For two straight seasons, the wide receiver room was a source of strength for the Tigers, with Luther Burden and Theo Wease leading the pack. Luther Burden was the star of the room, being one of the highest-rated recruits in school history, and surely changed the trajectory of the program, while earning praise from national media on a consistent basis. In 2023, Burden had his best year, with 86 receptions for 1,212 yards, and also amassed nine touchdowns, which boosted him to a preseason all-American award going into the ‘24 season. Burden took a slight drop-off in the ‘24 campaign, but still had a solid year, hauling in 61 passes for 676 yards, along with six touchdowns.

Theo Wease was a rock for Brady Cook, often serving as a safety blanket and a daunting red zone threat. Wease was very complimentary to Luther, bringing a taller stature, better physicality, and the ability to high point the ball. In 2023, Wease had a solid debut year for the Tigers after transferring from Oklahoma, where he would catch 39 balls, tallying 682 yards and six touchdowns. In 2024, Wease had his best year yet, leading the receiving room with 60 receptions for 884 yards, with four touchdowns.

The loss of these two now NFL receivers will surely strike a blow to the room, but the question is whether the Tigers can replace this production. Fortunately for Kirby Moore and Jacob Peeler, they aim to replace/rebuild an offense that ranked 71st in the country and took a step back after a shockingly impressive 2023 season. So, who returns for the Tigers?

The top returner in the receiver room is by far Marquis Johnson, who served as the Tigers’ deep threat the past two seasons. Johnson had his breakout year in 2023 as a freshman, being the vertical outlet for Brady Cook. Johnson would haul in 13 balls for 383 yards, which comes out to an absurd average of 29.5 yards per catch. The freshman would also add three touchdowns. Johnson grew in popularity after several big plays, including a deep ball TD against Memphis, and a 50-yard reception against Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl, which awakened a sleeping offense.

In the 2024 season, Johnson saw himself in much of the same role, but also grew as a route runner. Johnson was utilized often on screens, slants, and curls, whilst receiving his dose of deep balls. The sophomore would bring down 25 passes for 352 yards, showing his growth as a route runner, finding himself open more often. This season, Johnson looks to continue to grow as an all-around receiver and be a key cog to a potentially explosive offense.

Also returning is promising sophomore Joshua Manning. Manning, a junior, came into the program for the 2023 season, where he was a heralded 4-star recruit out of Lee’s Summit, Missouri. Manning had K-State chasing after him, but Missouri beat the Wildcats out, which ended up in some diabolical Twitter content. Manning displays impressive measurables, as he stands at a respectable 6’2, 215 pounds, which is perfect for an outside receiver and a red-zone threat. Manning is full of potential and has good speed, as displayed against UMass last season, where he housed a 63-yard screen pass for a TD.

James Madison ll returns as well. The sophomore did not see virtually any game time last season, but has plenty of upside. Madison played for St. Thomas Aquinas, one of the most storied high school programs in the country. In his senior year, Madison would lead the team in receptions and yards, with 49 of the former and 637 of the latter. While he may play a limited role this season, I wou;ld expect the youngster to at least get some playing time and stats added to his record.

Lastly, Daniel Blood returns for the Tigers. Blood is a junior who has seen limited playing time as a receiver but ample time as a punt returner. Blood is a solid slot receiver option for this season, although that very well could be Johnson’s role. Blood will see the field more without Burden or Wease, but to what degree is unknown. Blood is currently in contention for a punt returner role, where he could make an impact.

So, who arrives in the room?

  Up first, transfer from Mississippi State, Kevin Coleman Jr. Coleman is a former 5-star recruit in 2022, who played at St. Mary’s High School. Coleman was looking at Mizzou, but ended up attending Jackson State to go play for Deion Sanders. In his freshman year, Coleman put up respectable numbers, with 33 receptions for 510 yards, along with 3 touchdowns. After Sanders went to Colorado the following offseason, Coleman would transfer to Louisville, where his role would dwindle. In his sophomore year, Coleman’s production would dip, as he caught 26 passes for 362 yards and 2 touchdowns. After a dip in production, Coleman would get on a plane to Starkville to feature in Jeff Lebby’s first year. While the Bulldogs as a unit struggled mightily, Coleman had a breakout season, as he would receive 74 passes for 932 yards, capped off by six touchdowns. Coleman would shortly transfer to Mizzou, saying, “I wanted my last year to be at home.”

Coleman is very likely to be the number one option for whoever the quarterback is going to be, and he has NFL upside. It’s within the realm of possibility that Coleman gets the heralded 1,000-yard season.

Another transfer newcomer would be Xavier Loyd, who featured at Illinois State last season. Loyd originally played at K-State, where he redshirted in 2021, and saw very limited action in 2022 and 2023, catching one pass for 16 yards. After a little opportunity, Loyd decided on a change of scenery, which paid dividends. Loyd was one of the most productive receivers in all of FCS, catching 66 passes for 912 yards, with six touchdowns to complement. Loyd looks to continue to leave his mark, this time in the SEC on a much bigger stage. While I don’t expect Loyd to get near that production again, I think he very well could be in the 20-30 reception range for about 200-300 yards. Can’t ask for much more, and anything more would be a pleasant surprise.

A freshman newcomer to keep an eye on this year would be none other than IMG product, Donovan Olugbode. Olugbode is a talented, high-end 4-star prospect that has NFL size due to his 6 2, 200-pound frame. Olugbode transferred to IMG and made an impact, and chose the Tigers over schools such as Florida, USC, Washington, and Alabama. Olugbode has garnered high praise from Eli Drinkwitz, even going as far as to say that he’s comparable to Burden and former Tiger, Dominic Lovett, as a freshman. Olugbode has the potential to see lots of the field and will likely be one of the Tigers’ top receivers in 1-2 years.

Lastly, another freshman newcomer, Shaun Terry ll. Terry is a 4-star prospect who displays high end top speed. Terry played his high school ball in Ohio, where he garnered attention from various schools, including Eli and his staff. Terry is a very raw freshman with many things to improve, but just his speed alone could be a reason for him to see the field more often. Terry is a prospect for the punt returner spot for this season.

Overall, my initial thoughts on the wide receiver room are that it’s solid. Nothing more, nothing less. The room has plenty of upside, but is littered with younger guys whom we haven’t seen much of. Top-end talent is lacking, but the depth of this room is impressive and could be extremely talented going into next year.

Overall letter grade: B