2020 Wide Receiver Position Preview
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Whop Philyor (1) Image: Indiana University Athletics
Written by: Nate Comp (@NathanComp1)
After much uncertainty, a modified conference-only schedule of games has been released and the Hoosiers are gearing up to kick off the 2020 season at Camp Randall Stadium against the Wisconsin Badgers. That means it’s time to take a deeper look into who will be strapping up for the Hoosiers this fall. Today, we’ll preview the wide receiver room, led by wide receivers coach and co-offensive coordinator Grant Heard.
#1 Whop Philyor, 5’11” 177 Pounds
Whop Philyor Image: Indiana University Athletics
One of three Hoosiers to accomplish the feat, Philyor joined Stevie Scott and Michael Penix on the Maxwell Award preseason watch list, an award given annually to the nation’s best player. Philyor has earned the hype; after a breakout junior season in 2019 that earned him IU’s Most Outstanding Offensive Player of the Year award, Philyor turned down his chance at the NFL Draft and opted to return for his senior year.
Philyor enters the 2020 season with 126 receptions, 1572 yards, nine touchdowns, six 100-yard games, and 5 double-digit catch games. He became the 13th Hoosier to reach 125 receptions and 1500 yards. He is the program’s leader in double-figure catch games, shares seventh in 100-yard games, holds 15th place in catches, and 20th in yardage.
Whop announced he would return to the Hoosiers citing “unfinished business” after the crushing Gator Bowl defeat. He had his best games in 2019 against Michigan State, Purdue, Rutgers, and Nebraska, but did struggle in bigger games where more athletic secondaries kept him from getting the separation he was accustomed to. Philyor had just one catch against Tennessee and three against Ohio State. He’ll look to make a bigger impact in big games during 2020, whose schedule will leave him plenty of opportunity to do so.
#3 Ty Fryfogle, 6’2” 214 Pounds
Ty Fryfogle image: Indiana Athletics
The complement to Whop’s quick burst and crossing routes will come from the big-bodied deep-ball receiver on the outside, Ty Fryfogle. With the graduations of Nick Westbrook and Donovan Hale, Fryfogle will take over the full-time duties lined up on the outside in 2020. Having seen action in every year he’s been on campus, Fryfogle has proven that he can be the speedy downfield vertical route target while also using his frame to catch fade routes in the endzone. Ty hauled in three touchdowns in 13 games last year and had over 100 receiving yards for the first time in his career on the road against Penn State.
Fryfogle enters 2020 with 75 receptions for 998 yards. With 2 more yards, he’ll become the 47th Hoosier with over 1000 career yards receiving and if he’s able to add 25 more catches, the 28th with over 1000 yards and 100 catches.
Though his senior campaign may not look the way he expected it to, Fryfogle should have plenty of opportunities and targets to make his senior season his best yet.
#10 David Ellis, 6’0” 210 Pounds
David Ellis Image: Indiana University Athletics
Though he’s included in the wide receiver preview, don’t be surprised to see Ellis line up anywhere on the offensive side of the ball – wide receiver, running back, or kick returner. Allen and his staff identified early on that Ellis was too dynamic of an athlete to constrain to only one position. “He’s just one of those guys you want to get the ball to,” said Allen after the first day of fall camp this year.
Ellis returned 28 kicks, caught 16 passes, and rushed 9 times in 2019 for an average of 62.6 all-purpose yards per game. He moved to the running back position during the limited number of spring practices available and remains there as fall camp opens in 2020.
#13 Miles Marshall, 6’4” 208 Pounds
Marshall may be one of the biggest players to watch in 2020, and Coach Allen agrees. In his most recent press conference, Allen mentioned Marshall as a player on the offensive side of the ball he has challenged to step up and take a big leap this season.
Though he appeared in every game last season, Marshall has flown under the radar so far in his career with the Hoosiers. This is likely due to being behind in the depth chart of Nick Westbrook and Donovan Hale, but that will not be a problem this year. Now a redshirt sophomore and near the top of the depth chart for the big-bodied receiver on the outside, Marshall will attempt to fill the shoes of the guys that have now graduated. He did catch 16 balls for 196 yards and a touchdown last year, but his numbers will likely be much higher this year. He was trending upward at the end of last season when he earned his first career start against Purdue and had his best game: 4 catches for 49 yards in the double overtime victory.
#17 Jordan Jakes, 6’5” 210 Pounds
Jakes, along with a couple other receivers that will follow, is the first of a group of receivers that certainly have the talent but are unproven when it comes to on-field production. Jakes will be a redshirt freshman that did not see any time in his first-year redshirted campaign. In high school he was a proven winner; Jakes helped his school win three consecutive state championships and caught six touchdown passes in as many games at one point during the season. He was a 3-star recruit that compiled 18 offers, including offers from Big Ten East foes Michigan and Michigan State. His size is his greatest asset, and like Marshall, he may have the opportunity to put that on display this season.
#2 Jacolby Hewitt, 6’1” 202 Pounds
Jacolby will have a couple uncertainties to keep an eye on coming into the 2020 season. For one, Hewitt is similar to Jakes in that he has yet to see game action. But as an added bonus, he is coming off a June 2019 ACL tear that sidelined him for the entirety of his second season. His first season he served solely as a member of the scout team, where he earned scout team player of the week honors the week of the Penn State game. The former 3-star recruit originally chose the Hoosiers over offers from Kentucky and Purdue, among others. How his play translates to game speed and how his ACL has recovered will be worth keeping eyes on.
#12 Da’Shaun Brown, 6’2” 189 Pounds
It’s not every day that the Hoosiers can snatch a highly coveted recruit out of the state of Wisconsin, but that’s exactly what Allen and his staff did with Da’Shaun Brown. Brown was recruited as an athlete and actually played quarterback and safety while in high school, but he has moved to the receivers room now. He earned scout team player of the week honors twice last year, but after redshirting he’ll be looking to earn some increased time on the field with the graduations of Donovan Hale and Nick Westbrook. The competition will be stiff, but is certainly possible for the former number 1 prospect in the state of Wisconsin by Rivals.
#15 Rashawn Williams, 6’2” 200 Pounds
Indiana’s recruiting has picked up in quality a bit since Allen’s hire, and the 2020 highest rated recruit belongs to the receivers room. Rashawn Williams joins the program from Martin Luther King High School in Detroit, Michigan where the 4-star prospect and 2019 Mr. Football Finalist hauled in 34 passes for 465 yards and 5 touchdowns during his senior season. Williams is a highly-touted physical receiver that had offers from 26 schools including LSU, Ohio State, Michigan, and Minnesota but ultimately chose Indiana. Despite his physicality and hands, perhaps his greatest quality is his willingness to do the small things. Blocking in the run game is not beneath him, and his willingness to be versatile and help out the team could earn him playing time quickly.
#4 David Baker, 6’3” 200 Pounds
David Baker is a fellow member of the 2020 recruiting class known for his speed. Ranked the number five prospect in the state of Indiana, Baker set Scecina Memorial High School’s records for career catches, receiving yardage, and receiving touchdowns. The tri-sport athlete also lettered in track and field and basketball, where he led his team to its first regional championship. The 2020 depth in front of him is steep, but Baker seems like a prime candidate to see some playing time this year before really showcasing everything he can do in 2021.
Scout Team Depth
· Luke Shayotovich: Played in 4 games in 2019. Made his debut and caught his first pass against Eastern Illinois. Offensive scout team player of the week (Rutgers) and special teams scout team player of the week (Nebraska).
· Christian Harris: College of Dupage Illinois transfer, redshirted the 2019 season. Appeared in 3 games (@Neb, NW, Mich). Offensive scout team player of the week (OSU) and special teams player of the week (BSU).
· Cam Wilson: 2018 Illinois State transfer. Three career appearances (BSU, Eastern Illinois, Rutgers). Offensive scout team player of the week (Nebraska) and special teams player of the week (Northwestern, Maryland in 2018).