The Good, the Bad, the Ugly: Wide Receiver Preview

With spring football in full tilt, we are continuing our series previewing each position group for every Mountain West team. Over the past few weeks, we took a look at quarterbacks and running backs. With that being said, let’s take a look at the Good, Bad, and Ugly wide receiver groups in the Mountain West.

The Good

Boise State

The success of this group is going to rely on its ability to stay healthy. The Broncos will get Latrell Caples back after he missed the entire 2023 season with a knee injury. The Broncos also got much better in the transfer portal with the addition of former Indiana wide receiver Cam Camper and former five star wide receiver Chris Marshall. Austin Bolt and Prince Strachan will also play a factor after emerging as reliable targets late in the 2023 season. There is no denying that new offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter has a plethora of weapons at his disposal.

Fresno State

This group is loaded and can make a strong case for deepest in the conference. Jalen Moss is going to make a huge splash this season and has a really good chance to be an all-conference selection. Mac Dalena is also a proven target who can make big catches in difficult situations. A young guy to keep an eye on is Jordan Malau’ulu; the Long Beach Poly grad has the potential to make an early impact for a Bulldog offense that should be electric this fall.

San Jose State

Justin Lockhart and Nick Nash are a great one-two punch. Both of these guys have had impressive careers and can be instant game changers with their ability to stretch the field. Lockhart has battled some injuries, but a return to full health is an instant game changer for whomever wins the quarterback spot for the Spartans. There is a bit of uncertainty behind Lockhart and Nash, but Malikhi Miller started to emerge late last season. It is important for the Spartans to find some young targets; the majority of their returning production will be seniors this fall.

Hawaii

I have to be honest, I was a little surprised to see that Pofele Ashlock was returning to the Rainbow Warriors after a great freshman season. He seemed like a prime candidate for the transfer portal. Ashlock will anchor a talented crew that has a handful of capable receivers like Jonah Panoke and Steven McBride. There isn’t a ton of proven talent on this roster, but a receiver like Ashlock has the ability to open things up for the rest of his teammates.

Colorado State

Tory Horton is without a doubt one of the best wide receivers in the conference. I was honestly shocked to hear that he would be returning for one more season. He seems like a lock to play on Sundays. Justus Ross-Simmons is also a top-notch wide receiver with the ability to stretch the field; he has as high of a ceiling as any receiver in the conference. Dylan Goffney will be a reliable target as well after catching 23 passes this past season. This group is loaded and has a case for the best in the Mountain West.

Utah State

Jalen Royals and Micah Davis are a solid foundation for a group that has the potential to be very good. Where the Aggies go after Royals and Davis is a bit uncertain. Anderson and his staff have a variety of junior college transfers that they will likely look to for depth. Royals and Davis could be one of the top tandems in the conference, but the coaching staff better help these guys stay healthy. There are plenty of question marks behind them.

UNLV

Wide receiver is the best position group on this team, and I don’t think it is particularly close. Offensive coordinator Brennan Marion will have no shortage of weapons at his disposal. Rick White III emerged as arguably the top receiver in the conference by the end of the season, and he has Jacob De Jesus returning to be the Robin to his Batman this fall. The addition of Texas transfer Casey Cain gives this offense another dangerous threat that can stretch the field with size and speed. This unit is good. Really good.

The Bad

San Diego

I’m not quite ready to put this unproven group in the “Good” category, but they are close. This group is largely unproven, and that is in large part due to the poor quarterback play that has plagued this program for quite some time. With Sean Lewis at the helm, the Aztecs did a sensational job of finding some guys that can come in and contribute immediately. I am a huge fan of Colorado State transfer Louis Brown IV. San Diego State also added three more receivers in the portal with the additions of Nate Bennett (Portland State), Ja’Shaun Poke (West Virginia), and Jerry McClure (UCLA). If the Aztecs have a quarterback that can get these guys the ball, they have the potential to be dangerous.

The Ugly

New Mexico

Taking a look down the Lobo roster, there just isn’t a ton to be excited about. This a group that is going to take time and development. I wouldn’t be shocked if the Lobos look to add to this group via the transfer portal after spring ball concludes. Caleb Medford is probably the guy to keep an eye on this season, as he had a solid sophomore campaign after transferring from TCU. He could put up some big numbers with this new coaching staff.

Wyoming

Like New Mexico, this group has not had a lot of opportunities to prove itself. I thought the coaching staff would look into adding some wide receivers from the transfer portal, but they seem content with the current roster. I do like Ayir Asante. I thought he did some really good things for the Cowboys this past season, and I think he can be a real threat if used effectively. There is some really impressive size in the wide receiver room. How the Cowboy coaching staff uses this group will be interesting to keep an eye on.

Nevada

The Wolf Pack continues a trend in the “Bad” and “Ugly” categories of unproven groups with new coaching staff. Choate and his staff will need to hope that they strike gold with transfer additions Cortez Braham Jr. (West Virginia) and Dariyan Wiley (Louisiana-Monroe). Neither wide receiver has had huge stats to this point, but both are high-level athletes. Nate Burleson II is a name to keep an eye on; he is a great athlete with an impressive lineage.

Not Evaluated

Air Force

The Falcons don’t have a lot of returning production in terms of receiving. This is almost an impossible group to evaluate since their primary responsibility is blocking. How do you feel about this group, Falcon fans? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Which school has the top wide receiver group in the Mountain West? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.