Speedy WR Names Top Five

One of the most sought after wide receivers from North Carolina is an effective pass catcher and a game-breaking special teams player. He’s got offers from quite a few major colleges, and has named a top five.

“My top five schools are Virginia Tech, Virginia, Tennessee, Wake Forest, and Georgia,” wide receiver Emmanuel Byers said. “Right now I have offers from Virginia, Wake Forest, East Carolina, Clemson, North Carolina, NC State, and pretty much the rest of the ACC. The only ACC schools that haven’t offered are Maryland and Florida State. Hopefully I’ll get more as the season goes on.”

Byers is a quick, elusive player who stands 5-foot-10 and weighs 170 pounds. He runs the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds, but don’t be fooled. When he puts on the pads, he’s one of the toughest players to bring down in the open field that you’ll find and one of the quickest.

As a junior for High Point (N.C.) Ragsdale, Byers caught 52 passes for 800 yards. But maybe his biggest contributions were on special teams, when he returned four punts and a kickoff for touchdowns. Teams love him for his hands, agility, and kick-returning skills. Right now, Byers is looking at one factor more than any other in terms of what will decide where he will go.

“The main thing is, I don’t want to sit on the bench. I want to play early. Maybe not just special teams, but some wideout too. You see a lot of players have to wait two or three years to get on the field and by then their confidence is gone. I don’t really want to redshirt, and I’m going to pick a school that offers early playing time.”

Byers is optimistic when asked about how he’ll do this season, and even more so when asked about his team.

“We have the chance to be really good this year,” Byers said. “I think we can go undefeated and win the state. This is my last year, and we’re going to take it one game at a time. If you look at the schedule week by week, you realize that you can win each game, so you have a chance of winning them all. I can’t wait to touch the ball on kickoffs, punts, and at receiver. Friday (Aug. 30th) is our first game, and we’re ready.”