Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Coming into 2024, one of the positions that fans may think is a weakness for Troy Football is wide receiver but it may end up being one of the deepest positions.

While Troy will have to replace the production of veteran players like Jabre Barber, Marcus Rogers and Deshon Stoudemire, the Trojans return a number of veterans and some impressive new faces.

“I think that it’s a little bit of a surprise with this group because I thought that was one of our biggest concerns on the roster based on graduation and transfers and everything that had been lost there,” Troy Coach Gerad Parker said. “There is enough here, if we use them the right way, that I think we can be really good at the position.”

Another loss at the position is junior Chris Lewis, who was among the nation’s leaders in yards-per-catch in 2023. Lewis was diagnosed with a form of bone cancer just before the Birmingham Bowl last season and after undergoing treatments to remove the cancer, the 6-foot-4-inch speedster will sit out the 2024 season. Instead, Lewis will serve as a student assistant for the Trojans.

The leading returner at the position is junior Devonte Ross, who caught 40 passes for 428 yards and three touchdowns in 2023. Junior Peyton Higgins caught 12 passes for 167 yards and senior Landon Parker grabbed eight catches for 128 yards and one touchdown.

“Devonte Ross is a guy that’s made a huge step in his game and is a leader in that group,” Parker said. “Peyton Higgins, Landon Parker, Zeriah Beason and (freshman) Jackson Thomas are in the conversation along with the addition of (junior) Marquez ‘Mojo’ Dortch.”

Beason came to Troy prior to the spring as a junior college transfer but the 6-foot, 198-pounder started his career at Oregon State. It didn’t take him long to get acclimated either, catching three touchdown passes at T-Day. He caught 27 passes for 476 yards and five touchdowns as he earned First-Team All-Conference honors at Hutchinson Community College this past season. During his career at Oregon State, he caught 36 passes for 384 yards and four touchdowns.

Dortch is another intriguing transfer, who comes to Troy from Cal after starting his career at Mississippi State.

“Dortch can run, I mean he can really run,” Parker said. “He came to us from Cal via Mississippi State and he’s fast. He’s someone I expect to get in that rotation.”

Dortch was a four-start rated receiver coming out of George County High School (Miss.) and the No. 4-rated player in Mississippi.

Thomas is a 6-foot-3-inch, 183-pound redshirt freshman that was a three-star rated receiver at Stanhope-Elmore in Millbrook. He’s also the cousin of former Alabama star Dee Milliner.

Other players to keep an eye on at receiver include freshman Ky McNulty, freshman Kevin Beckham and junior Robert Bruce. Parker is also excited about true freshman Jywon Boyd, a Charles Henderson graduate.

“I think everyone is going to be pleasantly surprised with Jywon,” said Parker. “I don’t know when – and we will see as he progresses – but he is going to be a good player here. He understands what it means to prepare and he is really gifted. I really like him.”

Boyd is a two-time all-state receiver and defensive back that grew up in Troy and was The Messenger’s Offensive Player of the Year in 2022 and the Most Valuable Player in 2023. He recorded more than 4,000 all-purpose yards and 53 touchdowns during his high school career.

No matter who cracks the rotation at receiver this year, Parker is most excited about the competition there.

“I think we will be good at that position and it will be a healthy competition to see who the top three or four guys end up being,” Parker said. “That’s a good competition right there.”

Previous Installments: 
Quarterbacks
Running Backs