Starters, backups and future – Wide Receiver

Published 7:11 pm Monday, July 29, 2013

One of Troy’s strength’s heading into the 20133 season is at wide receiver though some of the names may not be known outside of the Trojans fan base.

WIDE RECEIVER

Starters:
Everyone knows Eric Thomas (6-1, 216) and if they didn’t before, they knew about him after he caught six passes for 147 yards and a pair of touchdowns against Tennessee last season. Thomas is a guy that can get to almost any football thrown his way and has been a one-man highlight reel for the past two seasons. Heading into the 2013 campaign, Thomas will take over at the X-receiver spot for the graduated Chip Reeves. Thomas is familiar with this position having played it during the 2011 season.

Sign up for our daily email newsletter

Get the latest news sent to your inbox

Opposite of Thomas will be junior B.J. Chitty at the Z-receiver. Chitty, a Dothan native, has found consistent playing time hard to come by with a crowded house of receivers. At 6-2, 190 pounds, Chitty has shown the ability to be a big-play receiver and a reliable guy in third down situations.

Chandler Worthy (5-9, 170) and Chris Williams (5-11, 179) will anchor the inside receiver positions for the Trojans. Worthy has enough speed to slip past defenders in the post and can break it outside as well. Williams is a reliable senior that knows the system and proper routes.

Backups:
The name that jumped off the page in the fall was Bryan Holmes (5-11, 178). Holmes is a burner that will spell Chitty but everyone knows in Troy’s system the backups get plenty of reps and opportunities to be playmakers. Behind Thomas is Felton Payton (6-1, 183), a Fort Walton Beach product with good hands and knowledge of the system.

Sophomore K.D. Edenfield (6-0, 189) will play a bigger role in Troy’s game plan in 2013 and redshirt freshman Brandon Brooks (6-0, 185) will see some time at inside receiver as well.

The Future:

Mentioning just eight receivers isn’t enough as 18 different guys caught passes for the Trojans last year. While these guys are listed under The Future category, they could very well make an impact sooner rather than later.

Trey Page (5-8, 167)  is a sophomore who could see some time in 2013. Brett Theisen (5-10, 167) was a guy that coaches raved about during fall practice. Down the road, names like Tim Longmire (6-0, 195), Jalen Harris (6-1, 195) and Clark Quisenberry (6-3, 205) will be carrying the team.