Texas Football: Breaking down the 2018 performance of the receiving corps

Malcolm Epps, Al’Vonte Woodard, and John Burt

All three of these guys were used sparingly in 2018 and will take a redshirt year because of it.

Burt dealt with a nagging foot injury that only allowed him to play in three games in 2018, allowing him to return for a fifth year.

Burt has 58 receptions for 844 yards and four touchdowns in his career, but had just one catch for nine yards last season.

Burt is a speedster and All-American track runner, finishing eighth in the NCAA Championship 110-meter hurdles. He was named the 15th fastest player in D1 football by NFL.com ahead of the 2018 season.

Burt is not the best route runner nor does he have the best hands, but his pure speed puts tremendous pressure on defenses. Look for Burt to have a few big plays in 2019.

Epps only appeared in two games in 2018 and had just one catch for 18 yards. Granted, the one catch was a nice back shoulder play against Texas Tech.

Epps was a four-star tight end out of high school, but Herman has been mainly playing him at wide receiver. However, at 6’5″ pound, and with a loaded receiving corps, don’t be surprised if Epps competes for time at tight end with Brewer and Leitao.

Finally, Woodard is the last receiver on the roster that we will discuss. Though Woodard did not appear in a single game in 2018, he could have a chance to have a decent role come next season.

The four-star Houston, TX, native has a very high ceiling. His ESPN recruiting profile writes, “Rangy and explosive. Possesses excellent top-end speed. Fearless over the middle and fights for the ball. Has strong hands and good leaping ability. Transitions quickly out his routes and has the burst to separate. Tough, aggressive kid who doesn’t shy away from contact in the run game.”

The main weakness scouts saw was his skinny frame.

After a year of bulking up, Woodard could be a sneaky good option to step up next season if Humphrey and Johnson depart for Texas football.