Cayleb Jones is a 6-3, 215, redshirt Junior receiver from Austin, TX. He redshirted in 2013 after transferring from the Texas Longhorns and then burst on the scene last year as Arizona's top receiver. Cayleb started 13 of 14 games and did not miss a game despited having a broken hand for a significant part of the season. He caught 73 passes for 1,019 yards (14 ypc) and 9 TDs. Everything except the yards per catch was tops for Arizona receivers and earned Cayleb All-Pac 12 honorable mention.
This year Cayleb is significantly bigger and stronger (playing weights on the official roster are still old) and ready to try and be the top receiver in the conference. Why's he going to be better? He not only has another year in the system, but Cayleb spent the off season working hard with Solomon to improve their on field communication. Did I mention he played last year with a broken hand? Well, he did and having 2 good hands has to help a receiver. Also, the talent at the other receivers and Arizona's strong running game is going to make it difficult for team's to provide corners extra help handling Cayleb. Finally, (and this is BDW premium info) Solomon is significantly better. Balls thrown on time and to the correct spot are much easier to catch. Cayleb knows all the receiver positions, but he will primarily line up on the outside.
Are there things Cayleb needs to work on? You bet. Everyone who has compulsively re-watched last season's games over the summer knows Cayleb was also our most penalized receiver. More focus and discipline should keep Cayleb from jumping early or committing unnecessary penalties and help him lead the team in just receptions.
A couple things Cayleb may not do this year is start as well as he did against UTSA last year
or return an onside kick for a touchdown.
Tellas Jones is a 6-0, 189, redshirt Junior safety from Miami, FL. He missed only 1 game over the last 2 years, but Thursday will be his first start. Tellas has 32 tackles for his career and last year he got his 1 sack and also a blocked kick. Tellas has been a key contributor on special teams and last year several of his tackles were credited to Cayleb by the TV commentators because of their common names and numbers.
This year Tellas is listed as the starting bandit. This is the spot Jared Tevis held down for 2 years and that allowed him to be one of the top tacklers on the team. Hard to project Tellas will have the same productivity as Tevis, but the coaches trust him to fill that role.
1 is the number of Pac-12 South Division titles Arizona has won. Tomorrow we start defending that title.
Hopefully, the countdown helped make everyone's summer go by a little faster and also made you more informed on the young men who make up this year's Arizona Wildcat football team. I couldn't be more excited to see the countdown end because it means tomorrow we get actual fast paced, hard edged, touchdown scoring, turnover forcing, record breaking, Wildcat football! Bear Down!
