Indiana Football Positional Preview: Finding the Next Wide Receiver Playmaker

Wide receiver Nick Westbrook is back for IU in 2018 Image: Cam Koenig Hoosier Huddle

Written By Nathan Comp

When Indiana was struggling in the passing game last year, an always reliable target came in the form of Simmie Cobbs. Now, Simmie Cobbs has moved on to the NFL and the Hoosiers must find a new playmaker in the receiving corps. Some up and comers, along with some proven players coming back from injury, will serve as the most likely targets for whoever ends up winning the right to line up behind center in the fall.

Nick Westbrook Redshirt Junior 6’3” 215

The most likely candidate to replace Simmie Cobbs is Nick Westbrook. Westbrook missed all but 12 seconds of the 2017 season after tearing his ACL on the opening kickoff against Ohio State. His return will be huge for Indiana. He was gearing up to be a huge part of the offense last season; he had caught 54 passes for just under 1000 yards and 6 TDs in 2016. Now, Westbrook is back in fall camp without a knee brace and without the non-contact blue jersey. He has already been added to the Biletnikoff Award Watch List. He was one of the receivers clocked at over 22mph by strength coaches David Ballou and Dr. Rhea. His large frame and threat as a big-play receiver will make him a prime candidate as the replacement playmaker Indiana will need. And he’s got the mentality to do just that.

Donavan Hale Redshirt Junior 6’4” 227

Indiana’s other big-bodied receiver returning from injury is Donovan Hale. Hale appeared in a fourth of the games in 2017 before also suffering a season-ending injury and receiving a medical redshirt. He tallied one touchdown on the season, a 32-yard strike against 2018’s Week Two opponent Virginia. Although he flies somewhat under the radar, Hale has proved himself as a sure-handed receiver who is skilled at using his size to make catches. Coming into last season, he had actually beaten out Westbrook for the #2 position on the receiver depth chart. However, neither were able to really showcase their abilities because of injury. In 2018, both will have to come back strong to replace Cobbs.

Luke Timian Image: Sammy Jacobs Hoosier Huddle

Luke Timian Redshirt Senior 6’0” 194

The senior leader for Indiana receivers will be the seasoned-veteran Luke Timian. Timian began his collegiate career as a walk-on at Oklahoma State where he redshirted his first year, before coming to Indiana as a walk-on. Before last season, Timian earned himself a scholarship and will now play his final season after earning Honorable mention All-Big Ten honors and being a Burlsworth Trophy nominee. Timian recorded 68 catches for 589 yards last year and showed his versatility by lining up both in the slot and on the outside. This year, he plans on building on his already impressive resume and making his final season the best. “I spent a lot of the time this summer in the film room. Watching NFL tape, watching defenses, studying coverages, getting with my coaches,” Timian said this fall. “This year I expect to be first team All-Big Ten.”

Whop Philyor Sophomore 5’11” 180

Whop Philyor Image: Sammy Jacobs Hoosier Huddle

This offseason, Indiana football has been all about improving speed. For Whop Philyor, that is music to his ears. Whop burst on to the scene last season after making the most out of Westbrook and Hale’s injuries. He finished the year third on the team in receptions and touchdowns in eleven games. By the end of the season, Whop had earned both Honorable mention BTN.com Big Ten All-Freshman and Big Ten Freshman of the Week (Maryland) accolades. With this experience under his belt, Whop will fill an interesting role for the 2018 receiving group: the link between the veterans (Westbrook, Hale, Timian) and the newcomers (Hewitt, Marshall). He must be able to take guidance from the upperclassmen, while giving guidance to the younger players. So far this offseason, he has increased his max speed to a “whopping” 23 miles an hour and looks to be a key cog in Indiana’s offense in 2018.

J-Shun Harris II Redshirt Senior 5’8” 176

J-Shun Harris Image: Sarah Miller Hoosier Huddle

Somewhat miraculously, J-Shun Harris is still with the Hoosiers and hoping to make a contribution this season. Harris suffered his third ACL tear last season but that will not slow him down. Although typically regarded only as a punt returner (one of the nation’s best, in fact), Harris has expanded his responsibility so far in fall camp. He looks to make an impact on offense, at receiver, despite only recording three receptions in his past two seasons. Coaches have remained cautious with his knees, but so far it appears that Coach Allen wants to allow Harris to showcase his speed not solely on special teams. “Watching practice here, one thing you saw was that (Harris) made a lot of plays from the wide receiver spot…if he could physically handle playing receiver, then we’ll play him as much as we can,” said Allen. He certainly serves as one of the nation’s best cases of overcoming adversity.

Miles Marshall Freshman 6’4” 206

Just like Nick Westbrook and Donovan Hale, filling the role of the big-bodied receiver in the freshman class is Miles Marshall. If you see him, you’d have no idea he was a freshman. Marshall has already received praise from Coach Allen after fall practices for his hard work. He also received a feature on Coach Lee Willbanks’ Twitter this week in a video that showcased his size, making a leaping grab on the sideline over Jaylon Williams and getting his feet in bounds. Marshall set five school receiving records in high school and I would not be surprised to see him add on to the size Hale and Westbrook provide.

Ty Fryfogle Sophomore 6’2” 213

Ty Fryfogle will be a player to watch in fall camp because of his performance in the spring. Although tallying only one catch for 13 yards in the Charleston Southern blowout win last season, Fryfogle showed he was a serious option at wide receiver in the spring while numerous other receivers sat out due to injury. He did appear in seven other games outside of the game he tallied a catch, so he has experience at the position. The coaches saw enough value from him to be willing to burn his redshirt. His size, coupled with the loss of Simmie Cobbs, will likely earn him playing time and more targets this season.

Chris Gajcak Redshirt Junior 6’2” 197

A walk on with the potential to see the field this year is Chris Gajcak. Gajcak played in five games during the 2017 season including earning his first career start against Wisconsin. Coach Heard has recruited the receiver position well, however, so competition will be stiff for him to earn playing time over some of the underclassmen trying to prove themselves. He is likely competing against players like David Felton and Justin Berry to see the field. Either way, Gajcak has shown great leadership ability and brought value to the scout team.

Jacolby Hewitt Freshman 6’1” 201

Hewitt was a member of the 2018 recruiting class that enrolled in school early and participated in spring practice. When the media guide came out on Thursday, Hewitt was one of the two freshman that found himself in the early two-deep depth chart, behind Nick Westbrook. ESPN ranked Hewitt as the No. 29 recruit out of the state of Tennessee. As a high school senior, he earned All-State accolades with 1070 yards and 14 touchdowns.

David Felton Redshirt Freshman 6’2” 224

Felton joined the Indiana roster during preseason camp in 2017 and opted to redshirt. The high school dual-sport athlete excelled on the football field, during his junior season at wide receiver and senior season at quarterback, along with on the track, where he earned a spot on the Junior Olympics. Felton will have to continue to give maximum effort and prove himself on the scout team in practice in 2018.

Justin Berry Redshirt Sophomore 6’0” 195

Walk-on Justin Berry redshirted his first season in 2016 but earned appearances in three games last season on special teams. He has earned five scout team player of the week honors throughout his career. He was also an Academic All-Big Ten selection last season. Although it has not yet translated to playing time at receiver, Berry has been a player that has always impressed me in practices at the position. Continued hard work at the position could earn him time in the future. The risk of injury at the receiver position also means that he must always be ready.

 Others on the Roster

-  Luke Shayovich, Freshman, Walk-On

-  Bradley Ellis, Freshman, Walk-On