Sheuder Sanders is starting for the Browns and several other rookies including Travis Hunter may make their preseason debut.
For the Southwest Virginia high school football players who are tall, slender and athletic, catching passes calls their name.
And there are numerous athletes in the Timesland area who can do just that. While some wide receivers haul in the majority of their quarterback's throws and rack up yards in a hurry, others are reliable weapons when run-heavy teams are forced to pass. And then there are tight ends, who primarily block for running backs but can snag throws as well, especially in the end zone.
Here are seven pass-catchers to watch this season.
Demarcus Brown, North Cross
The 6-foot-3, 185-pound junior is the No. 1 ranked wide receiver in the state among juniors, according to 247 Sports, and the No. 4 ranked junior overall. A three-star recruit, he's racked up 15 Division I offers, including from South Carolina, Oklahoma and Louisville, as well as Virginia Tech, UVa and Liberty.
Brown has transferred to North Cross after a prolific sophomore season at Roanoke Catholic where he amassed 1,138 yards on 46 receptions, averaging nearly 25 yards per catch, and 16 touchdowns in just nine games. Brown can outrun defensive backs down the sidelines and leap into the air to pinpoint throws coming his way.
Elijah Knoetze, Narrows
The 6-foot, 170-pound junior earned a second team all-state selection and was an All-Timesland Sizzlin' Sophomore after collecting 513 yards on 24 catches and scoring seven touchdowns.
Knoetze is a solid short-route runner, creating space on slants and hitches, and can win one-on-one battles downfield.
Tate Kotz, William Byrd
The 5-foot-11, 180-pound senior was Cannin Lutz's favorite target last season en route to winning back-to-back Region 3D championships. He's one of two returning pass-catchers on this list for the returning quarterback to work with in 2025.
Kotz caught 24 passes for 474 yards and six touchdowns from the slot position last fall. He's an excellent downfield threat who can separate from defensive backs for yards after the catch while also holding firm between the hash marks.
Jacob Mullins, Franklin County
The 6-foot-3, 182-pound William & Mary commit is a long-ball threat for the Eagles. With a 4.6-second 40-yard dash time, he can race past defensive backs downfield. He's also a pure ball magnet, able to haul in passes that are underthrown and behind him.
Last season, he caught 28 passes for 464 yards and three touchdowns. With starting quarterback Winston Davenport set to return, look for Mullins to be another prime threat in the air.
Thomas Purcell, William Byrd
The 5-foot-10, 205-pound junior is a compact tight end who, setting up at H-back, can block for the run game but is liable to get out in the flat and catch throws from Cannin Lutz on play-action passes.
Purcell earned an All-Timesland Sizzlin' Sophomore selection last year after tallying 15 receptions for 205 yards and four touchdowns. Between Purcell and Tate Kotz as receiving targets for Lutz, plus sophomore Gray Matthews' expected return at running back, the Terrier offense could be quite potent.
Cooper Mullins, Glenvar
A duel threat, the 6-foot, 190-pound senior was the favorite target of quarterback Brody Dawyot, able to slice up the field from the slot and haul in high-arching passes from his signal-caller.
Mullins caught 66 passes for 694 yards and seven touchdowns last year. He also rushed for 589 yards on 59 carries with another 10 scores, giving him over 1,200 yards from scrimmage and 17 total touchdowns. Look for him and Dawyot to connect many times this fall.
Spencer Sloan, Jefferson Forest
The 6-foot-6, 230-pound tight end is part of an experienced group of skill players eager to push the Cavaliers past the Region 4D semifinals, a spot at which they've been stopped the last two years.
With his large frame and 80-inch wingspan, Sloan can out-leap any defender on balls thrown high above his head. He can haul in tight spirals thrown over the middle, and provides downfield blocking for ballcarriers.
Contact Matt Case at [email protected]
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