Wide Receivers: 2021 Position Preview
Who's In
Moorer comes to San Marcos after playing eight games at Iowa Western Community College, where he caught 25 passes for 392 yards and eight touchdowns during the 2020 season. A Stone Mountain, Ga., native, the 5-foot-10, 170-pound freshman was named a Max Preps All-American First-Team selection as a senior while playing slot receiver and serving as an all-purpose back at Stephenson High School. He was also tabbed an All-North Region 5A selection by the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association as a junior.
Groves, a Nashville, Tenn., native, did a little bit of everything during his time at North Carolina. He threw a 1-yard touchdown pass against then-No. 9 Miami and had a streak of 14-straight games with a reception. Groves, nicknamed "Toe," was the recipient of the 2019 Muscle Milk Male Athlete of the Year award, presented by the Collegiate and Professional Sports Dietitians Association.
A DeSoto, Texas native, Hawkins was credited with 25 receptions for 482 yards and seven touchdowns in just seven games at Cisco College. In a game against Tyler, the 5-foot-10, 168-pound receiver racked up 172 yards and three touchdowns on just five touches. Hawkins speed and quickness can be traced back to his time at Desoto High School, where he earned All-District 7-6A honors in both football and basketball.
Ortega-Jones is the brother of Isaiah Ortega-Jones, who is an outfield for the Texas State baseball squad. Julian was a three-year letterman in football, baseball and track and field at North Crowley High School in Fort Worth, Texas. He enrolled at Bowling Green, where he played in 15 games, including making 14 starts, after redshirting in 2018. He led the Falcons in receptions and receiving yards in 2020.
Bobcat defensive backs coach
Brett Dewhurst compares Robinson's 6-foot-5, 220-pound frame to that of former National Football League standout Plaxico Burress. In three seasons at Northern Illinois, Robinson was credited with 31 receptions for 300 yards and three touchdowns. In six conference games in 2020, he had eight receptions for 95 yards and two touchdowns.
Rogers, who stands 6-foot-4, found a new home in San Marcos after traveling up I-35 from San Antonio, where he played in 12 games at Incarnate Word. As a Cardinal, the Barbers Hill product caught 31 passes for 314 yards and three touchdowns. He averaged 17.3 yards per reception as a senior at Barbers Hill High School en route to being selected to the All-District 12-5A First Team as a senior.
Webb played on both sides of the line of scrimmage during his time at San Marcos High School. As a senior, he caught 16 passes for 247 yards and two touchdowns and also ran for 347 yards and four touchdowns on 64 carries. He concluded his prep career with a school-record 284 career tackles. He also earned All-District 26-6A honors as an outfielder for the baseball team as a junior.
Who's Back
Jones, who transferred from Wake Forest prior to the 2020 season, had to sit out last season per NCAA transfer bylaws.
Jackson, who also contributes to the Texas State track and field team, appeared in 12 games in his first season as a Bobcat in 2020. He hauled in 21 passes for 244 yards on the season. He had three catches for 32 yards against then-No. 16 ranked Coastal Carolina and also had three receptions at Boston College.
No one had a bigger impact for the Bobcats as a receiver in 2020 than Barbee, who was named a unanimous Third Team All-Sun Belt Conference selection. In 12 games last season, Barbee led the Bobcats with 40 receptions, 584 yards and 10 touchdowns. He had two receiving touchdowns in a single game on three separate occasions (UTSA, Boston College and BYU), and hauled in a season-high six receptions against Appalachian State and Arkansas State.
Howard sat out the 2020 season as a redshirt after transferring from Fort Scott Community College.
In his first year as a Bobcat, McCoy, who lettered in both football and track at Tivy High School, sat out the 2020 season as a redshirt.
Frazier appeared in eight games with the Bobcats' special teams unit in 2020 after playing in only two games during his redshirt season in 2019.
Jantz, a 5-foot-9, 185-pound receiver, appeared in one game in 2020 — the Bobcats' season-opening against SMU — after appearing in four the year before.
Hopkins played in seven games throughout the 2020 season and caught one pass for seven yards in Texas State's win over Arkansas State. This came after appearing in 10 games during the 2019 season, when he tallied five receptions for 69 yards and a touchdown.
Banks has appeared in 30 contests during his time in San Marcos. As a member of the Bobcat football program, he's hauled in 46 passes for 827 yards and seven touchdowns. His 75-yard touchdown reception from quarterback
Tyler Vitt against Appalachian State last season was the longest touchdown play through the air for the Bobcats in 2020.
Graham, like Banks, is a veteran in the group as the Lake Ridge product has appeared in 34 games throughout his three-year career at Texas State. In 2020, he caught 24 passes for 271 yards and a pair of touchdowns. In the Bobcats' win over Arkansas State last season, Graham had five catches for 72 yards and two touchdowns.
Aragon is another tall, lanky receiver for the Bobcats as the Stephenville High School product stands 6-foot-4 and weighs in at 215. He appeared in seven games during the 2020 season with four of his seven receptions on the season coming against UTSA. Aragon's lone receiving touchdown on the season came at Troy.
Speights, a 5-foot-9, 185-pound receiver from Richmond, Texas by way of Foster High School, appeared in 12 games in 2020 and caught 20 passes for 225 yards and a touchdown. In the Bobcats' season-opening game against SMU, he hauled in four passes for 52 yards and a score. He had a season-long 42-yard reception at Boston College.
What To Watch For
Barbee and his team-leading 10 receiving touchdowns return for the 2021 season. Jackson and Banks have drawn high praises for their work throughout training camp. Speights emerged as a threat out of the slot receiver position, while Graham had remarkable performances in 2020, too. Jones, after sitting out the 2020 season due to transfer regulations, is able to suit up for game action. And that's just the guys coming back.
Moorer, Groves and Hawkins are three newcomers both offensive and defensive assistant coaches have raved about throughout training camp. Robinson is a 6-foot-5, 220-pound receiver who can go up and get the football. Rogers stands 6-foot-4 and Ortega-Jones has done a great job in training camp as well.
Anything is possible with this position group.
Training Camp Information
The Bobcats are currently in the second week of a 14-day preseason training camp inside Bobcat Stadium. Coverage of Texas State's training camp can be seen at @TXSTATEFOOTBALL on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Post-practice media availability videos can be viewed at
txstatebobcats.com.
Statistically Speaking
Barbee's team-high 10 receiving touchdowns throughout the 2020 season were the seventh most by a FBS receiver across the Division I landscape. Within the Sun Belt Conference, only Arkansas State's Jonathan Adams, Jr., (12) had more touchdown receptions than Barbee a season ago. By season's end, both Barbee and Banks ranked among the top 25 in the conference in reception. Banks' 18.7 yards per catch during the 2020 campaign was the fourth-highest mark among eligible Sun Belt Conference student-athletes. Barbee also ranked in the top 10 in the conference in receiving yards.
2021 Texas State football ticket information
Tickets for the 2021 season are now available with different options for fans to purchase:
Season Tickets
- $95 in general admission section; $155 West Reserved, Priority $155 with a required Bobcat Club donation
Two half-season packages
- Package A: Baylor, two additional games - $60 for general admission, $100 for priority sections.
- Package B- Any three games other than Baylor- $50 for general admission, $80 for priority sections.
Single-Game tickets
- As low as $35 in general admission section; go up to $70 in priority seating sections. (Baylor)
- As low as $15 in general admission section; go up to $45 for priority seating sections
A Bobcat Club donation is required to access priority seats. Each seat donation goes toward Bobcat Club donations for the 2021 year and can lead to membership benefits such as parking and pre-game hospitality to round out your game day experience.
Visit
www.txstatebobcats.com/tickets
Call the Bobcat Ticket Office (512-245-2272) or visit the Texas State Athletic Ticket Office, located in the North End Zone Complex of Bobcat Stadium, between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on Monday through Friday.
