Strength of the Unit: Wide Receivers

8/19/2015 4:00:00 PM | Football

As we gear up for the 2015 James Madison football season, JMUSports.com will be producing positional features known as the "Strength of the Unit." In the seventh installment, we highlight the wide receivers, who are led by assistant coach Parker Fleming in his second season with the Dukes.

The 2015 unit returns three key pieces and adds a strong class of freshmen and pair of transfers to replace five players who accounted for 1,500 receiving yards last season.

Key losses from last year's playoff team: Daniel Brown (Second Team All-CAA, 606 yards, 7 TD), DeAndre' Smith (547 yards, 8 TD), Sean Tapley (191 yards, TD) and Andre Coble (160 yards, TD).

"We have to be explosive this year," Fleming said. "We're going to focus on consistency, too, so that's kind of an odd duo: to be explosive and consistent. The little things we're going to focus on are blocking and making big plays on the perimeter catching the ball."

The Dukes will rely heavily on three returners who combined for over 1,000 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. Junior Brandon Ravenel was JMU's third-leading receiver in 2014, as he caught 38 receptions for 535 yards and five touchdowns. Ravenel ranked 10th in the Colonial Athletic Association with 14.1 yards per catch and produced his first career 100-yard receiving game against Towson, when he caught eight passes for 107 yards.

Junior Rashard Davis recorded 21 receptions for 254 yards and a pair of scores last season. He was a key factor in JMU's come-from-behind win at Lehigh, as he led the Dukes with five catches for 123 yards and two touchdowns, including a career-long, 76-yard touchdown reception.

Redshirt sophomore Ishmael Hyman, a Kansas transfer, made 15 catches for 199 yards and three touchdowns in his first season with the program. His best game came at Villanova, where he made four catches for 80 yards and a TD, including a 56-yard reception that resulted in his first collegiate score.

The receivers added depth during the offseason, as sophomore John Miller transitioned from the running back position. As a freshman, Miller ran for 371 yards and scored five touchdowns, while also making eight receptions for 44 yards.

"We've been developing some guys at the position [during the offseason] in Brandon, Ishmael and Rashard," Head Coach Everett Withers said. "We also moved John Miller to an inside receiver position from running back, so those are our top four right there."

Other returners include redshirt senior Taylor McNelis, redshirt sophomore Blaine Stewart and redshirt freshmen Logan Boyd and Daniel Glymph.

Junior Dominique Taylor, a transfer from Georgia Military, brings in size with his 6-foot, 3-inch frame. In 2014, he averaged 22.2 yards per catch last season with 510 receiving yards and six touchdowns before signing with JMU. Sophomore Bilal Wallace transferred from Chowan after one season and will sit out this year due to the NCAA transfer rule.

Five freshmen complete the receiving core, highlighted by a first team all-state honoree in Riley Stapleton, who had over 1,100 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns as a senior. The four other rookies include Tristan Carter, Daniel Clements, Bryce Edmunds and Christian Harden.

"I think we signed a really good receiving class that is going to come in and add depth and more targets for our offense at that position," Withers said.

On Friday, we'll feature the outside linebackers in the eighth of 11 "Strength of the Unit" installments.

Wide Receivers Breakdown
Returners:
Jr. Brandon Ravenel – 38 REC, 535 YDS, 5 TD
Jr. Rashard Davis – 21 REC, 254 YDS, 2 TD
R-So. Ishmael Hyman – 15 REC, 199 YDS, 3 TD
R-Sr. Taylor McNelis
R-So. Blaine Stewart – serves as holder for kicks
R-Fr. Logan Boyd
R-Fr. Daniel Glymph

Transitioning to Wide Receiver in 2015:
So. John Miller (RB) – 83 RUSH, 371 YDS, 5 TD, 8 REC, 44 YDS

Newcomers:
Jr. Dominique Taylor – transferred from Georgia Military
So. Bilal Wallace – transferred from Chowan
Fr. Tristan Carter
Fr. Daniel Clements
Fr. Bryce Edmunds
Fr. Christian Harden
Fr. Riley Stapleton

Letterwinners Lost:
Daniel Brown – 42 REC, 606 YDS, 7 TD
DeAndre' Smith – 39 REC, 547 YDS, 8 TD started all 13
Sean Tapley – 17 REC, 191 YDS, 1 TD
Andre Coble – 17 REC, 160 YDS, 1 TD
Dejor Simmons – 2 REC, 31 YDS
Ryan Dixon