TCU football preview: Who will be the Horned Frogs’ No. 1 receiver in 2023?
TCU’s wide receivers in 2022 were the definition of elite led by first-round NFL draft pick Quentin Johnston.
Johnston was the big play, 1,000-yard receiver while Derius Davis was named the best return man in the country with over 500 yards receiving and was also drafted by the Los Angeles Chargers.
Taye Barber was a model of consistency and was second on the team with 631 yards. He’s also in the NFL, meaning that the Horned Frogs will need to replace over 2,000 yards of receiving yards in 2023. TCU isn’t lacking for options with an impressive receiver haul in the transfer portal.
The Star-Telegram continues its TCU preseason preview with a look at the receiver room:
Wide receiver preview
Listed players on the roster: Cordale Russell, Savion Williams, Chase Jackson, JP Richardson, JoJo Earle, Jaylon Robinson, DJ Allen, Jack Bech, Rohan Fluellen, Major Everhart, Jordyn Bailey, Colton Dobson, Blake Nowell, Joe Laterza, Hunter Krepp, Joe Staubach, Austin Scheets, Keegan Cunningham, Warren Thompson, Parker Clark, Drew Scott, Stayton Ankrom
Minnesota transfer receiver Dylan Wright was not listed on the roster, but is still expected to arrive on campus in August.
Production from 2022: Williams had 392 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Richardson had 503 yards and four touchdowns at Oklahoma State. Earle had 155 yards and two touchdowns at Alabama. Robinson had five receptions for 29 yards at Ole Miss. Bech had 200 yards and a touchdown at LSU. Nowell had six receptions for 86 yards. Thompson had 178 yards and two touchdowns at Arkansas. Wright had 280 yards and a touchdown at Minnesota.
Projected starters: Savion Williams, JP Richardson
Next up: Cordale Russell, JoJo Earle, Jack Bech, Major Everhart, Blake Nowell, Jaylon Robinson, Dylan Wright
Breakdown: Wide receiver feels like the most wide open position for TCU as the rotation could shake out any number of ways. The Horned Frogs know what they have in Williams, who excelled as jump ball target in 2022. Listed at 6-foot-5, Williams has an impressive catch radius and all the tools to be TCU’s No. 1 wide receiver in 2023.
If not Williams then it could be Richardson. The Oklahoma State transfer was the best receiver in the spring and had the most production of any player last season. He can play inside or outside, has great hands and route running ability including on deep routes as he showcased throughout the spring. Richardson could easily have 60 or 70 catches. Behind them things get murky with one starting spot up for grabs with at least six options that could make a case.
Let’s start with Earle, the explosive Aledo standout that transferred in from Alabama. Earle has game-breaking speed and is a threat to make a highlight every time he touches the ball. He could be a nightmare matchup in the slot with his shiftiness, but must show consistent effort and focus during fall camp.
Bech had a good freshman season at LSU in 2021 before falling in the rotation with the Tigers’ new coaching staff last season. At 6’2, Bech could provide size on the perimeter or be a big bodied slot that is too big for nickels and too quick for linebackers in zone coverage. Bech missed the spring to rehab from an injury.
Everhart, Allen, Jackson and Nowell are returners from last season that have shown flashes, but are likely behind some other options. Watch out for Everhart though, he has the same type of explosiveness as Earle and is the type of player you want to figure out a way to get touches to.
Russell was one of the gem’s of TCU’s latest signing class and could be the starter by the end of the season. A top-100 recruit, Russell is 6’4 and his best football is ahead of him. His mixture of length and physicality running routes indicates Russell has elite upside.
Bailey is the younger brother of running back Emani Bailey and had a solid spring for an early enrollee freshman. Fluellen was three-star signee in the 2023 class from Gilmer, Texas.
Robinson could be a bit of a wild card after transferring in from Ole Miss. Robinson is now at his fourth school and had his most success at UCF. In 2020 Robinson was one of the AAC’s best receivers with 979 yards and six touchdowns. He’s had just 351 totals yards the last two seasons. If he’s healthy he could be a difference maker.
Finally, when Wright committed to the program in April he seemed like an ideal pick to be the starter on the outside with Williams. Wright started a few games at Minnesota and led the Golden Gophers with 20.3 yards per catch in 2021. Last season his best game came against a tough Wisconsin defense with five catches for 86 yards. Now the question is how quickly can the former blue chip prospect pick up the offense and conditioning. Will he be able to make up ground when arrives on campus next month?
Biggest question: Savion Williams has all the ingredients to be TCU’s No. 1 receiver, but can he put it all together on the field and from a leadership standpoint?
Storyline to watch at camp: After missing the spring, how much progress did Russell make over summer workouts? How much time does he need to develop?
Best-case scenario: Williams embraces his role as the room’s leader and has a career year with over 800 yards receiving. Richardson leads the teams in catches and makes some of the most important receptions of the year. Russell hits the ground running in the summer and is able to secure one of the top four receiver spots, setting up a promising start to his career.
Sonny Dykes is able to find meaningful roles for players like Earle, Bech and Everhart, giving TCU one of the most versatile receiver rooms in the country.
Worst-case scenario: Outside of Richardson, the receivers as whole struggle with increased expectations. Without the threat of a true No. 1 receiver, some of the Big 12’s stronger defenses are able to limit TCU’s big play passing ability with more coverage options. Richardson has a solid year with more than 700 yards, but no other player manages more than 500.
