We continue our position previews today with a look at Liberty’s wide receivers.
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Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Tight Ends
Defensive Line
Linebackers
Cornerbacks
Safeties
Perhaps the most disappointing position group for the Flames in 2024 was the wide receivers. For various reasons, the team was never able to recover from the loss of CJ Daniels and couldn’t quite put all the pieces together to have the same dynamic passing game the team had in 2023. This position group has been an area of focus over each of the past two off-seasons and it may finally pay dividends on the field this fall. There are some unproven names in the group, but the coaching staff is confident that the group is talented enough to get the job done. Treon Sibley is the only receiver from last year’s team that has moved on as six of the top seven receivers from last season return.
Liberty Wide Receiver Coach Tony Washington – “I think this is as talented of a room that we’ve had since we got here in 2023. The depth of the room is really good. The big thing is just experience. You got a lot of new guys. The talent is there, but it’s the experience of seeing how we’re going to play early on and see if the guys are ready when the lights come on.”
Frontrunners
9 Donte Lee, Jr. R-JR 6’3″ 185
Donte Lee transferred to Liberty from Division II Shaw with a lot of fanfare. The Flames had to battle with several other schools for his services when he was in the transfer portal a year ago. Coming in from the D2 program, it took Lee a little bit of time to make the transition to playing at the higher level. He needed to put on weight, learn the offense, and handle all the adjustments that come with a new home. Now, he’s ready to explode into a much larger role with the Flames. The coaching staff has been extremely high on him during camp as one of the standouts, and he could be the team’s go to receiver this fall.
Liberty Wide Receiver Coach Tony Washington – “Donte, he provides a different level of speed. Donte, he is probably the fastest guy, if not the second fastest guy, on the team. Now, that he’s playing like it…last year, I call it buffering. He looked like he was buffering sometimes. You’re not playing as fast as you like. This year, he’s been lights out. He’s playing fast. He’s getting behind the defense. When you’ve got a guy who can be lightning in a bottle and take it 50 any given time, that’s a big thing to have on your offense.”
3 Jamari Person JR 6’1″ 200
After spending a couple of years at Colorado State, Jamari Person is one of two transfers who joined the team for the spring semester. He has taken a huge stride over the summer and is poised to be one of the team’s top targets. Person has some experience, having caught 36 balls for 386 yards and a touchdown last year. Those numbers would have had him leading Liberty in receptions and being second in receiving yards last year. He has that type of potential.
Liberty Wide Receiver Coach Tony Washington on newcomers Jamari Person and Casey Cain – “They bring some stability and consistency. Two big bodies, really great hands.”
8 Tyson Mobley R-SR 6’0″ 185
Perhaps quietly, Tyson Mobley led the Flames in receptions last year with 29 to go along with 276 yards and a touchdown. Coming to Liberty from Coastal Carolina, Mobley is familiar with this coaching staff and this system. He is a veteran and should be a steady and reliable presence on the field.
Liberty Wide Receiver Coach Tony Washington – “Tyson is a guy that I have coached when he was at Coastal. I was the wide receivers coach there when Tyson was a freshman in 2020. Just watching him develop has been really good.”
Competition
2 Casey Cain SR 6’3″ 200
Casey Cain began his career at Texas where he had 9 catches for 214 yards over two seasons. He then transferred to UNLV for the 2024 season, finishing with 7 receptions for 136 yards and two scores. Cain joined the Flames for the spring along with Person, and he flashed during the spring game. Many expected him to continue that surge to the top of the depth chart and be the go to receiver this season. He certainly has that potential but has been slowed some by an injury during camp. If he can remain healthy, he could provide another big body target for the Liberty quarterback(s) on the outside.
Liberty Wide Receiver Coach Tony Washington on newcomers Jamari Person and Casey Cain – “They bring some stability and consistency. Two big bodies, really great hands.”
5 Elijah Canion R-SR 6’4″ 225
A transfer from Purdue, Elijah Canion was second on the team last year, his first with the Flames, with 354 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns. During the off-season, the coaching staff have moved him around to different positions in the receiver room, including the slot, to see what he could offer there. Canion is another option in the passing game that could emerge as a go-to type threat this season.
Liberty Wide Receiver Coach Tony Washington – “He’s played well. We’ve had some different roles and different things for him this off-season, just seeing what all he can handle, has been really good. He’s taken that next step.”
6 Reese Smith R-SR 5’10” 205
We all know how Reese Smith has struggled with injuries throughout his time at Liberty the prior two years. There’s no doubt in his ability. It flashed int he game against East Carolina when he had three touchdowns after midnight. He finished the season with 18 catches for 277 yards and 4 touchdowns in 8 games played while coming off an ACL injury that forced him to miss all of 2023. The coaching staff has been easing Smith into some work during camp to protect him. He’s a veteran and has been around the program for some time so he should be able to stay sharp even with the limited on-field reps. If he can stay healthy, Smith is someone that could lead the team in targets and receptions.
11 Darius Copeland R-SO 6’0″ 1995
Last year during camp, Darius Copeland was the darling. The coaches couldn’t keep his name out of their mouths. It looked like the redshirt-freshman was poised to have a breakout campaign and be a huge part of the Liberty game plan. Copeland has a similar skill-set to that of Juju Gray, so it was expected that he would have a role in the slot and also in the run game, similar to that of Aaron Bedgood from 2023. Those plans were thwarted when he suffered a season ending knee injury after playing in three games. Copeland is still recovering from that injury and has been slowed throughout the off-season. Still, he’s a name we shouldn’t forget about and could be someone that emerges as the season progresses and he gets further away from that injury.
Depth
10 Jon Monteiro R-FR 6’2″ 200
16 Eric Smith R-FR 5’9″ 170
13 Nasir Newkirk FR 6’2″ 185
12 Bryce Randolph FR 5’11” 180
These four have been recruited by the coaching staff over the prior two seasons. There’s a chance we could see any one of them emerge and carve out a role on the field this fall, especially if there are any injury concerns at receiver. We have heard nothing but good things about the potential of each of these four, it’s just a matter of time before we see it during a game. Will that be this season?
Liberty Wide Receiver Coach Tony Washington on the four freshmen and redshirt-freshmen – “I think all those guys are going to be productive in their careers at Liberty, but you’ve got to get them guys to gameday. You don’t want to run out with a whole bunch of true freshmen and redshirt freshmen no matter how talented they are.”
22 Coleman Baker JR 5’11” 180
27 Clayton Shepler R-FR 5’11” 180
