UCF Knights Football Position Group Previews: Wide Receiver

Previously: Quarterback

The sheer wealth of talent that the UCF Knights have at receiver is almost embarrassing. Despite Tre’Quan Smith leaving early for the NFL draft and being picked by New Orleans in the 3rd Round, the Knights still have talent waiting in the wings. Returning talents Dredrick Snelson, Otis Anderson, and Gabriel Davis have almost certainly locked down starting spots.

Athlons Sports Pre-Season All-AAC picks Snelson and Anderson to lead the receiving corps. Snelson made huge jumps in his 2nd year with UCF to bring home 46 rec/695 yds/8 TDs in 2017 to lead all returning WRs. Anderson emerged last year as a versatile freshman and was a force anytime he touched the ball gathering 30 rec/351 yds/3 TDs at WR, along with 69 car/494 yds/7 TDs out of the backfield. All Davis did as a true freshman was walk in to camp and own the WR 2 spot and deliver 27 rec/391 yds/4 TDs. The only thing that remains to be seen is who will be the breakout WRs from this year’s squad to ensure depth.

Those one or two new starters will most likely come from the pool of veterans Marlon Williams, Tristan Payton, Cam Stewart, and Jaquarius Bargnare, along with highly touted newcomers Tre Nixon and Ke’Von Ahmad. The big athletic duo of Williams and Stewart may be battling to find time on the field when Davis takes a breather, while Bargnare is in much of the same mold as Anderson, and will look to finally get his first significant playing time as he enters his third year as a UCF Knight.

The speed merchant Payton, now an embattled senior, with former H.S. burners Nixon (79 rec/1243 yds/18 TDs) and Ahmad (98 rec/1604 yds/16 TDs), will grind to fill the big shoes left by the departed Smith, and also for this years de facto Alpha WR Snelson, when he is on the sideline. Among the newcomers, Nixon may have the edge as he has been on campus for a year now and more importantly spent the spring in Coach Josh Heupel’s offense, while Ahmad, a track star who may challenge team speedster Adrian Killians Jr as the fastest man on the team, does not get to UCF until this fall.

If the UCF Knights are going to duplicate last season’s remarkable 13-0 championship season, this seasoned, talented, and massively deep group of WRs will be a huge reason why. Even with Scott Frost’s departure, Heupel’s offense may be even faster and more potent in 2018 and the receivers are a big reason why.

UCF WR Preview

WR/HT/WT/YR/247 RATING

Dredrick Snelson 6’0/206/Jr/.8821

Gabriel Davis 6’3/219/So/.8097

Otis Anderson 5’11/164/So/.8481

Marlon Williams 6’0/222/So/.8616

Tristan Payton 6’0/196/Sr/.9047

Cam Stewart 6’3/203/Sr/.8460

Tre Nixon 6’1/172/So/.9224

Ke’Von Ahmad 6’0/195/Fr/.8842

Jaquarius Bargnare 5’9/184/So/.8365