It’s not often a college football program gets two NFL-caliber wide receivers at one time.
The UNC football team was very fortunate to have that last year, as Josh Downs (Indianapolis Colts) and Antoine Green (Detroit Lions) are now both playing professionally. Josh Downs finished his collegiate career fourth on UNC’s all-time receiving list (2,483 yards), while Green ranked second behind Downs with 798 yards and seven touchdowns.
Without the Downs-Green duo, who will Heisman Trophy candidate Drake Maye throw to? He’s got the country’s top tight end trio in Bryson Nesbit, John Copenhaver and Kamari Morales, but wide receivers capable of producing starting numbers will only help Maye further.
ESPN is looking at Georgia Tech transfer Nate McCollum and Kent State transfer Devontez Walker, both wide receivers, as transfers to watch this year.
Check out what ESPN’s David Hale had to say about McCollum and Walker:
“McCollum blossomed late for Georgia Tech last year and should fill Downs’ slot position nicely, while Walker was among the best outside receivers in the Group of 5 last year, catching 58 balls for 921 yards and 11 scores at Kent State,” Hale said. “The only problem is the NCAA denied Walker’s request to play immediately after transferring a second time in his career (his first came after NC Central canceled its 2020 season amid the COVID-19 pandemic), and the Tar Heels are still awaiting an answer on an appeal of the decision.”
Hopefully Walker will return soon, but if he doesn’t, McCollum is positioned to take over the top spot. The slot receiver from Atlanta, Ga. caught 75 passes for 778 yards and four touchdowns in three years at Georgia Tech.
McCollum (and possibly Walker) will be joined in the receiver rooms by returners J.J. Jones, Andre Green Jr., Kobe Paysour and Gavin Blackwell. Those four returners combined for 1,023 receiving yards and eight touchdowns.
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