismael numbers. WAER: “The average length of his 5 touchdowns was nearly 45 yards a season ago, with the longest being a 79-yard sideline burner against the Blue Devils, before DeVito’s injury. Harris’s penultimate season in orange wasn’t perfect, though. He made a few costly errors, including dropping a pass from JaCobian Morgan that instead fell into the hands of Louisville’s Kei-Trel Clark for a pick.” Harris played quarterback his last two years in high school and as a senior passed for 1,550 and 19 touchdowns, while rushing for 979 yards and 10 TDs but he hasn’t been asked to use his passing skills in an end-around – yet.
Taj’s 2018 highlights: (2) Syracuse WR Taj Harris Top Plays 2018 - YouTube
2019: (2) Taj Harris - Syracuse University WR 2019 Highlight - YouTube
2020: (2) Taj Harris Is The Go-To WR In Syracuse - YouTube
(He changed his number from 80 to 3 last year)
Queeley earned a spot in the starting lineup last year with making 37 catches for 378 yards and 2 touchdowns. He didn’t have explosive plays but, with the defenses concentrating on Harris, he showed an ability to get open, catch the ball consistently and get the most out of the opportunities he had. At 6-2 205, he’s not going to get knocked around by anyone. Babers: “He’s one of those guys that, when you throw the ball to him, he normally catches it. (A useful trait.) You just don’t see him drop a lot of footballs, whether it’s in practice or in the games. He’s someone that you can really depend on.” SI: “If he takes a step forward, it would force defenses to leave Harris with single coverage.” Steele lists him as #191, 24/7 #160.
The only 2020 highlight I could find but it’s a good one:
(2) Syracuse's Anthony Queeley Touchdown Gives Orange Early Lead Over Notre Dame - YouTube
Benson is a tight end with wide receiver speed. He could probably be used as the other wide-out, although I’ve not heard of any thinking in that direction. He’s played behind Aaron Hackett but managed to wow the fans with two long touchdowns, 70 and 59 yards where he pulled away from defensive backs. The Daily Orange: “Benson, on the other hand, is the faster of the two, often able to beat linebackers in man-to-man coverage and even outran defensive backs at times last season. That skillset could be easily utilized if he can find the ball in the open field.” SI: “With the departure of Aaron Hackett, Benson is expected to step into the starting tight end position. He has already shown playmaking ability as a pass catcher during his first two seasons. His ability to become a more consistent blocker will be key. The tight end position was not targeted a lot in 2020, but if it is utilized more in 2021, Benson could have a big year.”
People have been wondering why he didn’t get thrown to more. Coaches don’t like such questions and Dino’s tendency is to give somewhat silly answers when he doesn’t like a question. Last year he said that Benson “is fast at full speed but he takes a while to get going”. He’s not a slot guy. Tight ends don’t have to burst from the starting blocks. They may have to block someone and then drift over the middle, looking for a seam. They don’t need fast starts. A better answer Dino gave on another occasion was that Benson is considered a pass catching tight end and this offense favors a blocking tight end: Benson will be in there when we need a pass catcher but that will be on a minority of occasions. Hackett could do both and was more experienced and so he played more. Still there’s that Super Bowl stats where the two #87s, Gronkowski and Kelce both led their teams in receiving with a combined 16 catches for 200 yards and 2 scores. Benson in two years has 14/239/5. It’s been suggested that Hackett, who first went to TCU before rejoining Sean Lewis at Kent State, was looking for an offense that used him more. Will Benson follow suit? Could our #87 be an NFL tight end someday? Why does the NFL love the tight end and the colleges seemingly ignore him?
Luke has no You-Tube highlights devoted to him but these contain his two big plays.
2019: 2020: Highlights | Syracuse vs. Duke (at the 1:15 mark)
Update: Luke has an “Owie”, per Babers, which suggests he’ll probably be available for the opener.
If Harris isn’t shifted to the ‘slot’, Jackson will have the inside track on it. Steele has him as the starter and rated him the #128 recruit, 24/7 #98. He caught 10 passes for 69 yards last year but did not score, not exactly what you are looking for from your slot man, who is supposed to be the dagger you slice through the defense with after you’ve forced them to focus on the wide-outs. He’s supposed to cut across the field, looking for daylight or go deep over the middle. Nykeim Johnson, the man to be replaced, caught 20 passes last year for 323 yards and 4 scores, on an 83 yarder. Drops were a problem for Jackson. The DO: ““Three drops came on long throws from quarterback Tommy DeVito, the first being a ball that Courtney Jackson saw fall right through his hands in the first half... The third, which came on a third down and long where DeVito escaped the pass rush, hit Jackson’s hands.”
He was more highly thought of when he arrived here: Nunesmagician: “Jackson’s an impressive athlete, playing both on both offense and defense in football, while also playing basketball. That sort of experience will be put to the test soon on the field, as he seems an heir apparent to the slot receiver position. The fact that he’s already getting an “OR” with Nykeim Johnson means he’s definitely going to see the field a bit this year.” Upon viewing his high school highlight film, I was enthused:
“His highlights: 3-star Pennsylvania WR Courtney Jackson signs with Syracuse
If he’s even, he’s leavin’. And he can see the whole field and knows what seams to hit. “
I was unable to find any highlights in a Syracuse uniform. That’s what happens when you are a slot guy averaging 7 yards a catch. Nunes, 2021: “When Jackson is playing, he’ll most certainly be in the slot and expect to see a lot of him in short yardage over the middle. According to PFF, 10 of his 16 targets (and eight of his 10 catches) were between the hashes and within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage.”
Alford is the definition of a big target at 6-6 215. Steele has him #208, 24/7 #120. From last year’s preview: ““Alford is comfortable springing into the air for a ball on the outside over outmatched defensive backs. He’s also faster than most of the players defending him but that could change against ACC competition. However, Alford gives DeVito a weapon who he can launch a jump ball to. Alford basically has the size of a tight end, with the speed and physical traits of a receiver.” (OrangeFizz) Highlights:
Damien Alford 6'5 210lbs WR
He could sure make a quarterback look good, getting those ‘jump balls’. He also has a loping gait that suggests that he’s as fast as he needs to be” He caught 1 pass for 3 yards last year.
From last year’s preview: “Isaiah Jones Is a JUCO transfer with three years of eligibility. He’s another tall guy at 6-4. His output in ten games last year wasn’t all that prolific: 19 passes for 238 yards (12.5 avg.) and one touchdown. But he’ll add some depth at the position after the defections. His highlights, (from high school):
Senior Season Highlights
I see a lot of tough catches, many of them over the middle, and battles for extra yardage that get first downs and keep drives going. I also note that they have him listed as the #84 wide receiver in the country and that as a high school senior in Florida he caught 62 passes for 1,108 yards and eight touchdowns. He may be a lot more than just ‘depth’.” Not so far: Cuse.com: “Played in 10 games, primarily on the kickoff and punt units.”
Pena made one very big splash, a 98-yard kick-off return against NC State, our first kick-six since 2011. He averaged 32.1 yards for 7 KOR but caught only one pass for -1 yards. Like Cooper Lutz, he was a running back in high school switched to receiver by the coaches and he could, in a pinch be moved back. Steele has him #157 as a receiver, 24/7 as #106 as an ‘athlete’. Running backs coach Mike Lynch: “He’s a guy we can put in there, obviously good in the pass game.” “He understands the runs now, too. He can do both. You can run inside zone. You can run power. As we move forward, you could see his role expand.” His high school stats are excellent: 1,550 yards rushing and 19 touchdowns during his senior season. For now, he’ll be in the battle, if there is one, for the slot. I’d find ways to get this kid the ball, especially on kick returns.
His high school highlights: 2020 Signing Class | Trebor Pena
His big moment last year: Syracuse's Trebor Pena Returns The NC State Kickoff To Sender | ACC Must See Moment
Williams appeared in 5 games last year but had no stats. Steele has him #237, 24/7 #172. From last year’s preview: We got him away from the U of Miami and Oregon so he must be pretty good. The big issue was qualifying academically, which he did. Nunes: “The more Florida speed we can add at the receiver position the better, and Williams certainly fits the bill. He’s also the sort of wideout that can catch passes in various parts of the field, with some good size at nearly 200 pounds. His highlights: 2020 Signing Class | Ja'Vontae Williams
I see some speed and jumping ability as well as plenty of determination. Other than that the tape is not spectacular, (although that QB looks pretty good).”
Sharod Johnson came in with Nykeim Johnson and Kevin Johnson Jr. but in three years has caught only 12 passes for 138 yards and no scores. And 7 of those catches for 97 of those yards came as a freshman. He’s been strictly a depth and special teams guy. Nunes: “Yet, even if he’s not directly contributing, having a veteran with his experience could prove pretty valuable for a position group full of young guys.” Steele had him #228, 24/7 #160, although my 2017 preview said that ESPN had him as #67. It doesn’t mean much now.
Gadsden, Hatcher and Long are the wide receiver recruits for this year. Oronde’s father played for the Miami Dolphins from 1998-2003, catching 227 passes for 3,252 yards and 22 touchdowns. If Junior can do as well here, we’ll be in great shape. Steele ranks him #153, 24/7 #146. He’s another big dude at 6-5, 210. He had 35 catches for 580 yards and 12 touchdowns, quite a TD percentage.
His highlight film is remarkable for the number of unremarkable plays it contains:
Orande Gadsden Highlights | 2021 Signing Class
They seem to emphasize his blocking ability, which is the type of thing coaches notice more than fans. A good block from a wide receiver can turn a 10 yard play into a 50 yard play.
Hatcher is tall but thinner at 6-3 170. Steele has him at #127, 24/7 at #131. He had 56 receptions for 1,400 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2019. Nunes: “Hatcher’s tall (6-foot-3), but fleet-footed and has plenty of big-play ability (he had 56 catches for 1,400 yards and 17 scores back in 2019). Even if we don’t see a ton of him this year, the future with him eventually plugged in is an exciting one.” Orangefizz is in love with him: “Hatcher is the future at “z,” the boundary receiver. He’s primarily split out there even at the high school level. He does his best work when he has space to use and as the boundary receiver he has it. He is a very fluid route runner and sells his fakes well. At 6-3, he’s also a guy that can go up and get it and as the “z” he needs to be able to do that at the college level. He has incredible acceleration and straight line speed. He’s often used in the screen game and does a great job changing speeds once the blocks are set up and once he hits that top gear, he’s very difficult to catch. Going back to the route running, his footwork is incredible. A lot of wideout prospects tend to get open at the high school level with pure speed and acceleration. Hatcher can get open with speed as well, but what’s more impressive is the separation he gets on double moves and certain situations where it’s his agility that gets him open.” That’s a reaction to this highlight film:
Umari Hatcher Highlights | 2021 Signing Day
Long is another muscular guy at 6-2 210, (I’ve seen listing of 6-3 210). Steele rates him #221, 24/7 #210. He caught 45 catches for 760 yards and 10 touchdowns. Nunes: “The former track star has leaping ability and also used to play basketball. All of these things could be precursors to a jump-ball approach we haven’t really seen since Jamal Custis graduated.” OrangeFizz: “Long is 6-foot-3, 210-215 pounds according to 247sports.com and is a hound in the weightroom. His max bench comes in at 365 lbs, according to his hudl.com page, and he can also push 185 pounds for 32 reps.” (This year’s wide-outs could beat up last year’s wide-outs.) SI: “Sturdy, well put together wide receiver with desirable frame to be a massive target. Surprisingly athletic receiver with nice top-end speed. Shows an ability to track the football down the field and to use his hands to catch it. He could explode more in his leaps to become an even more efficient pass catcher. Uses his impressive frame to win jump ball situations and protect the ball through contact. He often gets open from the snap and displays awareness when anticipating the ball. His overall route tree and ability to stem routes to create variation are cause for some concern, but his frame, top-end speed, and ability to track the ball are indicators of a high ceiling if he can piece it all together.”
His highlights: Junior season highlights
He makes tough catches and fights for yardage well. With all those muscles, you wonder if his future might be at tight end. If that’s a future in this offense…
A late edition was Cooper, a college football vagabond who landed here after stints at Arizona and UTEP. Thanks to a medical redshirt, a redshirt, (under the flabby new rules), and the Covid extension he still has two years of eligibility left, which would make for a seven-year career:
Devaughn Cooper Career Stats - NCAAF - ESPN
Complete career NCAAF stats for Syracuse Orange Wide Receiver Devaughn Cooper on ESPN. Includes scoring, rushing, defensive and receiving stats.
He left Arizona due to a “violation of team rules” and presumably came here from UTEP to get back into the power 5 and make his case for the NFL. He will compete for the third wide receiver role with Harris and Queeley. He seems like he could be a slot guy so Jackson and Pena might be his main rivals. CuseNation: “The Orange recruited Cooper out of Narbonne High School in California, where he was a teammate of ex-SU slot receiver Sean Riley. The two took an official visit to campus together along with a third teammate, Cedric Byrd. Cooper was rated three stars and the No. 91 wideout in his cycle by the 247Sports Composite.”(Steele mentions him but says he i8s ‘gone’ from UTEP and doesn’t has a PS number for him.)
He has no highlight film devoted to his exploits at Arizona and UTEP, although there are a couple plays floating around that were part of longer clips. His high school highlight film is interesting:
Came a long way - Devaughn Cooper highlights - Hudl
He has a lot of moves and speed and could be good in both the slot and on kick returns.
Mahar, Mang, Morris and Weaver already are tight ends. Mahar is similar in size to Benson. “As a senior, totaled 20 receptions for 340 yards (17.0 avg.) and four touchdowns” (Cuse.com), suggesting he might have a similar game. Phil Steele rated him the #51 tight end prospect and 247 had him as #36. But last year he just played on special teams. Nunes: “If Syracuse can get use two tight ends at all, having Mahar and Luke Benson out there could create a lot of mismatches. A lot probably depends on how much the offensive line is improved, though. If it isn’t, you’ll see a lot more Chris Elmore as a blocker. If it is, prepare to see more Mahar given his good mix of size and speed.” From my 2020 preview: His highlights: Senior Year - Steven Mahar Jr.
He’s another “throw it up and let him go up and get it” guy who would be great of the fade. He’s also an impressive blocker. The other team’s coach might want to assign someone to cover him occasionally, (which the opposition high school coaches in the highlight film didn’t always do). “
Mang was the other tight end recruit last year. He’s one of two players who came here from Germany, (the other being OL Mark Petry), which is why Steele doesn’t give him a rating, although ESPN had him as the #70 ‘Y-Tight End’, which means he’s more of a blocker than a receiver and 247 finally rated him as the #138 right end overall. He’s now 6-7 265, so he’s closer to the size of an interior lineman and that might even be his future. His highlights:
Maximilian Mang (6'7, 225 lbs) 2018
He’s certainly a big target but he also seems to like knocking people down. He may be more of a blocking tight end or maybe his future could be on the defensive line.
Morris is a big target at 6-6 230 and put up some gaudy numbers in high school: 81 career catches for 1,456 yards and 13 touchdowns. He was a wide-out there. Steele has him at #68, 24/7 #80. Nunes: “He’ll need to learn the blocking schemes to play, but his explosive offensive style can eventually see him on the field. That is, if Gilbert wants to actually throw to the tight ends…Morris is already on campus and appears to be yet another massive body that ‘Cuse can toss out there at the tight end spot. Perhaps this all seems overly optimistic given SU’s lack of tight end usage of late, but... having this many huge targets should theoretically fix short yardage and red zone woes after years of struggle.” His highlights:
Landon Morris Highlights | 2021 Signing Class
Nothing spectacular but he makes the tough catches and the tough blocks.
Seeing Benson with Mahar and Morris right behind him, I’m wondering if throw to the tight end might become a bigger part of our offense in the future, especially in the red zone.
Late Development: Landon Morris has already hit the transfer portal before playing a game for us. “He said that his role since arriving this spring didn't align with SU's recruiting pitch.” Welcome to college football, circa 2021!
Fischer, Weaver, Warren and Wellington are all ‘preferred walk-ons’, (as opposed to walk-ons that we didn’t prefer). Fischler has appeared in one game and didn’t catch a pass.
