Roster Preview: WRs & TEs
The Husky pass-catchers offer promise for a more prolific Husky offense in 2022.
We don’t know what to expect from UConn football this year, in the first season under new head coach Jim Mora. But for a host of reasons, we do expect the offense to take a step forward. This is mostly due to anticipated improvements at the QB, offensive line, and offensive coordinator positions.
One position group that appeared to be solid on the last year’s team and has only improved since then is the wide receivers. The group’s 2021 numbers don’t stand off the page, but that was mostly a function of poor offensive strategy and inconsistency under center. The tight ends didn’t do much either, and though the two-deep remains uncertain, these dudes should contribute capably as blockers and secondary options in the passing game.
The overall talent here was solid going into the offseason, and Mora has added to that through the transfer portal.
Here’s a look at the key wide receivers and the tight ends, listed by expected playing time/production.
Wide Receivers
Photo Credit: Ian Bethune
Keelan Marion - Sophomore
2021: 28 rec, 474 yards, 5 touchdowns
The South Carolina native was one of the bright spots of the 2021 season, starting every game as a true freshman and leading the Huskies in receiving yards and touchdowns. Marion’s breakout game was at Vanderbilt, where he caught four passes for 104 yards and a touchdown. Starting with that contest, he averaged 62 receiving yards per game the rest of the season.
He did all this while averaging a team-leading 17 yards per reception, and with opposing secondaries keying on him, especially in obvious passing situations. The Huskies’ second-leading receiver by yardage was tight end Jay Rose, with 27 receptions for 283 yards. Kevens Clercius, who hauled in 20 receptions for 260 yards and three touchdowns, was third.
This year, Marion should benefit greatly from some of the changes afoot at UConn. For one, the offensive coordinator has been an OC before, which is a big improvement. A new quarterback who was a four-star recruit is potentially lining up under center. Jim Mora and his staff brought in a bunch of transfers on the offensive line and at receiver. On top of that, Cam Ross—the breakout receiver of 2019—returns after his 2021 season ended two games in. He provides a threat on the other side of the field.
Marion and Ross are a strong top two. Given Marion’s size, a sturdy 6-foot, 192 pounds, he’s most likely the No. 1 wide out.
Cam Ross - Redshirt Sophomore
2019: 60 rec, 723 yards, 4 TDs
After a brilliant freshman campaign in 2019, Ross sat out 2020 with the rest of the team and then suffered an unfortunate injury early in the 2021 season. If he can return at the same level as before his injury, Ross should be a top target and a bona fide deep threat.
After Marion and Ross, it’s a pretty wide-open competition for playing time. There are a handful of guys who had around 200 yards for UConn and some others who were 3-star recruits recently but didn’t get playing time at places like Texas and Boston College.
Matt Drayton - Redshirt Sophomore
2019: 21 receptions, 278 yards, 2 TDs
Drayton was the Huskies’ second-most productive receiver in 2019 but a preseason injury ended his 2021 campaign before it could start. If Drayton can re-capture some of his previous magic, he should have a leg up on the other returning receivers on UConn’s roster. That said, he’ll be competing with some fresh new transfer talent as well.
Kevens Clercius - Redshirt Sophomore
2021: 20 receptions, 260 yards, 3 TDs
In 2019, Clercius came to UConn and redshirted immediately as a true freshman out of Montreal, Quebec. In 2021, he was the Huskies’ second most productive wide receiver and had some of his best performances against strong opponents in Vanderbilt and Houston. Like Drayton, Clercius should have an edge over the other returning receivers but could have competition for playing time from the transfers. At 6-foot-2, he’s also one of the bigger receivers on the roster.
Aaron Turner - Sophomore
2021: 33 receptions, 232 yards
Turner caught a lot of screens and quick passes, averaging a modest 7.0 yards on his 33 receptions last season. Still, as one of the returning players on the team with some previous production, he has as strong a claim as anyone to compete for time in the slot or primary backup duties.
WR Ethon Williams (transfer from Boston College)
Williams was a 3-star recruit out of Annapolis, MD in the Class of 2019 who chose BC over offers from West Virginia, Kent State, and Buffalo. He enrolled early in Chestnut Hill, where he caught three passes as a true freshman before losing most of 2020 to a knee injury. At 5-foot-11, 190 pounds, he’s another solid, promising prospect who has not done much at the college level but was also on a team with a lot more depth than UConn.
WR Dajon Harrison (transfer from Texas)
Harrison did not record a stat in two years at the University of Texas, but joins the Huskies as a former 3-star recruit out of the Class of 2020 whose offer list was littered with P5 programs such as TCU, Texas Tech, Arizona, Kansas State, Houston, and more.
At 5-foot-10, 165 pounds, Harrison is a speedster that can make plays. If he can maintain the elite athleticism that made him a two-way star in high school and a prolific rusher as well, he could earn some playing time early. He could also potentially switch to defensive back, an area of need for the Huskies, where he could improve his chances of going pro.
WR Nigel Fitzgerald - Graduate Student (transfer from ODU)
Fitzgerald comes to UConn from Old Dominion University, where he grabbed 14 receptions for a healthy 219 yards as a freshman in 2019. He did not play in 2020 and hardly saw the field in 2021. At 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, Fitzgerald brings a size component that few others in this group have. We’ll see if it helps him separate from the pack.
Photo Credit: Ian Bethune
Tight Ends
Brandon Niemenski - Sophomore
2021: 12 rec., 122 yards, 1 TD
Niemenski’s modest stats belie his potential at tight end. The sophomore was firmly entrenched as the No. 2 tight end on the depth chart last season, behind Jay Rose. With Rose graduating and Jayce Medlock’s transfer out of the program, Niemenski is one of the safest predictions on the entire team to be a starter on opening day.
It’s no surprise that his two best performances came when Rose was injured, against Yale and Middle Tennessee State, where he caught eight passes for 83 yards and a score across the two games. It’s a sign of a player who’s ready to have a larger role in his second collegiate season, and one who can potentially be a difference-maker.
Niemenski might not need to play like Jay Rose in order to become a bigger contributor, either. Whereas Rose played almost a seam tight end due to his quickness and route-running ability, Niemenski’s 6-foot-5 frame makes him a big target, often closer to the line of scrimmage. Either way, he’ll probably be seeing the bulk of the snaps at tight end.
Brendan Heatherman - Redshirt Freshman
Despite only playing in one game last season, it’s possible Heatherman occupies the primary backup role this year. As the largest tight end on the roster (6’4”, 258 lbs), the UConn offense could call upon him as the go-to blocking tight end.
The freshman from Stafford, Virginia ranked as a 3-star recruit on 247 and a 2-star on Rivals in the class of 2020. Due to the Huskies sitting out the 2020 season, Heatherman does have an extra year of practice and weight room experience when compared to your average redshirt freshman.
It’s hard to tell Heatherman’s skills in detail from only one collegiate game, but he’ll be getting his chance to prove himself this year. An inexperienced unit without another blocking specialist at tight end means the opportunity is there for the freshman to jump into the rotation.
Bo Estes - Sophomore (Junior college transfer)
3 receptions, 53 yards, 1 TD at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M
Bo Estes put up meager stats at the junior college level, but given that the Northeastern Oklahoma A&M offense ran the ball as often as possible, his true ability may not be reflected by looking at the numbers. Judging by the tape that exists of Estes, he has decent speed for a tight end, moves well, and has solid field vision to assist in run blocking.
The final skill will likely be Estes’ pathway to playing time at UConn. If he can get open on some passing routes, that’s a bonus, but he was most likely recruited by Jim Mora to be a run blocker downfield, which was sorely needed on the roster.
Russell Dixon - Redshirt Sophomore
Dixon, one of several Canadian natives on the team, did play in six games last year without recording a stat, mostly on special teams. Checking in on the smaller side for a tight end (6’2”, 224 lbs), it’s likely that he remains on the special teams unit going forward, but he might start to see some offensive snaps too.
Dixon wasn’t heavily recruited out of St. Joe’s Catholic HS in Edmonton, and like Heatherman, it’s hard to tell his exact skillset at the collegiate level due to a lack of playing experience so far. It should probably be seen as a good sign that an unranked recruit was getting regular time on special teams within a year of joining the program.
As the only member of the Class of 2019 in this position group, Dixon might end up with more playing time than anticipated. You can’t teach age, after all.
Justin Joly - Freshman
Justin Joly, the youngest and smallest tight end on the roster, may end up a redshirt this year. There are two things that could change his status: First, the lack of depth at the position, which may require him to get additional playing time. Secondly, it’s possible he just plays well enough to warrant a full season of play.
Joly was a consensus two-star recruit from Brewster, NY (just across the border from Danbury), and UConn was his only reported FBS scholarship offer. Listed as a wide receiver in high school, it’s unclear how long it’ll take him to acclimate to a new position. I would expect him to redshirt this season as part of the learning process, but it would not surprise me to see him be called upon.