Returning:
William Dukes (979 yards, 4 TDs) - Junior
Daniel McKinney (492 yards, 2 TDs) - Senior
Jenson Stoshak (259 yards, 2 TDs) - Freshman
Marcus Cunningham (33 yards, 1 TD) - RS Junior
Robert Lohnes (5 yards) - Sophomore
DeAndre Richardson - RS Senior
Brian Sirmans - RS Senior
Hakeeme Ishmar - Junior
Jeremy Glinton - Sophomore
Derek Moise - RS Sophomore
Tony Thomas - Sophomore
Chris Gilchrist - RS Freshman

Newcomers:
Lucky Whitehead - Junior
Jay McCants (transfer) - RS Sophomore

On the Way:
Kalib Woods
Bobby Mitchell

-Stats are from last season.

Overview: The Owls gratefully return almost their entire receiving corps from last season with a few key additions. The unit is led by junior William Dukes (pictured above), who had a breakout year in 2012. Dukes was the fourth leading receiver in the Sun Belt Conference g after racking up 979 yards and four touchdowns. The six-foot-four wideout constantly found separation from defenses and proved to be a playmaker for the offense. In addition to Dukes, FAU welcomes back senior Daniel McKinney and sophomore Jenson Stoshak. McKinney was the team’s second leading receiver and started seven games in the slot position. Stoshak, a former walk-on who was awarded a scholarship, emerged as a valuable pass-catcher after tallying 259 receiving yards and two touchdowns last season. Along with the trio of production, the Owls have a host of other players on the roster with game experience. Redshirt senior DeAndre Richardson, who led the team in receiving in 2011, was awarded a sixth-year of eligibility after missing last season with a leg injury. Marcus Cunningham, Derek Moise, Jermey Glinton and Hakeeme Ishmaer have all seen action, while the six-foot-six Chris Gilchrist redshirted last season. Junior college transfer Lucky Whitehead was expected to compete for playing time in spring camp, but a collarbone injury will most likely keep him sidelined until fall. FAU will benefit from the presence of Jay McCants, who transferred from Indiana and redshirted last year. Tony Thomas and Robert Lohnes are two walk-ons that saw limited snaps last season.

Player on the Spot: - Marcus Cunningham - After catching 18 passes for 257 yards and a touchdown in 2011, Cunningham’s production dropped off notably in 2012. The redshirt junior caught only four balls for 33 yards last season and started just two games. Cunningham is better suited as an inside receiver, but lacks the necessary size and speed. He will need to use this spring camp to show he can be a integral part of the rotation.

Name to Remember: - Jay McCants - McCants sat out last season after transferring from Indiana, but practiced with the team. At six-foot-four 215 pounds, the redshirt sophomore should give the Owls a vertical threat opposite of Dukes. McCants caught six passes as a freshman at Indiana and was a two-star recruit coming out of high school.

Key Stat: - 10 - FAU’s wide receivers pride themselves on being the “big play” factors of the offense, and that was the case last season. The team had 10 passing plays that went for 40 yards or more, which was a significant increase from 2011 in which they had zero. Expect that number to expand next season with this talented cast of players.  

Forecast: While there are plenty of answers at wide receiver, there are still numerous questions. Dukes, McKinney and Stoshak are all expected to pick up where they left off from last season, but who will emerge to form the rest of the rotation? McCants, Richardson and Cunningham should have the inside track, with everyone else in the picture. Thankfully the spread offense allows for a high volume of repetitions in practice, and that should only help develop the growth of this unit.

Up Next: Tight Ends