As the 2024 football season rapidly approaches, the Hokies will undoubtedly have lots of eyes on one of their most intriguing positions: wide receiver.
Highlighted by the return of familiar faces like Ali Jennings, Jaylin Lane, Stephen Gosnell and Da’Quan Felton, Tech’s wide receiver room has its sights set on success. Every week of Fall Camp, the position preview series, presented by Farm Bureau Insurance, will break down the Virginia Tech football roster. In this position preview, let’s look at the Hokies’ wide receiver room that aims to capitalize with returning production under assistant head coach and wide receivers coach Fontel Mines.
One of the more intriguing storylines from the “Bad Boyz” is the return of Ali Jennings. Jennings, who suffered a season-ending ankle injury against Purdue last season, looks to return to the Hokies offense with a sharpness and speed that has given him success in the past. The Hokies saw exactly what the Richmond, Virginia native could give to the offense in the home opener against Old Dominion, as Jennings corralled five passes for two touchdowns and 72 yards en route to a 36-17 victory.
Jennings boasts a skillset that has tons of potential for the upcoming season. Tech is looking for production akin to his two years spent at Old Dominion, where the receiver earned All-Sun Belt First Team recognition with 54 receptions for 959 yards and nine touchdowns in 2022. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound wideout registered 1,066 yards the season prior, the third most in program history. If Jennings can mirror his 17.2 yards per catch achieved in 2023, his presence will be a mainstay on offense.
Workhorses such as Da’Quan Felton and Jaylin Lane also look to make their impact felt once again this season alongside Stephen Gosnell and the rest of the corps. Felton, Lane and Gosnell all return as graduate students for the 2024 season, allowing the trio’s veteran presence to shine through on offense.
A Portsmouth, Virginia native, Felton found his home on the long ball last season. The 6-foot-5, 216-pound receiver caught passes of 70, 62, and 54 yards against Boston College, Syracuse and Pittsburgh respectively in 2023, showcasing his ability to stretch the field vertically. The wideout’s massive size and strength recently earned him recognition on Bruce Feldman’s “Freaks List,” which recognizes athletes for their physical qualities. Felton’s 667 receiving yards ranked first amongst the offense, with his most impressive performance being a two-touchdown and 133-yard affair against Virginia. In second was Lane, a Clover, South Carolina native who amassed six touchdowns over 12 games last season. The 5-foot-10 Lane posted a 102-yard game against conference foe Wake Forest last year, his strongest performance among his 538 receiving yards on the season. With the absence of Jennings last season, Lane stepped into a more involved role and will likely play a similar role in 2024. Gosnell tallied 22 catches for 348 yards and three scores in 2023. His work ethic and consistency have drawn praise from the coaching staff throughout the summer.
Another receiver to watch is sophomore Ayden Greene. Greene, a Knoxville, Tennessee native, played in 12 games during the 2023 season and found his season high in receiving against Rutgers. The three-star recruit was recently named a Spring Practice Standout by 247Sports, and he’s continued his strong performance in preseason camp. However, Greene will have to compete with other receivers in the room for a larger role.
The wide receiver room has generated plenty of preseason buzz, not only for its potential this season but also for those who Mines and staff have brought to the program. In a strong recruiting effort, Tech added freshmen Keylen “Brodie” Adams and Chanz Wiggins, playmakers that look to contribute to an already explosive air game this fall.
Adams is a massive signing for Mines and the Hokies. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound receiver amassed 4,400 receiving yards and 66 touchdowns over a four-year career at Green Run High School, setting a new school and Virginia state record. The Virginia Beach, Virginia native was a three-time VHSL All-State Receiver and was an integral part in Green Run’s 31 game win streak over Beach District teams. His impressive output in high school landed him as the third-best overall Virginia recruit by On3 and Rivals and fourth-best by ESPN. Adams picked Virginia Tech over names like Michigan, Ohio State and Alabama, and has star potential with his speed and agility.
Wiggins brings a special combination of size and speed to the offense. The 6-foot-3 receiver recorded 47 receptions for 815 yards along with 15 touchdowns in his senior season at King George High School. Wiggins flew through Virginia-Class 4 football, earning him VHSL All-Battlefield District First Team recognition at both wide receiver and defensive back. Named Most Valuable Team Player at King George in 2023, he helped lead the Foxes to their 35-3 record from 2021 to 2023. Wiggins’ four-star ranking from ESPN landed him as the fifth overall recruit from Virginia by Rivals.
Redshirt sophomore Xayvion Turner-Bradshaw, redshirt freshmen Takye Heath who have both quietly put on impressive camp performances should provide plenty of depth along with redshirt freshman Chance Fitzgerald. Bradshaw gained experience in 10 games last season, while Heath appeared in three, following an impressive high school career. The 5-foot-10 Heath recorded 42 receptions for 912 yards and ten touchdowns his senior year, garnering VHSL Class 5 All-State honors and a Highland Springs team MVP. 247Sports placed Heath as a three-star recruit and the #27 highest-ranked recruit coming out of Virginia.
A combination of veteran experience and youthful presence looks to propel this year’s wide receiver core to a season of dominance.
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