3 Texas football WRs that must step up with Isaiah Neyor out for 2022

It sounds like the worst-case scenario is what happened for Texas football this weekend in terms of the injury news concerning the former Wyoming Cowboys redshirt sophomore transfer wide receiver Isaiah Neyor. Following a non-contact injury that Neyor suffered in the first scrimmage of fall camp on Aug. 13, it was hard to pinpoint exactly what the prognosis for him would be.

But the more and more we heard about the nature of Neyor’s injury, the worst it felt like the news concerning his fate would ultimately be. It now looks as if Neyor will miss the entirety of the 2022 season for head coach Steve Sarkisian, new wide receivers coach/passing game coordinator Brennan Marion and the Longhorns following a lower-body injury in this weekend’s scrimmage.

It goes without saying that this is a massive blow to the Texas wide receiver room, and it is very unfortunate for Neyor. This season was looking like it could be just the opportunity that Neyor needed to prove himself as a true NFL-caliber wide receiver.

Now, we might have to wait to see Neyor actually take live-game reps wearing the burnt orange until the 2023 season.

Receivers that must step up for Texas football with Isaiah Neyor out for the season

With all of this in mind, here’s a look at three Texas wide receivers that must step up in the wake of this injury news to Neyor.

Casey Cain, WR

It’s hard to imagine many bigger losses for the Longhorns at the skill positions this fall than the presumed starting outside receiver Neyor going down for the entire season. Neyor looked the part as one of the most potent outside receivers in the entire country heading into the regular season. But we’re likely not going to see what he can do for this passing game until next year.

That will leave the door open for some wideouts that would be further down the depth chart if Neyor were healthy, such as the former three-star recruit and redshirt freshman wide receiver Casey Cain. Texas will need some of the projected backups in this wide receiver room to now step up, and Cain could be a dark horse to watch this fall.

Cain has shown flashes of becoming a productive outside receiver in camp in the last two years. Various highlights of insane catches he’s made in camp made the rounds and could inspire some confidence this year.

Moreover, Cain certainly has the size, at 6-foot-3 and 195-pounds, to take over this outside receiver spot in the wake of the Neyor injury news. Cain has good timing on those contested 50/50 balls on the outside and is pretty gifted vertically.

Yet, Cain hasn’t proved himself on the big stage yet and he appears to be limited in terms of his flat-out speed.

If there was ever a time that Cain was going to rise to the occasion as a productive outside receiver, now would be it.