The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1265429
THE WOLVERINE 2020 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 69 WIDE RECEIVERS FYI The Wolverines managed 126 receptions of 10 or more yards in 2019, good for 50th nationally (out of 130 teams), and tied for 31st with 53 catches that gained at least 20 yards. U-M tied for 22nd in 70-plus-yard grabs, with two. Senior Nico Collins caught 37 and dropped just four of the 66 passes thrown his way last year per Pro Football Focus. His quarterbacks' passer rating when targeted was 117.6, tops among U-M regulars and good for 72nd nationally last year among receivers with at least 50 targets. Junior Ronnie Bell tied for 18th nationally with eight dropped passes, and his quarterback rating when targeted of 89.4 helped reflect it. However, he also proved to be U-M's shiftiest receiver, notching 14 avoided tackles after receptions to finish tops among all U-M pass catchers. That total tied for 46th nationally at his position. Bell also ranked among the na- tion's top 40 in yards after the catch (40th, 454) and receiving yards out of the slot (38th, 692). Bell led the Wolverines in all-purpose yardage in 2019 with 64.2 per game, edging out Giles Jackson's 64.1. Jackson's number was inflated by his kickoff return duty. Michigan has only gone more than three years between having receiv- ers drafted twice since 1969 — Anthony Carter (1983) to Paul Jokisch (1987), and Adrian Arrington and Mario Manningham (2008) to Junior Hemingway (2012). Junior Ronnie Bell came out of nowhere last season to lead the Wolverines in both receptions (48) and receiving yards (758). PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL