YOUNG RECEIVERS FINDING NICHES

Danny Davis (7) celebrates his touchdown against Illinois. Davis and fellow senior receivers Jack Dunn and Kendric Pryor are returning for a final season with UW. 

COLTEN BARTHOLOMEW [email protected]

UW got welcomed news this offseason when seniors Danny Davis, Jack Dunn and Kendric Pryor all decided to come back for their final years in the receiver room. Davis and Pryor battled injuries most of the season, with Davis missing five games and Pryor four. Dunn emerged as a solid option on short routes, posting career highs in catches (28) and receiving yards (255).

Freshman Chimere Dike had strong moments last season, but he had trouble getting open consistently.

This will be the first spring practices the receivers get with position coach Alvis Whitted, who was hired last year just before the pandemic hit the U.S. Whitted’s task this spring is to develop the younger group of receivers — players like Dike, Devin Chandler and Isaac Smith — into dependable options this fall. Chandler showed good burst as a returner last season, and he might be a candidate for a head-turning spring session after two classes of receiver recruits failed to break through.