San Diego State WR preview: Former QB Bert Emanuel Jr. makes switch as deep group returns

The wide receivers' room at San Diego State.is going to be crowded and, the Aztecs hope, productive in their first season in the reconfigured Pac-12.

The Aztecs return all three starters and their top four pass catchers from last year, when they went 9-4 and played in a bowl game for the first time in three seasons.

And in perhaps the most intriguing storyline of spring drills, former backup quarterback Bert Emanuel Jr. has switched to wide receiver in order to better take advantage of his skills. Fans of a certain age will remember his father playing quarterback in college before switching to wide receiver in the NFL.

Not that the switch will assure NFL success for the son, but it’ll be interesting to watch as he steps out from behind starting quarterback Jayden Denegal to become one of his many targets.

Denegal says he is healthy following surgery on his non-throwing left shoulder in mid-December, and a healthy wideout corps could help him put up big numbers in a season of transition.

Here’s a look at the top wideouts as spring ball continues on Montezuma Mesa.

Senior Bert Emanuel Jr.

Emanuel bided his time behind Denegal during the regular season and then started the New Mexico Bowl after Denegal had surgery on his injured non-throwing left shoulder.

Emanuel dazzled before he, too, got hurt. He gained 170 yards and scored twice on just 11 carries. He scored on a 72-yard run and added a 69-yard run.

He injured his left shoulder diving for a pylon in the second quarter and made way for Kyle Crum, who led a late rally that fell short in the 49-47 loss. Crum entered the transfer portal.

Emanuel is heading into his second year at SDSU after transferring from Central Michigan, where he rushed for 844 yards and 12 touchdowns in just 13 games in three seasons.

“I feel like my athletic ability to be explosive will definitely help impact the game,” the 6-foot-3, 230-pounder told The Daily Aztec this spring. “Glad I’m able to be another weapon. Give me the ball and be a playmaker that I know I could be.”

Because of his size and strength, Emanuel “gives you a lot of position flex,” coach Sean Lewis told the San Diego Union-Tribune. “We’ve kind of entered this era of football of positionless players defensively, because you’ve got to be able to match and defend everything week in and week out. You want to have offensive weapons that are very much the same way.”

The injuries to Denegal and Emanuel show how important depth is at any position, especially at quarterback and wideout for the Aztecs.

Junior Jordan Napier

If Napier returns healthy from a season-ending knee injury, he’ll be a valuable player on both offense and special teams.

Oct 3, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego State Aztecs wide receiver Jordan Napier (2). | David Frerker-Imagn Images

Napier led the Aztecs with 48 catches for 629 yards and two touchdowns despite suffering a season-ending knee injury in a home win against Boise State on Nov. 15.

While being named second-team All-MW on offense, he was named to the first team as a punt returner. He was SDSU’s top kickoff and punt returner, highlighted by a 75-yard punt return for a touchdown at Nevada.

Senior Donovan Brown

Brown was the only wideout to start every game. He made 33 catches for 518 yards and two touchdowns.

Senior Nathan Acevedo

Acevedo made four starts after Jacob Bostick got hurt and responded with 16 catches for 190 yards

Senior Jacob Bostick

He started the first six games before getting injured. He finished with 11 catches for 157 yards and three touchdowns.

Others looking to contribute

Others on the roster with experience include redshirt freshman Jaylon Hawkins and sophomore Will Cianfrini.

Transfers include Justius Lowe, who caught 27 passes for 259 yards and one TD in two seasons at Oregon, and Marshel Sanders, who had 70 catches for 929 yards and four scores at College of the Sequoias in Visalia.

Up next

The Aztecs’ spring game will be May 2 on campus. They open the regular season at home against Portland State on Sept. 5. Their first Pac-12 game will be against Texas State at home on Oct. 3.