The Kansas football team had to retool its wide receiver corps after losing its top three options last year to the NFL. Head coach Lance Leipold has a couple of holdovers left and added a bevy of transfers.
Hopefully, some of these options will rise to the challenge and become reliable targets for star quarterback Jalon Daniels. One of the candidates has stood out in practice enough to earn the WR1 designation on the initial depth chart, and he and Daniels could be an exciting offensive tandem if everything works out the way it is supposed to.
Which Kansas football wide receiver could prove a problem for opposing defenders?
Emmanuel Henderson Jr. spent his first three seasons in one of the best programs in college football. Although he didn’t get many opportunities for the Crimson Tide, he did catch five balls for 96 yards. Last season, on four receptions, he averaged 20.5 yards per catch.
That average indicates the ability to stretch a defense, or at the very least, a skill to rack up yards after making the catch. Considering his position now as the top wide receiver on the depth chart, he’s shown his coaches he can also run a route.
This could be a boon for Daniels and the offense. There is an old football adage that says “someone has to catch the ball.” It’s based on the premise that no matter how good or bad an offense might be, someone has to catch the passes thrown.
As WR1, Henderson appears primed to be that guy that Daniels can rely on to make a big catch, not only downfield, but on shorter routes too, where he can make something happen in space after he catches the ball.
If Daniels and Henderson can develop a strong chemistry, and they worked on it this offseason, then this could be an exciting tandem to watch when the season kicks off at 5:30 p.m. CDT against Fresno State at the David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. The game can be streamed on FuboTV.
Keep an eye on this combo to see if Henderson will become Daniels’ favorite target. All signs indicate this will be the case.