Exciting Group of WVU Receivers Face Some Pressure in 2024

If you had Hudson Clement, Traylon Ray, and Rodney Gallagher III working their way into big roles in the West Virginia offense in 2023, go ahead and send me your lottery numbers for the upcoming Powerball. 

I’ll probably be waiting forever on those numbers to come in because no one saw that trio playing as much or as well as they did a year ago. 

Heading into the season, the Mountaineers were counting on Devin Carter, Cortez Braham Jr. and Jeremiah Aaron to carry the wide receiver room. Carter did his part and improved each week throughout the season but Braham and Aaron combined for four catches, totaling 25 yards. Not even a month into the season, the two stepped away from the program and eventually entered the transfer portal, forcing the young bucks to step up. Fortunately for Neal Brown’s well-being, those young pups delivered. 

Clement finished tied for the team-lead with four touchdown receptions while finishing with the second-most yards (480) and finished in the top five nationally in yards per reception (21.8). Traylon Ray logged 18 receptions for 321 yards and three scores, most of which came down the stretch. And although Gallagher only had 10 catches for 74 yards, he logged a ton of snaps and flashed his dynamic playmaking ability. 

This season, those youngsters now have expectations.

“There’s some pressure on that group," said Neal Brown. "We probably outperformed expectations in that room last year, especially the young guys that played - the Traylon Ray’s, the Rodney Gallagher’s. Preston (Fox) playing for the first time, Hudson (Clement) playing. Probably surprised some people, but that element’s gone now. When expectations are low and you do better, eh. Have you really accomplished anything? And so now, those guys have proven they’re capable of playing at this level, now what does the next step look like? Can we win because of them? We’ve done a lot of passing situations this spring because we have to get better throwing the ball. The quarterbacks have to be more accurate. Our running backs and our o-line have to protect better. We have to do a better job of getting open and making plays after the catch.”

That trio will have some experience to lean on, though as Oklahoma State transfer Jaden Bray has been a terrific addition to the room and is someone Brown and the coaching staff are extremely high on. 

“The thing that's really impressed me is he's extremely humble. He's had success at Oklahoma State. He knows that he's capable and talented enough to have a lot more success. He's came and he's worked extremely hard. He's a natural ball-catcher. He's a really good football player. Like when we do special teams, he does some things on our coverage units that a lot of wideouts don't do."

Bray had 30 receptions for 382 yards and two touchdowns last season at OSU with one of those scores coming in Morgantown against the Mountaineers.

Brown and receivers coach Bilal Marshall also mentioned the continued development of Preston Fox, a veteran who is a bit of a late bloomer but will certainly be in the rotation once again in 2024. EJ Horton is becoming more of a complete receiver, rather than just a go-ball target and Jarel Williams is starting to work his way up the ladder after two years of developing.

This group is without a doubt the deepest Neal Brown has had at WVU, but he’s going to need a couple of guys to really assert themselves as top options in the passing game.