Razorbacks Roundtable: Receivers and tight ends

Arkansas receiver Mike Woods runs after catching a pass during a game against Vanderbilt on Saturday, Oct. 27, 2018, in Fayetteville.

Q: Mike Woods is Arkansas' leading returning wide receiver in terms of yardage and touchdowns. What kind of jump do you believe he makes as a sophomore?

Clay Henry: Woods is a special talent. I think it's a huge jump. Ben Hicks believes in Woods. That's an important start to a good year for the sophomore receiver.

Dudley Dawson: He had 18 catches for 206 yards and two touchdowns last season. I think he might more than double those numbers this season.

Bob Holt: I expect Woods to make a pretty significant jump going from a freshman to a sophomore, especially with Ben Hicks and/or Nick Starkel throwing him the ball.

Scottie Bordelon: Playing alongside a more capable quarterback, plus La'Michael Pettway's departure, should lead to a more productive season for Woods. He made a few catches last season that showcased the potential he has. He can really run, outjump almost any defensive back and is a natural at high-pointing balls. He dealt with a wrist injury this spring that held him out, but I don't see it impacting his sophomore season, which will probably be fun to watch.

Seth Campbell: Woods last year went for 206 yards and one touchdown. I'd expect him to at least double both of those numbers. He will be one of the main options in the offense, so it's not unreasonable to expect around 450 yards out of him. Also, as referenced by Clay in this article, he wants to be more of a downfield threat, so I'd expect a few longer passes to go his way this season that could result in more touchdowns.

Q: Trey Knox came to Arkansas with a lot of hype and appeared to back it up in spring practices. What is reasonable to expect of him in 2019?

Clay Henry: First, he's a starter. I think he'll catch 25-35 passes. And, I think he'll score five touchdowns. He's got that competitive spirit that fuels everyone around him. The sky is the limit - and that's where his hands are, way up in the sky. That long reach is magical.

Dudley Dawson: Having listened to the coaches, the quarterbacks and his fellow receivers, I think he has a chance to lead the receivers in catches in his freshman, sophomore and junior seasons. I don’t think he’ll do that his senior season because I think he will be playing in the NFL that year. It should be obvious that I am the conductor of the Trey Knox hype train.

Bob Holt: Not that playing wide receiver is easy — especially in the SEC — but I think it’s a position on any college team where true freshman have a good chance to contribute immediately if they’re talented enough, and Knox looks to be pretty talented. His playmaking ability should be a huge plus at a position where guys really struggled to get separation last season.

Scottie Bordelon: I don't think 20-25 catches is too much to expect. He has great size, pretty good speed and will definitely contribute right away. Knox and Woods, to me, will be the leaders of the receivers room all season. Coaches and players on both sides of the ball have spoken so highly of him since he got to campus, and he had a nice day in the spring game, but I'm eager to see him perform when it really counts.

Seth Campbell: From the few glimpses we've gotten of Trey Knox in a Razorback uniform he seems to have the speed to compete in the SEC. The question is as a freshman does he have the strength? He's not lacking in size - listed at six-five 218 pounds - but will he be able to separate himself from the press coverage that is commonplace in the SEC? To actually answer the question, let me say an All-SEC Freshman Team selection is not out of the conversation for this newcomer.

Q: Outside of Woods, Knox and Cheyenne O'Grady, which pass catcher do you think could also have a productive or breakout season?

Clay Henry: I think it's Deon Stewart. He can be a difference maker in the slot. He's got to gain some weight to be able to get off the line, but not as many teams jam the slot guy because he's often in motion. No one has more wiggle than Stewart and it's time for him to give the Hogs some big plays.

Dudley Dawson: I’ll go with Treylon Burks and Hudson Henry both. Another player who could breakout is Jordan Jones, who had just 18 catches last season for 191 yards and one touchdown. When I am at Oaklawn, I always put some money for a long shot coming in, so I’ll bet on Kolian Jackson finally being healthy and getting some time.

Bob Holt: I was going to say Hudson Henry, but since we were asked about him in another question I’ll go with Shamar Nash. His speed should be a factor.

Scottie Bordelon: I'm with Dudley on this one. Koilan Jackson catches the eye in practice. He has the look of an SEC receiver. Jackson closed last season with a catch at Missouri then had a solid showing in the Red-White game, and Chad Morris said he hoped it could serve as something of a springboard entering this fall. We'll see on that, but he's definitely an intriguing player. I also think Treylon Burks and Shamar Nash will pop at times this season.

Seth Campbell: I'm going to cheat and name two. Treylon Burks has flown under the radar because of an injury during his senior year of high school. He was ranked as the 82nd-best player in his class by ESPN and has plenty of size and speed at 6-3, 225 pounds. Look for him to alleviate pressure from Woods and Knox. My other pick is De'Vion Warren. Coming into his junior season he's poised to have a breakout year at wideout and as a kick returner. I look for his experience to pay dividends at a position where Arkansas is talented, but young.

Q: Is it reasonable to believe O'Grady could have an All-SEC season?

Clay Henry: I'll believe it when I see it. Reasonable, yes. But there is too much nonsense in what he does. It's been that way for a long time. I recall a high school coach telling me that coaches begged him to try to catch balls with two hands. He wanted to reach with one just to show he could do it. That's the type of stuff that happens too often with O'Grady.

The ability is obvious. He was highly regarded when he was recruited, but there was always an asterisk by his name on the charts. Would he reach his vast potential? Yes, there have been flashes, but he's not produced consistent excellence.

Dudley Dawson: When I interviewed him right before the school year ended, the artist formerly known as CJ appeared to finally take a big step in his maturity level. Most definitely I think he will be the leading pass catcher for Arkansas this season and blow away his 2018 numbers - 30 catches, 400 yards, six touchdowns. He’s going to be a monster for any SEC team to handle.

Bob Holt: There’s no doubt O’Grady has the talent to put together a big season, but even if he does that — and he still needs to prove he can excel consistently — there are two great tight ends in the SEC in Missouri’s Albert Okwuegbunam and Vanderbilt’s Jared Pinkey, who figure to be first in line for those all-conference honors.

Scottie Bordelon: I don't doubt one bit that he could have that kind of season because he's shown over and over that when he's connected and engaged he can be a real problem for defenses. Dudley wrote it in his profile of O'Grady this summer: 2019 amounts to a contract year for him. So if he hopes to continue playing after this season his head needs to be on straight. He will, without question, be a top target in red-zone scenarios, and he flashed great catch-and-run potential at times last season, too. He's the full package when locked in.

Seth Campbell: Yes. However, this question does depend on how others perform in the SEC. Missouri's Albert Okwuegbunam is the preseason favorite to be the best tight end in the league, but that leaves two other spots. With no established threat outside of Okwuegbunam and his experience in Year 2 in the Chad Morris offense, O'Grady seems to be a natural fit for an All-SEC season.

Q: How do you see Hudson Henry figuring in during his freshman season?

Clay Henry: The key to a freshman in the SEC is the ability to stay healthy in August camp. That sounds simple, but few freshmen are able to do it. Getting knocked around by bigger, faster players than they saw in high school takes its toll.

If he stays healthy and stays in practice every day, he'll contribute. That's easier said than done. He's got the ability to be a big-time player - in time. And, it may take time. It's unfair to count on him early, but maybe by midseason there is a role for Hudson.

Dudley Dawson: I expect we will see times when both O’Grady and Henry are in the game and giving defensive coordinators some tough times. I think 25 catches would be at least what he gets to.

Bob Holt: Henry didn’t come to Arkansas to redshirt. He needs to play and be a playmaker, and he should get every opportunity to do that.

Scottie Bordelon: Hudson is going to be one of the freshmen to really keep an eye on in fall practices. Clay is right. The four-week period prior to Week 1 is a grind, but I think he'll be able to handle it. By all accounts his football IQ is tremendous. I don't think the staff will put too much on his plate early, but his role will develop as the season progresses given he remains available.

Seth Campbell: Let's get the comparison to his brother out of the way early. Hunter Henry caught four touchdowns for 409 yards through the air his freshman year. Unless there is an injury to O'Grady, Hudson Henry won't do that in his first year. Now that that's over with, Henry will have a great year as a complement to O'Grady. He will spend the year learning the offense and gaining valuable experience that will benefit him, and the Hogs, in the years to come.