In light of recent development read also ………………………..
Looking Back at Part 2 of the 2020 Boise State Recruiting Class: Wide Receivers…………………
Hopefully, Michael, Hunter, and Zach from FKWG, as well as Mike from MWCConnection, will bring you an entertaining off-season series. When the 2024 class was formally signed in February of last year, coaches and fans alike were elated. Fans often claim a class to be among the finest on paper, just like they do every year. But the real narrative comes to light once the guys get on school and take to the field. Since many players’ effects don’t become apparent for a few seasons, it can frequently take years to evaluate a class fairly.
Nevertheless, the goal of this series is to review and assess Boise State’s 2019 class. Players can now be evaluated on their performance (or lack thereof) rather than prediction and hype because enough time has passed and many members of the class have either gone or are starting their final seasons.
In any case, the four of us will examine one or two distinct position groups from the class each week. Over the course of the next month, we will continue to submit two posts per week, but the posts’ locations will vary. To allow readers of both sites to follow along, a post will be placed on FKWG at the beginning of the week and on MWCConnection at the end. This year, we’re a little rearranging the way we talk about each player. Because most players were either pleasant surprises, busts, or lived up to the hype, the traditional method of evaluating a recruit by classifying them as having exceeded, met, or failed to meet expectations grew monotonous.
Rather, our analysis will be less complicated. Each of the four of us will discuss our feelings at the player’s signing and then the previous four years. Instead of attempting to fit everything into a pre-designed box, the expectation is that this will allow us to be more creative with our descriptions. Even if it’s not always fun, hopefully it will still be a worthwhile trip down memory lane.
Rather, our analysis will be less complicated. Each of the four of us will discuss our feelings at the player’s signing and then the previous four years. Instead of attempting to fit everything into a pre-designed box, the expectation is that this will allow us to be more creative with our descriptions. Even if it’s not always fun, hopefully it will still be a worthwhile trip down memory lane.
Section 2: Broad Receivers
In this class, Boise State signed three distinct wide receivers, and each one was unique. One was based on a successful Texas play, while the other was a folktale from the area. The third arrived later and with some intriguing abilities. See below for an account of their success over the years.
WR LaTrell Caples’s initial thoughts upon signing:
Michael I’ll take responsibility for it. I was not gifted with the ability to see Caples’ potential. I believed he might be an effective possession receiver. In the next section, I will clarify why I was mistaken.
Hunter: One of those individuals whose name is just that of a football player. His blue and orange coloration showed great potential, even to my untrained eye.
Zach: During high school, Caples was an incredible talent. He has the potential to be the next great wide receiver for the Broncos. My hopes for Caples were really high.
Mike: Stefan Cobbs was educated at Lancaster High School, where LaTrell also graduated. From the looks of it, Caples was either a superior or equal replacement for Cobbs as a taller slot receiver. I assumed he would excel in his time in college.
Mike: Stefan Cobbs was educated at Lancaster High School, where LaTrell also graduated. From the looks of it, Caples was either a superior or equal replacement for Cobbs as a taller slot receiver. I assumed he would excel in his time in college.
Reflections from the previous four years:
Michael As I’ve already said, I believed Caples had what it took to be a competent possession receiver. In actuality, I was correct about that! However, he was capable of much more. He also had remarkable YAC ability in the 2022 campaign, as he had some key plays toward the end of Boise State’s unlikely 10-win campaign.
Hunter: The fact that I can’t stop picturing him without his knee brace definitely says something about him. His breakout year was 2022, and I genuinely believed 2023 would bring him mainstream recognition. Naturally, his injury prevented that, but let’s hope he returns there in 2024.
Zach: In 2022, Caples began to thrive. He gave Taylen Green a consistent target and added another level of complexity to the passing game. He was supposed to be the top receiver in 2023, but during fall camp, he sustained an injury that ended his season. Caples will be a valuable asset for the new starting quarterback in 2024 and is primed for a spectacular season. He has lived up to expectations thus far.
WR Austin Bolt’s initial thoughts upon signing:
Michael: Austin, especially when he filled in at quarterback for the Lions in a pinch, kind of single-handedly won a lot of games for Borah. He managed to have 26 rushing touchdowns and 10 passing touchdowns even though it wasn’t his natural position. I was so thrilled when he committed—even if it was considerably later than I had anticipated. It’s no small achievement to be named the Gatorade State Player of the Year.
Hunter: I was excited when Austin signed with the Broncos since I actually played wide receiver with him for a year at Borah. I honestly believed he had the potential to be a major player; this is probably just my excessive partiality speaking. To be honest, I thought WR was a better position for him, but I also thought TE would work for him.
Zach: Bolt was an incredible athlete, and I saw him play in high school. I had assumed he would be a great tight end, but it made perfect sense for him to switch to wide receiver.
Mike: Boise State ought to be pleased whenever they are able to sign the best player in their home state. Austin was a fantastic all-around athlete in high school. Though I saw him as a mismatch sprinting down the seam as a catch-first tight end, many questioned him at tight end. In any case, he wound up playing wide receiver, where he seems to fit in much better.
Michael Regretfully, Bolt has had a lot of injuries throughout his tenure with the Broncos. I got a great look at the one in Corvallis, the damage, and… yuck. But I never lost the initial thrill I felt about him joining the squad, especially after it was reported that he was one of the team’s two fastest players. I’m really excited about the prospects for the rest of his stay here after watching him really take off towards the conclusion of the previous season!
Hunter: I won’t claim to be close to Austin personally, but I am connected to a lot of individuals who interact with him. I used to doubt that he would ever play for the Broncos again, but now that I’ve watched him score a touchdown in the conference title game, I no longer have that doubt. It’s amazing that after years of suggesting that this may be his year, it actually might be. Though it’s probably not the profession Austin had in mind, there’s still time for him to succeed this year.
Zach: Bolt has had numerous injuries over his career. It wasn’t until late in the previous season, when he developed into a deep threat and had his first 100-yard receiving performance, that we truly got a taste of his potential. We’re currently writing his story. I would say that Bolt has fulfilled expectations thus far.
Mike: Similar to Caples, once Bolt established as wide receiver, injuries have slowed him down. Although he appeared as a deep-play threat towards the conclusion of the previous season, it sounds like a pretty serious injury. Although Austin still has room to grow, leading this group of wide receivers in huge plays down the sidelines plays a wonderful role and would benefit the offense.
WR Cole Wright’s initial thoughts upon signing:
Michael: When Cole Wright signed, I knew nothing about him.
Hunter: Cole was among the surprisingly high number of Ivy League offers made to BSU commits. Not exactly a recruit who received a lot of attention, especially in light of the other two wide receivers in the class.
Zach: Wright was an unexpected late addition to this recruiting class and was not a highly sought-after prospect out of high school. I didn’t have great hopes because I didn’t know much about Wright prior to him joining the Broncos.
Mike: Wright committed to the class in February, which was a pretty late addition. He seemed like a filler to me at the time, and I thought it would be difficult for him to go up the depth chart above some of the other wide receivers.
Reflections from the previous four years:
Michael: Although he occasionally shocked everyone with a spectacular catch—like the 47-yarder he made against New Mexico—he never truly established himself as a reliable player.
Hunter: Cole has, at the very least, validated his Harvard offer with his plethora of academic accolades as a Bronco. He’s returned kickoffs on the football field quite a bit, so I suppose he wasn’t the biggest fan of the Broncos’ no-return policy in the second half of 2023. He hasn’t played wide receiver much, and with the current group of receivers, it’s unlikely that we will see him play receiving much more.