Season in Review: UVa's receiver group has made big strides

After looking at the quarterbacks and running backs, our position-by-position breakdown moves on to UVa’s wide receivers, as we compare the current situation to the way things were prior to the season and then project out how things look.

When we talked about UVa’s quarterbacks last week, we discussed the job the Wahoos did not only in replacing Bryce Perkins but setting the future of the position.

If there is another position where that type of turnaround was every bit as critical, it might have been at wide receiver.

With the loss of Hasise Dubois and Joe Reed, Virginia’s production problem on offense with the loss of Perkins was compounded. The duo not only put up big numbers but they were extremely reliable and durable.

Dubois finished the 2019 season with 1,062 yards on 75 catches (14.16 yards per) with six TDs while Reed added 679 yards on 77 catches with a team-high seven scores.

A positive for the group as it looked to replace those two stars was the emergence of then junior Terrell Jana, who had 74 catches for 886 yards (11.97 yards per) with three touchdowns in 2019.

Several others were expected to help fill the void, including shifty wideouts Billy Kemp and Tavares Kelly. The relative inexperience on the roster was evident but rising sophomore Dontayvion Wicks was looked at as the heir apparent to Dubois. Despite meager numbers in his first 10 games, the Louisiana native was expected to fill in well.

The Cavaliers helped their cause in terms of replacing Dubois and Reed when SFA grad transfer Ra’Shaun Henry committed to UVa in May. Coming off a stellar junior campaign when he caught 90 passes for 1,118 yards for the Red Flash, he too was expected to fill a big role as a senior.

Kemp finished as the team’s leading receiver by a wide margin, both in yards at 644 but especially in catches, where he grabbed 67. The former Highland Springs standout finished with just one TD, though.

Jana had a bit of a letdown year, catching 36 passes for 423 yards and a score.

But the breakout hit at WR was far and away Lavel Davis, as the 6-foot-7 rookie burst on the scene early on his way to a 20-catch, 515-yard season that saw him not only lead the ACC in yards per reception (25.75) but finish second nationally in that category while also putting up a team-high five TDs among receivers. In fact, Davis was the only player in the country with 500+ receiving yards on 20 receptions.

And as for Henry (who will return to UVa next season as well thanks to the NCAA’s additional year of eligibility), he finished with just seven catches but also put up four scores to go with his 206 yards.

It’s also worth noting when talking about the wideouts that Keytaon Thompson finished with seven catches for 98 yards and three scores. as well. Though he certainly filled in a wildcat role, he moved from QB to WR during fall camp.

Elsewhere, Kelly had just nine catches for 38 yards while rookie Demick Starling tallied four catches for 20 yards and a score.

First, we have to start by saying that UVa’s situation at receiver looks very good, especially compared to the post-spring narrative that the Hoos were in a potentially dire situation.

Davis was an absolute revelation and his numbers would’ve likely been even more impressive if he had been able to play in all 10 games rather than missing two of them due to COVID-19 contact tracing.

While Jana’s senior season didn’t really come close to matching his output in 2019, he was still a reliable piece that certainly helped the Hoos.

Kemp’s sizable step forward, which Bronco Mendenhall seemed to think early on was possible given his consistency in fall camp, was the other big storyline of the season. The fact that he will return to UVa too means not only that the Cavaliers will have two significant contributors back but it speaks to the growing depth Marques Hagans has on the roster.

With Wicks already close to making his return the field, Henry returning, and Starling seeming like another impressive recruiting find for the staff, the Cavaliers’ stock at WR couldn’t be higher right now. That reality could be even more true if Nathaniel Beal, another long receiver, is able to stay healthy and live up to some of the buzz that’s out there about him.

Lastly, what’s most encouraging about this group isn’t solely the production and numbers but the mix of skillsets. UVa has length, size, speed, and playmaking ability at its disposal.

As the Wahoos head deeper into offense, receiver should be seen as one of their greatest strengths.

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