Wayne State University Athletics

Football 8/14/2022 1:13:00 PM Jeff Weiss, Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Media Relations

2022 Football Position Previews - Wide Receivers

Listen to new coach Derrick Alexander talk about his position group.

DETROIT -- As we near the start of the 2022 football campaign, we will continue previewing each position on the 2022 Wayne State University football team. This segment with new wide receivers coach Derrick Alexander is the final one for the offensive side of the ball.

Only seven wide receiver receptions from 2021 are on the 2022 roster, all from senior Kameron Ford (Novi, Mich. / Walled Lake Western). Last year, wide receivers accounted for 75 of the 150 receptions, with running backs (54), tight ends (12) and offensive linemen (2) gathering the remaining 68 completions. Ford led WSU averaging 19.0 yards per reception with seven catches for 133 yards and one touchdown.

Redshirt junior Darrin King II (Inkster, Mich. / Detroit Country Day) led the squad with 12 kickoff returns a season ago, but did not have any receptions. Classmate Max Nicklin (Davisburg, Mich. / Clarkston) redshirted as a true freshman, no games played were in 2020 due to COVID and missed all of 2021 with an injury.

Shifty wideout Manny Harris (Kankakee, Ill. / Bishop McNamara) joined the Warriors last September after beginning the academic year at Northern Illinois.

Redshirt freshman Corban Small (Auburn Hills, Mich. / Avondale) was selected to the 2020 Detroit Free Press All-North Honorable Mention Team, while classmate Dion Brown, Jr. (Davison, Mich.) recorded 23 receptions for 387 yards and four touchdowns before moving to quarterback during his senior season.

Redshirt sophomore Jeff Knight (Detroit, Mich. / U. of Detroit Jesuit) enters his third year in the program

The four newcomers at wide receiver are Judah Daniels (Detroit, Mich. / Central), Zack Ernat (Sterling Heights, Mich. / Chippewa Valley), A.J. Nichols (Wauwatosa, Wis. / Wauwatosa East), and Sam Watts (Rockford, Mich.)

Daniels made 13 catches for 262 yards and three touchdowns as a senior for the Trail Blazers, while Ernat helped CVHS to a 7-4 mark as a senior by averaging 17.0 yards per reception as a wide receiver and recording 62 tackles and three interceptions as a safety. Nichols caught 41 passes in 2021 for 786 yards and 10 touchdowns in eight games, while Watts primarily played in the secondary for the Rams.

Other Position Previews
Season Preview
Running Backs Preview
Quarterbacks Preview
Linebackers Preview
Offensive Line Preview
Defensive Line Preview
Tight Ends Preview

Click here for football season tickets and single-game tickets.

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

#88 Dion Brown, Jr.: WR; 5' 11"; Redshirt Freshman

#6 Kameron Ford: WR; 5' 11"; Redshirt Fifth Year

#1 Manny Harris: WR; 5' 9"; Redshirt Freshman

#80 Darrin King II: WR; 6' 3"; Redshirt Junior

#17 Jeff Knight: WR; 5' 6"; Redshirt Sophomore

#83 Max Nicklin: WR; 6' 1"; Redshirt Junior

#87 Corban Small: WR; 6' 3"; Redshirt Freshman

#18 Sam Watts: WR; 6' 2"; Freshman

#82 Zack Ernat: WR; 6' 3"; Freshman

#89 Judah Daniels: WR; 6' 2"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#88 Dion Brown, Jr.
: 5' 11"; Redshirt Freshman
: WR

#6 Kameron Ford
: 5' 11"; Redshirt Fifth Year
: WR

#1 Manny Harris
: 5' 9"; Redshirt Freshman
: WR

#80 Darrin King II
: 6' 3"; Redshirt Junior
: WR

#17 Jeff Knight
: 5' 6"; Redshirt Sophomore
: WR

#83 Max Nicklin
: 6' 1"; Redshirt Junior
: WR

#87 Corban Small
: 6' 3"; Redshirt Freshman
: WR

#18 Sam Watts
: 6' 2"; Freshman
: WR

#82 Zack Ernat
: 6' 3"; Freshman
: WR

#89 Judah Daniels
: 6' 2"; Freshman
: WR