The wide receiving group for the Eagles is one of the most talented in the MAC as EMU has 16 receivers on the depth chart. The collective is as follows: Line Latu, Isaac Holder, Hassan Beydoun, Michael Thompson, Keyan Marshall, Tanner Knue, De’Anthony Ball, Amir Spivey, Joe Nowden, Eddie Daugherty IV, Noah Cameron, Dylan Drummond, Quian Williams, Logan Giordano, Matthew Sexton and Arthur Jackson III.
Jackson, a senior from California, is coming off a successful season in which he totaled 592 yards and five touchdowns on 46 receptions. He had 86 yards in the 23-21 loss against Georgia Southern on December 15, 2018. He is going to be a deep threat for quarterback Mike Glass III. Jackson had multiple catches in the spring game earlier this year, including a reception that got his team down to the four-yard line. Team Fink would go on to win the game.
Sexton is another main target for Glass. He is a senior out of Clinton, Michigan, and is entering his fourth year with the Eagles. Sexton has increased his amount of catches every year, going from three in his freshman season to 37 last year. He compiled 419 yards and three touchdowns in 2018. Sexton grabbed five passes against both Central Michigan and Akron last season. Both of those games were victories for the Eagles.
Drummond, a sophomore from Cleveland, totaled 245 yards and one score on 25 receptions in 2018. He averaged 9.8 yards per catch in his freshman campaign and will look to build upon that in his second season with the Eagles. He, along with Jackson and Sexton are expected to be the go-to guys.
Cameron is a freshman from Indiana who is also looking to leave a lasting impression at Eastern Michigan: “I want to be a key contributor in bringing this program to its highest level while maintaining excellence in the classroom. I just think being consistent in our approach and putting 100 percent effort in what the staff demands is the key. I hope my work ethic and passion will be used as an example for the players that come after me.”
There are also five tight ends on the EMU roster who will look to make their mark on the 2019 season. The leader of the pack is Thomas Odukoya, who transferred in from Garden City Community College in Kansas. He comes from Almere, Netherlands. Odukoya was named to the preseason Mackey Award watch list, which is given to the best tight end in all of college football. He joined 59 other tight ends who were named to the list. In high school, Odukoya won a Dutch National MVP. He played in eight games for the Eagles last year but did not record any receiving stats.
Gunnar Oakes is also returning at the tight end position. He caught 11 passes, compiled 143 yards and scored one touchdown in 11 games. He started three games. The other three tight ends are Tre’Shown Fields, Bryson Cannon and Bryce Kemp. Fields is a senior out of Grand Rapids Community College. Cannon and Kemp are from South Carolina and Iowa, respectively, and will look to carve out time on the field.