The top three players in each position group: Wide Receivers, No. 1 Devaughn Vele
Even though the Utes wide receiving room lost some significant talent after last season, the group as a whole is eager to prove themselves and still have some serious playmakers who can make a difference for the offense.
With that being said, its important to note where each individual player ranks amongst the rest of the talent, and what their contributions may look like for the 2022 season.
The cat is out of the bag as last season's "secret weapon" Devaughn Vele took spring camp by storm and is on track to be a primary offensive contributor for the 2022 season. A former walk-on, Vele built on last years success and continuously proved that he is ready to lead the wide receiver room and be one of quarterback Cameron Rising's favorite targets.
During the 2021 campaign, Vele was a solid option on offense and was critical in the USC game with his dazzling touchdown catch right before the half. However, despite appearing in all 14 games, He recorded just 23 catches (1.6 receptions per game) for 389 yards and a single TD. Clearly, Vele was significantly underutilized but all of that is about to change.
All throughout spring camp, Vele caught the eyes of just about everybody with his impressive athleticism, sticky hands and almost telepathic connection with Rising. Time and again he proved himself to be the best receiver on the team and made tough passes look easy.
So while the secret is out and Vele will have a lot more attention from defenses this fall, his contributions should skyrocket. If spring was any indication of how Rising and the offense plan on utilizing Vele, he has the potential to go for 750-1000 yards. Additionally, given his 6-foot-5 size and elite athleticism, he very may well be a go-to in the red zone as he's shown the ability to go an get the passes that few others can. If the ball is consistently thrown his direction, 10-15 touchdowns is completely within reason.
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