Four-Star Checkup: Receivers that showed up big in Week 6
Each week during the college football season we’ll use Tuesday as a chance to look back at four four-star prospects that shined during the previous week’s college football action. Today we will focus on a quartet of wide receivers that had big games in their team’s Week 6 games.
As a recruit: Berrios had a unique array of options on the recruiting front and heavily weighed South Carolina, Oregon, Kentucky and Tennessee. But he had family ties to South Florida and after receiving and offer from Miami, the ‘Canes jumped to the top of his list. He committed to The U in mid-October 2013.
What he did this week: Berrios has had his share of bumps in the road at Miami as injuries have limited him at various times. But his senior year is off to a great start and he played a huge role in Saturday’s victory over rival Florida State. Berrios finished the game with eight catches for 90 yards and two touchdowns and also had a key 44-yard punt return in the second half. Berrios has already eclipsed his previous season-high in receptions this season and is well on his way to having his best season in Coral Gables.
As a recruit: Edwards debuted as a four-star in the Rivals.com rankings and didn’t stay on the open market long, committing to South Carolina in the spring of his sophomore year of high school. But as the process moved along and then-coach Steve Spurrier retired, Edwards “reconsidered” his commitment and ended up backing off his pledge in Nov. 2015. But after Will Muschamp was hired he jumped back in the Gamecocks class a month later.
What he did this week: Edwards made an immediate impact upon arriving in Columbia, finishing his freshman year tied for the team lead in touchdown passes. This season Edwards has picked up right where he left off and he had two catches for 20 yards, including one very impressive touchdown, in the Gamecocks' victory over Arkansas on Saturday. Edwards size makes him a tough matchup for defensive backs and he’s quickly establishing himself as a key playmaker for South Carolina.
As a recruit: A close friend of the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2015 class, defensive end Byron Cowart, Davis seemed bound for Florida during long stretches of his recruitment. He took an official visit to Maryland early in the process along with Cowart but kept a relatively low profile his senior season. After Will Muschamp was fired by Florida and hired by Auburn as defensive coordinator, the Tigers became a major factor for Davis and ended up edging out the Gators to land his commitment on Signing Day 2015.
What he did this week: After taking a little bit of time to emerge as a weapon for the Tigers, Davis is in the midst of his best college season and in Saturday’s win over Ole Miss he flashed his speed and playmaking ability on a 75-yard touchdown reception. The catch was the longest of his career and part of a junior season that has seen him already double his previous career totals in yards and receptions. With Auburn having a terrific season, Davis has been a nice piece of the offense and should continue to be going forward.
As a recruit: Lazard took his name off the market very early in his high school career, committing to Iowa State at the end of his junior season. A Cyclones legacy, Lazard chose to stay close to home despite strong efforts from Alabama, Stanford, Oregon and Notre Dame.
What he did this week: Lazard has had a terrific career for the Cyclones and he played a major role in the team’s stunning upset victory over Oklahoma on Saturday. Lazard finished the game with three catches for 69 yards and one very important touchdown. After going over 1,000 yards receiving in 2017, he elected to return to school rather than declare for the NFL Draft in hopes of helping the Cyclones go to a bowl game and Saturday’s showing is a major step in the right direction.
