Tag: Receptions

Seahawks WR Dee Eskrigde could become ‘really impactful player’

Coach Pete Carroll believes Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Dee Eskrigde could become a “really impactful player” following his rookie season.

The Seattle Seahawks wrapped up their losing year with a win Sunday afternoon against the Cardinals in Arizona. After returning home, coach Pete Carroll addressed the media for the final time this season. One of the questions he was asked was about the progression of rookie wide receiver, Dee Eskridge.

“Without hesitation, he’s going to be a really impactful player, I don’t have any hesitation in saying that,” Carroll told reporters. “He has so much going for him, he’s such a talented kid, a good worker, and all of that, when we come back around, it’s going to look so much different to him.”

Eskridge got a late start to his rookie campaign after sustaining a concussion in the season opener and sitting out the first half of the year. He finished 2021 with 10 receptions for 64 yards and a touchdown.

“The jump that guys make from year one to year two is the most significant jump for the most part,” Carroll explained. “Dee Eskridge is going to make a huge jump and be a very impactful player. We will get him involved in the kicking game more so, we worked with him all year on that, but we weren’t quite ready to feature his opportunity there.

“He can run it, he can catch it, he can block, and he has a great work ethic, so there is nothing holding him back.”

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Missing Marvelous Marvin Mims: Where has the playmaker gone?

After a sizzling start to the season in week 1 against Tulane, Marvin Mims hasn’t had the opportunities, nor has he been as productive since.

The Sooners have a multitude of problems. Many have been well documented from the quarterback play, offensive line, lack of a running game, lack of vertical passing game, or just lack of explosive plays in general. The vertical passing game has taken a major backseat and in the process so has receiver Marvin Mims. Mims was a big-play machine in 2020 as he announced himself to college football as a true freshman.

Where has that Marvin Mims gone?

His freshman campaign saw him post team-highs of 37 receptions, 610 receiving yards, and nine touchdown receptions. To sum that up, it was the best freshman season for a wide receiver in Oklahoma history.  He started the year off strong with a five-catch performance against Tulane. He totaled 117 yards with 60 coming on massive catch and run. He’s had no more than two catches in any game since.

It’s quite obvious that the offense’s issues as a whole have trickled down to individual skill players who have showcased their abilities before. Mims and running back Kennedy Brooks come to mind. However, Mims alongside Michael Woods, are truly the most proven offensive commodities this team has. Mims has been in this offense for two years now so he has the leg up on Woods in that regard.

The Sooners have repeatedly said they are on the cusp of breaking thru. Head coach Lincoln Riley has reiterated it time and time again. Will that breakthrough include getting Mims, the verified electric playmaker the ball more?

With a major trip to Manhattan to take on the Kansas State Wildcats, who have had their number recently, Oklahoma is searching for answers. Getting the ball in the hands of a guy as electric as Mims could be a way to jump-start the offense. Screens, quick passes, moving Mims inside and outside are just a few things they can do to free him up and immediately get the ball in his hands and let him do the rest.

There was little hoopla about his move to the inside to accommodate Jadon Haselwood and Michael Woods manning the outside receiver slots but it’s hard not to wonder if Mims’ lack of production isn’t attributed at least in part due to the move. He flourished outside last season but the offensive line also gave Rattler more time to throw. Oklahoma also didn’t see nearly as much Cover 4 as they do now.

Nonetheless, he’s a dynamic playmaker who needs the ball in his hands. In an attempt to jumpstart the engine to this sports car of an offense, it may be time for the one player who has shown the ability to produce electricity to be force-fed the ball.

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Sooners wide receiver Michael Woods making himself right at home

Michael Woods was the latest Sooners receiver to lead the team this season after his breakout performance against West Virginia.

Amid a chaotic and lackluster offensive campaign, the Oklahoma Sooners have found some guys who can play and will be major assets if they get better offensive line and quarterback play.

One of those guys is Arkansas transfer, Michael Woods.

Woods transferred after the Arkansas spring game and was a Sooner the next weekend. He spent all summer working with the offense and has made his name felt all season.

The Sooners game against West Virginia is where he shined the brightest. Woods finished with eight receptions for 86 yards averaging 10.8 yards per catch. It became apparent throughout the night that Spencer Rattler’s trust in him went up as the game inched closer and closer to its end. Woods made timely catches on third downs and helped keep the chains moving all night.

For his efforts, Woods became the fourth receiver to lead the Sooners in receiving this season’s four games. Previously, Marvin Mims, Mario Williams, Jadon Haselwood each took a turn as the leading pass catcher. This time, Woods took the lead.

Woods almost operates solely outside and is better for it as it allows guys like Mario Williams, Marvin Mims, and Drake Stoops to maneuver in the slot. Woods’ ability to make contested catches is going to continue to allow him to see the field.

Another aspect of Michael’s game is his ability to fight for yards after the catch. His longest reception came after the catch and his ability to make things happen with the ball in his hands.

Woods finished with 619 yards his last year in Arkansas. Parker Thune of 247 Sports posted an amazing stat about Woods last season in Arkansas and how he would’ve fit into Oklahoma last season.

“Woods’ 619 yards last season represented roughly 26 percent of Arkansas’ offensive output via the pass. That same share of the production in Oklahoma’s 2020 offense would have amounted to 893 yards.”

With that being said, due to the uncertainty of the Sooners offense right now, who knows if Woods will reach that level of production. However, it’s becoming apparent that Woods is a bonafide receiver, and the Sooners are lucky to have him.

With the current state of the Oklahoma offense, they will need his sure hands on these short and intermediate routes until they can unlock the vertical passing game. Woods offers the Sooners veteran leadership and another dependable asset that shows the wide receiver room is not nearly as deficient of playmakers as it may have been last year.

Their biggest obstacle is finding ways to consistently get a passing game going to allow Rattler to spread the wealth and generate more explosive plays, which is what the offense lacks more than anything.

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Tennessee football: Vols’ all-time leaders for career receptions

Tennessee football: Vols’ all-time leaders for career receptions

The University of Tennessee has a football program rich in tradition.

The Volunteers have won 13 Southeastern Conference championships and six national titles. Tennessee’s program has also produced a multitude of players who went on to play professional football.

Prior to the 2021 season, Vols Wire takes a look at the all-time leaders for career receptions at Tennessee.

Chiefs TE Travis Kelce leads NFL in receiving yards, on record-breaking pace

Travis Kelce is pacing to do things that have never been done in the history of the NFL.

Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis Kelce woke up on Monday morning as the NFL’s receiving leader through Week 14.

It’s a significant achievement for the eighth-year pro because that’s never happened for a player at the tight end position before. With three games left to go, Kelce is pacing to make some more significant NFL history. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid spoke about his performance up to this point of the season after the game against the Dolphins.

“He’s done a nice job,” Reid said. “Like any game, there are things that he can do better, but I mean let’s not slight him, he’s done great and he’s loving every minute of it. He and the quarterback have a good relationship. They’re working it together, they have a lot of trust in each other.”

That trust has helped Kelce achieve 1,250 receiving yards, which leads the rest of the league by 70 yards. He needs just 128 yards to beat the single-season receiving record by a tight end, set by George Kittle back in 2018 (1,377). Kelce previously held that record for a few hours before Kittle surpassed him.

Right now, Kelce’s on pace to exceed 1,500 receiving yards on the year. If he keeps his current pace through the next three weeks, he could become the first tight end to ever to lead the NFL in receiving yards. That’d be a historic achievement and add to a campaign shaping up to be worthy of Offensive Player of the Year honors. If he were to win that award, he’d also make history as no tight end has ever won the award.

Chiefs CEO and Chairman Clark Hunt also had a chance to speak about the season that Kelce’s having after Week 14. While he’s elated for the success on the field, the thing that continues to impress him most is Kelce’s growth off the field. It’s one of the reasons he was chosen to be the Chiefs’ nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.

“First of all, congratulations to the year that he’s having, his success on the field,” Hunt said following the game. “Over a thousand yards again— on pace to break a bunch of records, getting that nod from Madden as a 99, tremendous accomplishment by him and he’s such an important part of the offense and the success that we have had, really, for all five years that we have won the division. But probably what I’m most impressed by has been his growth off the field. He’s a leader in the locker room, but he’s also a leader in the community, committed to making a difference in communities in Kansas City and Ohio for underprivileged families, underprivileged children; and I’m just so proud of everything that he’s accomplished in that regard and everything that he’s doing. He’s a very deserving nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.”

Shifting back to Kelce’s record-breaking statistical year, he’ll also come close to breaking the NFL record for receptions by a tight end. He currently has 90 receptions on the year and needs just 24 more to exceed the record set by Eagles TE Zach Ertz in 2019. He’s averaging around 6.5 receptions per game this season, but he’s averaged eight or more receptions per game since Week 8.

To add a little more context to Kelce’s year, the next closest player in terms of receiving yards and receptions at the tight end position is Raiders TE Darren Waller. He has six fewer receptions on the season, but only 817 yards on the year.

Kelce is truly proving to be one-of-one in the NFL at the tight end position. He’s on his way to having the best season the position has ever seen, but he doesn’t want any of the glory yet. Just like the rest of the team, he knows that job isn’t done.

“[I’m] trying to take advantage of the opportunity that I have here in Kansas City every single day both on and off the field,” Kelce said. “That’s my goal.”

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Russell Wilson: DK Metcalf is ‘the best in the world at what he does’

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson gushed over wide receiver DK Metcalf, calling him “the best in the world at what he does.”

It should be obvious by now, but DK Metcalf has blossomed into one of the best wide receivers in the NFL in just 18 games.

Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson joined reporters on a Zoom call on Thursday to gush about his young star receiver.

“He’s the best in the world at what he does,” Wilson said. “He’s continued to evolve into one of the best receivers in the game. Not to be shy about it, I think he is one of the top receivers in the game. He can do it all – he can run by you, he can jump over you, he can get physical with you.

“He just approaches the game the right way.”

Despite a few missteps along the way, such as occasional drops and that inexcusable gaffe against the Cowboys in Week 3, his development has been hugely positive, especially considering he is only in his second season in the league.

Coach Pete Carroll stated that Metcalf is learning from his mistakes and striving to be the best player and team contributor he can possibly be.

“He has dedicated himself to finding every competitive way he can to get as good as he can get,” Carroll said. “He’s just opened up the world to being a great player for us.”

Metcalf currently has 16 receptions for 403 receiving yards and three touchdowns over four games this season. He is on track for 64 receptions for 1,612 yards and 12 touchdowns on the year.

Second-year jump? Oh, yes.

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Seahawks Tyler Locket projected to tally 1100 receiving yards in 2020

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Locket is projected to tally 1100 receiving yards in 2020 by the fantasy football site, The Huddle.

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The 2020 NFL regular season is just a week away and fans around the country are busy shoring up their fantasy football squads. Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett should not be overlooked.

Lockett is projected to tally 85 receptions for 1100 yards and eight touchdowns in 2020 by the fantasy site, The Huddle. He is currently ranked the No. 15 wide receiver league-wide.

“Lockett finally hit the 1,000-yard mark when he caught a career-best 82 passes for 1,057 yards and eight TDs,” The Hudde notes. “He accounted for 57-965-10 in 2019 making him a Top-13 WR for the last two years. He’s a safe bet to continue to be the #1 WR in SEA. Lockett is the preferred target for Russell Wilson and not only produced four 100-yard games last year; he ended with 9-136-1 in the playoff loss to the Packers.”

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Russell Wilson will have plenty of options to throw to this season

Seahawks QB Russell Wilson will have plenty of options to throw to as the tight ends and running backs will also factor into the air game.

Seattle Seahawks training camp is in full swing, with the offensive and defensive players finally able to take the field together. Monday should mark the most exciting day for fans so far when the pads come on for the first time this summer.

Over the last week, it’s been obvious that quarterback Russell Wilson will have his choice of players to throw to this season, with multiple offensive options at his disposal.

Wide receiver Tyler Lockett – Wilson’s No. 1 go-to target – explained during his press conference on Friday.

“We’re starting to move people around a lot more, so you’ll never know where people are going to line up,” Lockett told reporters via Zoom. “That’s where our dangerous weapons are going be able to succeed.”

“You don’t know who we’re going to run the ball with, you don’t know who we’re going to throw the ball to – we added so many additions, and the people we added to our team are also selfless,” Lockett continued. “That’s what you have to be able to have in a team is selfless people that want each other to succeed.”

The Seahawks beefed up their tight end game with the addition of veteran Greg Olsen and the return of Will Dissly from injury. Wide receiver D.K. Metcalf is looking to shine in his sophomore season. Finally, don’t look past the running backs, who also could factor into Seattle’s receiving game this season.

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Texas Football: Ranking the most memorable catches from 2019 season

Texas’ 2019 season provided no shortage of thrilling receptions, we’ve decided to rank the five most memorable.

Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger had several weapons at receiver last season. Continue reading “Texas Football: Ranking the most memorable catches from 2019 season”

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