Open competition for spots at wide receiver this spring
- Tom Weber
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
CARBONDALE, Ill. — The Salukis lost their top four wide receivers to graduation after the 2025 season, creating an open competition for spots in the playing rotation this spring.
The departing group of Vinson Davis III, Jay Jones, Fabian McCray and Tae Marrero combined for 146 catches last fall, or 96 percent of the team’s receptions.
Head coach Nick Hill isn’t sweating the uncertainty at wideout, however.
“That doesn't really keep me up at night,” Hill said. “We have a mix of young and old coming back. They're all here for a reason, because we think they can play. We have to instill confidence in them, and then it's a great time for them to go out and earn a spot and prove to us why they deserve to be out there.”
Southern has 10 receivers competing for reps during spring ball.
Junior Allen Middleton (5-11, 190) has the most experience in SIU’s system, having started in 2024. He was the team’s second-leading receiver with 32 catches for 402 yards. Primarily a slot receiver, Middleton showed he can also play outside at Bowling Green in 2025.
“I’m excited to help the team in any way I can,” Middleton said. “I learned to play on the outside (at BG) because we ran a lot of 12 personnel (1 RB/2 TE). Being able to go inside or outside and still be able to produce — I think that's going to be a big for me.”
Kyle Thomas (6-3, 200, Jr.) caught just one pass last season for the Salukis after transferring from Northern Illinois, but he has gained 20 pounds while also improving his speed and quickness. He’s already made several impressive catches in practice so far.
“We just need to uphold the standard,” Thomas said. “(Last year’s seniors) were very skilled and they were really particular about their work. We need to make sure we focus on the details — look the ball in, catch the ball, and finish 10 yards.”
Redshirt freshman Tristen Payne (6-1, 170) is an explosive young player with a track background who is pushing for a spot in the rotation.
“My strong suit is short routes and intermediate routes,” Payne said. “I feel like I can really help the offense in short yardage if it's 2nd-and-5, 3rd-and-5, getting that first down. I love the competition in our room. Knowing someone could possibly take my spot, that just makes me want to work harder and never give up.”
After transferring from Illinois a year ago, Blayne Sisson (6-2, 190, So.) missed most of 2025 with an injury. The Mount Carmel native was the 2023 Southern Illinois Football Player of the Year.
Other redshirt freshmen who could press for playing time are Jacques Carter, Chris Potter and Gage Green.
Chattanooga transfer Markell Quick (5-10, 160, Sr.) has made a strong impression since arriving in Carbondale. Last season at Chattanooga, Quick led the Mocs in receiving yards (686), touchdowns (4) and average yards per catch (18.5), which ranked 26th in the nation in the FCS.
“I played outside in high school, and then when I got to college, they moved me to the slot, so you could really put me anywhere,” Quick said. “I play with a good tempo, and then if you need me to stretch the field, I can stretch the field. The competition is really good here. I still love the guys, but at the end of the day, we're all competing for a spot, and just need to keep my head down, keep working, learning the playbook, just continue to compete.”
UNLV transfer Traivon Dyson (6-3, 180, Sr.) and Division II Edward Waters University transfer Aiden Showers (6-3, 185, Jr.) are two more newcomers in the mix.
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