It’s the fifth week of The hunting report, and play the week of football we are entering, and considering that – regardless of the league – is a passing leagueI thought it would be cool to focus this week on some of the most underrated pass catchers in the entire country.
Due to the advent of 7-on-7 at the youth level, various types of passing camps, and traveling 7-on-7 teams at the high school level, we’re seeing a lot more polish coming from the passing game right now, at both from a QB prospect and a wide receiver prospect. That’s why you have days one and two of the NFL Draft peppered with guys who can make plays on the perimeter.
Plus, with virtually everyone in college football playing essentially the same game offensively, it just opens up a whole host of opportunities for guys – some of them latecomers coming out of high school – to continue to grow, develop and to thrive at their position and get those 10,000 hours of running gear, read the covers on the fly, and catch the ball. As a result, we are also seeing polite prospects coming out of non-Power 5 programs.
Let’s take a look at some of these players, as we go Five Wide this week in The hunting report.
For last week’s hunting report, be sure to click here.
college football
WR James Basalyga
- Year: Fourth year
- Middle School: University of Waterloo
- Height: 6-0
- Lester: 190
Basalyga is a great positional space manipulator. He has a complete understanding of how to operate in relation to zone coverage, how to use leverage to his advantage, and how to keep himself both open and available for his quarterback. I really came away impressed with how close he gets to the ball deep in the air, showing above average acceleration in the process. He got reps during his career in the second leg which only adds to his value. It’s very similar to how Los Angeles Rams WR Ben Skowronek plays the game. Next game: October 1 against Toronto
WR Ben Stevens
- Year: Junior
- Middle School: Marian University (IN)
- Height: 5-10
- Lester: 185
Stevens has a flair for the dramatic. He is one of the most talented receivers at the NAIA level this season and is a legitimate point guard. High-level hand-eye coordination is a valuable trait for a wide receiver, and you just see the focus combined with the hand placement he uses to carry some impossible targets. So far on the season, he’s received 421 yards and five touchdowns on just 18 receptions, averaging 23.4 yards per reception, like Flipper Anderson. Stevens is also another very active special teams player, with one punt return touchdown this season. He has shown the ability to play bigger than his size, winning easily away from home while being a bit of a physical RAC guy. Next game: October 1 against Taylor
WR James Letcher Jr.
- Year: Senior
- Middle School: Washburn University
- Height: 5-7
- Lester: 175
Size is not a skill. Always remember this when looking for leads, at all levels. JJ Letcher is a fantasy football player who has been at the Ichabods box office his entire career. He is coming off a 12 catches, 180 yards and two touchdowns performance last weekend against Missouri Western. What makes him so dangerous is what people mistakenly worry about… his size. His greatest asset is his ability to explode in and out of his breaks during his road run, and his ability to quickly change direction with the ball in his hands. And all this is mainly due to his stature. He has a versatile skill set to use in the WR run game, in the lunge to get the upper hand on defense, or in the return game, where he also excelled. Letcher is on track to break personal bests this season in the passing game. Next game: October 1 vs. Emporia State
WR Dante Hendrix
- Year: senior red shirt
- Middle School: Indiana State
- Height: 6’2
- Lester: 207
I love how Indiana State uses Hendrix on their offense because it gives you a little idea of where his home could potentially be as a pro player. He’s usually tightly lined up like a split end (X) or sometimes plays inside like a wide slot — a position I like to call “inside receiver” (think Marques Colston). Hendrix plays a big man game, and he showed it in his season opener against Purdue, finishing with 90 yards on five receptions. He does a great job working on area coverage, knowing when to keep following the route and when to settle. He has very strong and confident hands to survive a bang-bang game while also being able to protect the football defender. Next game: October 1 vs. Northern Iowa
WR Fotis Kokosioulis
- Year: Senior
- Middle School: Fordham
- Height: 5’9
- Lester: 190
I mentioned Kokosioulis in my FCS Week 3 Power Rankings as a guy who is my new favorite player. I had just stepped down as color analyst on their game against Monmouth, and he put on a show. He had 15 receptions for 130 yards and two touchdowns, which was great to see. But what was even more impressive was the fact that he made two of the biggest tackles on special teams in that game, which staved off potential touchdowns. Last weekend, the country got to grips with what I already knew two weeks prior, as Kokosioulis finished with 320 receiving yards with four touchdowns, on 13 receptions. Where he poses problems for defenders is his ability to play over the edge, despite being just 5ft 9in tall. He also wins after the catch, showing a nose for the pylon with the speed, quickness and core strength to put the ball in the paint. It will continue to skyrocket many dashboards and watchlists. Next game: October 1 against Georgetown
