Green Wave 2020 Positional Preview: Wide receivers and tight ends

NEW ORLEANS – When Tulane quarterback Keon Howard goes back to pass this season, the first-year Green Wave starter will have plenty of options at wide receiver and tight end to throw to this fall.

THE UNIT
• The Green Wave wide receivers and tight ends are comprised of 21 players which include 14 wide receivers and seven tight ends.
• Tulane’s 14 wide receivers consist of four freshmen, three sophomores, four juniors, two seniors, and one graduate transfer.
• Redshirt senior Jacob Robertson Jr., redshirt juniors Logan Ammons and Dane Ledford, redshirt sophomore Sorrell Brown, sophomore Jha’Quan Jackson, and redshirt freshman Tyrek Presley all return to the wide receiver unit this fall.
• The Green Wave also welcome back redshirt sophomore Ryan Thompson to the wide receiver unit. Thompson was one of three former walk-ons that were put on scholarship in the preseason.
• Over the offseason, Tulane welcomed Oklahoma graduate transfer, Mykel Jones. The Patterson, Louisiana, native has seen action in 37 games throughout his collegiate career and has caught 33 passes for 495 yards.
• Tulane also welcomed transfers Duece and Phat Watts from Jones County Junior College. Duece Watts led Jones County Junior College with 24 receptions and 416 yards. Phat Watts also made a strong contribution at Jones County Junior College, as he caught 13 passes for 115 yards in 2019.
• The Olive and Blue lost starters and top pass catchers Darnell Mooney and Jalen McCleskey from last year’s squad.
• Jeff Conway, who is entering his fifth season with the Green Wave, coaches the wide receivers.
• The Green Wave tight end unit is made up of seven players that feature two freshmen, one sophomore, and four juniors.
• Tight end Tyrick James is the Green Wave’s top returning pass-catcher from a year ago, as he hauled in 19 catches for 283 yards. Tight ends coach Slade Nagle, who is beginning his fifth season with the Green Wave, has stated that James has clearly established himself as the Tulane’s No. 1 tight end coming out of preseason camp.
• Tulane also welcomes back tight end Will Wallace. Wallace has made starts in 14 games and has seen action in 23 career games.
• The Green Wave tight end unit also welcomed former quarterback Christian Daniels over the offseason.

Coach Conway on the wide receivers
“I have been really pleased with the effort our guys have put in during camp. We have a lot of competition within our position group and I know that is going to help us throughout the season. Each of these guys are going to push each other to get better each week.”

Coach Nagle on the tight ends
“l think we’re really going to have a good group here at tight end. I think we have really good depth and we have a group of guys that have bought into our program. They are all playing hard, so I think we’re going to be a really improved unit this year.”

Tulane is set to kickoff the season in Mobile, Alabama, against South Alabama on Saturday, September 12. The Green Wave are coming off a record-setting 2019 campaign that was highlighted by a win in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl to give Tulane back-to-back bowl victories for the first time in program history. The Green Wave captured the AutoNation Cure Bowl in 2018.

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