Pre-Spring 2024 Rundown: Wide Receiver and Tight End
With the dust settled on the 2024 class, I’m going to take some time to breakdown the additions by position group. The format will be similar to these position breakdowns I’ve done in the past: key losses, what is returning, new additions, and highlight an important storyline for each group. The second position group I am going to take a look at is the Wide Receivers and Tight Ends.
Key Departures
John Jiles Jr - 66 receptions 1255 yards 16 TD - 1st Team All-GSC - 2nd Team All-American - UWF Single Season Record Receiving Yards
Caden Leggett - 39 receptions 669 yards 9 TD - 1st Team All-GSC
KJ Franklin - 20 receptions 213 yards 2 TD
Top Returning Players
Senior - WR - Zac Offord - 16 receptions 237 yards
RS Senior - WR - Jakobe Quillen - 10 receptions 157 yards 3 TD
Senior - WR - Jared Smith - 4 receptions 94 yards
RS Sophomore - TE - Jackson Blalock - 7 receptions 157 yards 1 TD
New Additions
Mid-Year Transfers
Sophomore - Tyree Holloway (6’ 170) - Chowan - 22 receptions 476 yards 5 TD
Freshman - Trevon “Tre” Kimmerlin (6’3” 170) - Central Georgia Tech (JUCO)
RS Junior- Michael Lott Jr (6’4” 205) - Hinds (JUCO) - 15 receptions 117 yards 2 TD
RS Junior - Blake Durham (6’2” 190) - Hutchinson (JUCO) - 1 reception 31 yards
High School Signees
Jabari Murphy (6’2” 195) - WR - Elmore County (AL) - 37 receptions 486 yards 5 TD 51 carries 359 yards 5 TD
Myles Simmons (6’ 185) - WR - St. Augustine - 47 receptions 874 yards 12 TD
Anthony Vaglienti (6’2” 170) - WR - Fletcher - 28 receptions 444 yards 6 TD
Hunter Wood (6’8” 210) - TE - Sulligent (AL) - 35 receptions 515 yards 5 TD
Channing Clabaugh (6’4” 230) - TE - Rockledge - 11 receptions 113 yards 1 TD
New Additions Primer
UWF had one of the best WR rooms in the country in 2023, with two 1st Team All-GSC players being mentored by Coach Ron Dickerson. Unfortunately the Argos will be replacing all three for 2024. While we don’t know yet who will be replacing the departing Offensive Coordinator and Wide Receivers Coach, we do know some of the names who will be competing for playing time in a couple weeks when spring practices start. Coach Nobles brought in four mid-year transfers who should immediately bring a great blend of experience and upside to the position: Chowan speedster Tyree Holloway, a second time Argonaut signee Trevon Kimmerlin who spent a year playing club football at Central Georgia Tech, bog bodied Florida native Michael Lott Jr. who’s spent two seasons at Hinds CC, and Blake Durham out of Hutchinson CC, a 2021 UT Martin signee.
If there was a GSC All-Freshman team Holloway would have been on it, he finished his only season with Chowan with nearly 500 yards and 5 TDs, both of which were good for top 15 in the GSC in 2023, and his 21.3 yards per reception were tops in the GSC. The True Sophomore provides a proven deep threat for the Argonauts heading into Spring ball.
Kimmerlin signed with UWF in 2023 and again in 2024, taking a somewhat unusual path to Pensacola. He played a season Central Georgia Technical College at the club level, before enrolling at the mid-year. He’s a former high school hooper who may need some time do hone his route running, but could be an immediate jump ball specialist, with the athleticism to stretch the field.
The first of two true JUCO additions, the South Florida native Lott. At 6’4” and over 200 pounds he will be one of the biggest WRs on the roster. He had a pretty good season in 2022, leading Hinds in receiving yards (292) and tied for the lead with 2 TD, but didn’t get as many looks in 2023 with just 17 receptions.
The last of the mid-year enrollees, Blake Durham comes to UWF after two seasons with Hutchinson CC in Kansas and before that a redshirt season with UT Martin. While he hasn’t gotten much run in the last three years, it is easy to see from his HS tape why he was a D1 signee in 2021.
In addition to the mid-year group, UWF secured commitments from three high school Senior Wide Receivers as well as two Tight Ends. This is an athletic and a highly productive batch of signees who produced almost 5000 yards and 55 TD over their Junior and Senior seasons. The three Wide Receivers, Jabari Murphy from Elmore County (AL) a 3-star prospect who was courted by numerous Power 5 programs, St. Augustine High School’s Senior riser Myles Simmons, and Fletcher’s Anthony Vagilienti could all have the talent to push for playing time this fall, while the twosome of Tight End signees, towering hybrid TE/WR Hunter Wood from Sulligent (AL) and the more traditional two-way in-line Channing Clabaugh. Its also a group featuring a number of multi-sport athletes, Simmons, Vaglienti, and Wood all being standouts on the hardwood as well as on the field.
Murphy is an interesting offensive playmaker, who was a traditional WR in 2022, but split his time running and receiving his Senior year. He had a slew of FBS offers, including in the SEC. He could do a lot of different things for UWF, including potentially playing Defensive Back.
UWF may have found an under the radar breakout Senior in Simmons. Most preps with his level of production would be the top offensive playmaker for their HS squad, but Simmons was the third leading WR for St. Augustine, and had a major jump in production his Senior year from 27 receptions to 47 and 4 TD to 12 scores.
The WR group is rounded out by the 6’2” Senior from the Jacksonville area. While the Senators are not a prolific passing team, Vaglienti lead them in receiving TD each of the last two seasons (14 total). He averages 8.7 points 6.0 rebounds 1.5 assists per game as a guard for the Senators basketball team.
At 6’8” Hunter Wood may be the tallest player UWF has ever signed, but don’t let his size fool you, this two sport star is a sneaky athletic playmaker with unbelievable growth potential. Seeing how Wood fills out and develops will be a really interesting storyline for the next couple of seasons.
Clabaugh comes to UWF from a Rockledge program that has been churning out college prospects as of late and he brings a physical skillset to the table that the Argos have always valued in TEs. He’s no slouch as a route runner, but is much more developed as a run blocker compared to classmate Wood.
Spring Storyline: WR by Committee in 2024?
Last year the big question for the WR group was who is going to step up and replace an All-American in David Durden. This year the big question is who is going to step up and replace an All-American in John Jiles. While this is daunting, these are good problems to have. Last year Caden Leggett returned and seemed likely to pick up the mantel, but with him also gone I’d say there is no clear next man up. There is also going to be the impact of breaking in a new starting QB for 2024 and replacing the most experienced coach on the staff, WR Coach and Offensive Coordinator Ron Dickerson Jr. That is not to say UWF has a lack of talent at the position, Jakobe Quillen, Jared Smith, and Zac Offord have been here, they’ve contributed over multiple seasons, and they’re going to be the guys that the coaching staff looks to for stability in that room. I think the 2023 Freshman class also has a big chance to step up here this Spring, Brenden Cook is an explosive option for the slot, who played a little in 2023 but showed a lot. Ja’Corey Scott and Pat Delcour also got some action last fall, and will be looking to make a mark.
Of the transfers the most likely to come in and make an impact is Tyree Holloway, who despite his relative youth is one of the more productive returning GSC pass catchers this year. He’s a big play waiting to happen and with his ability to participate in spring practices, I’d be shocked if he isn’t a significant part of the WR rotation this fall. A little harder to project guys like Blake Durham and Mike Lott, not because they aren’t talented, but because there is quite a bit of time that separates them from being major contributors in a passing game, as high schoolers 3+ seasons ago. Ultimately I just cant foresee anyone coming in and replacing what we had in Jiles last year, he was a truly special talent, so my pre-spring prediction for these guys is no clearly defined WR1/WR2/WR3 hierarchy. The touches are probably going to be dictated more by who gets open on any given play, than trying to draw something up for any one player.
Pre-Spring Projected WR Depth Chart
Position: 1st String / 2nd String
Wide Receiver: Jakobe Quillen / Anthony Ballard
Wide Receiver: Jared Smith / Tyree Holloway
Slot Wide Receiver: Zac Offord / Brenden Cook
Tight End: Jackson Blalock / Jake Robinette
