Badgers by position: Jazz Peavy leads wide receivers but others need to contribute

Fifth in a nine-part Badgers by Position series.

MADISON - Wisconsin assistant Ted Gilmore knows the clear leader of the Badgers' wide receivers:

Fifth-year senior Jazz Peavy.

The Kenosha Tremper graduate enters camp with a combined 63 catches for 903 yards and five touchdowns in his last two seasons. The bulk of that production came last season, when Peavy finished second on the team in catches (43) and led the team in receiving yards (635) and touchdown catches (five).

The other players in the mix for a spot in the rotation have a combined 25 catches for 355 yards. 

Senior George Rushing leads that group with 18 catches for 208 yards, followed by sophomore Quintez Cephus (4-94-0), A.J. Taylor (3-53-0) and redshirt freshman Kendric Pryor.

“I like the potential,” Gilmore said. “Now it’s got to be a collective effort. I’ve got to do my job. They’ve got to do their job. 

“Hopefully we can get to that point where we do have some depth and not rely on one or two guys.

“Are we there yet? No. But that is what we’re striving for. We’re trying to get to the point where we can put a few guys on the field and not miss a beat.”

Peavy, whose first reception came in the 2015 opener against Alabama, has developed into an all-around threat. The 6-foot, 189-pounder can elude defenders after catching short passes, has the speed to beat defenders deep and has a great feel for running jet sweeps.

UW BY POSITION: QBs  OL RBs LBs

Peavy last season averaged 14.8 yards per reception and 15.1 yards per rush.

“But we are putting more pressure on him to know the offense completely,” Gilmore stressed. “We don’t want any ‘My bads.’

“Not at this point in his career. He should take that next step and lead that way and have the answers instead of asking the questions.”

The question facing Gilmore is who will fall in line behind Peavy?

Rushing had more rushing attempts (seven) than receptions (six) in his first two seasons. He posted modest numbers last season with 12 catches for 136 yards but Gilmore believes he is capable of much more if he runs precise routes and eliminates mental mistakes. 

Gilmore saw progress in the spring. 

“George knows what he is doing,” he said. “I think he is playing really fast right now.” 

Cephus and Taylor were projects when they arrived at UW and both appeared to benefit from playing last season.

Cephus, who was prepared to play basketball until UW recruited him, played in all 14 games. Taylor, primarily a running back in high school, played in 13.

“The best way I can put it is: They belong,” Gilmore said when asked how Cephus and Taylor benefited from last season. “They know they can do it. A.J. was a young man that played a lot of running back, more so than receiver. So there was projection there.

“QT was a basketball player – a couple years of football. He is further along than any of us thought he’d be.

“That body language reflects confidence. I think they feel good about what they’re doing.”

Pryor had a combined 76 catches for 1,856 yards and 19 touchdowns in his final two seasons at Homewood-Flossmoor in Flossmoor, Ill.

He came on late in the spring and showed the ability to make difficult catches in traffic. 

Gilmore wants a minimum of five players ready to contribute each week.

“I don’t think that is unrealistic,” he said. “One good thing about this group – this past year and this group that is coming in – we think we’ve got some young men that love the game and want to compete.”

WIDE RECEIVERS AT A GLANCE

Projected starters: Jazz Peavy, 6-foot, 189 pounds, senior; and Quintez Cephus, 6-1, 205, sophomore.

Key reserves: George Rushing, 6-1, 200, senior; A.J. Taylor, 5-11, 202, sophomore; Kendric Pryor, 5-11, 185, freshman.

INSIDE THE HUDDLE

Cephus played well early in the spring but missed time after the shooting death of his father. UW’s coaches and players have offered their support, privately and publicly, but no one can predict how the sophomore will perform in the wake of his father’s death.

Pryor, a first-team all-state pick as a senior at Homewood-Flossmoor High School in Illinois, became a forgotten man when he redshirted last season. That changed when Pryor began making big catches during spring ball. He could surprise. 

Three receivers who signed with UW in February are set to make their debut in camp. One player who could battle for early playing time is Cade Green from Austin, Texas. Green, 6-0 and 190, was overshadowed on the Lake Travis team that went 15-1 and won the Class 6A Division I state title, but he still finished with 56 catches for 1,044 yards and 13 touchdowns.