Countdown to IUFB Kickoff: 15 Days (Nick Westbrook)

Written by T.J. Inman (@TJHoosierHuddle)

2019 Countdown - #15

Name – Nick Westbrook

Position – Wide Receiver (Redshirt Senior)

Hometown – Lake Mary, FL (Lake Mary High School)

Height – 6’3”

Weight – 216 pounds

The 2019 Hoosier Huddle Countdown has rolled along and the season is now in sight. In only 15 days, the Indiana Hoosiers will take the field against the Ball State Cardinals and begin the 2019 season. Today’s countdown feature focuses on IU’s number one wide receiver, fifth-year wideout Nick Westbrook.

A standout all-state player at Lake Mary High School in Central Florida, Nick Westbrook came to Indiana as one of the first players in what has become a pipeline from Florida to Bloomington (Sunshine Pipeline…my favorite moniker for it). As a freshman in 2015, Westbrook appeared in all 13 games and had his first touchdown, along with 26 yards, in the Pinstripe Bowl. He showed flashes in that bowl game of what was to come and in 2016, he broke out. Westbrook was forced to step up as Simmie Cobbs went down with an injury and he came through in a huge way, leading the team with 54 catches and 995 yards. He averaged an impressive 18.4 yards per catch which was second in the Big Ten. Hype was high for the Indiana offense as Cobbs returned from his injury for the 2017 season to team up with Westbrook. In a cruel twist of fate, that all changed on the first play of the year. Nick Westbrook tore his ACL and medically redshirted the 2017 season. He returned as a junior and looked mostly like his old self. Despite struggles with the deep passing game, Westbrook led the team with 590 yards receiving, averaging 14 yards per catch. Westbrook was terrific against Purdue with 125 yards and a score and he earned IU’s offensive player of the week on three occasions.

Already at more than 102 catches and 1,654 yards in his career, the 6’3” target is back for his final season. IU is strong at receiver with Donavan Hale partnering Westbrook on the outside to provide a tall duo that should provide issues for opposing defensive backs. Whop Philyor is a difference-maker at slot and players like Ty Fryfogle, Miles Marshall returning to provide depth. In addition, IU is excited about the potential of newcomers Jordan Jakes, David Ellis and Da’shaun Brown. That being said, Westbrook is still the clear number one target for this team and a big season is very possible in Kalen DeBoer’s offense. How big of a senior season is likely to be determined by how much improvement is shown by IU’s quarterbacks. If the vertical passing attack can be juiced up, Westbrook could return to the numbers we saw in 2016 when he was one of the best in the league at stretching the field.

The Hoosier Huddle Countdown continues each day so check back daily!