Countdown to Camp No. 14: Which young wide receiver will emerge?

The Idaho Press is counting down the top 20 questions facing the Boise State football team during the 2020 season. Today is question No. 14: Which young wide receiver will emerge?

Eric Kiesau has moved from wide receivers coach to quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator, but his impact on his former group will be felt for the next few years.

Kiesau and the Broncos had a couple of strong years on the recruiting trail at wide receiver and they should soon start to reap the benefits. Steph Cobbs, Billy Bowens, Shea Whiting and Khyheem Waleed all are waiting in the wings — and their time might be coming soon.

Boise State’s top three receivers this fall appear set in Khalil Shakir, CT Thomas and Octavius Evans. But the Broncos will need at least one more to make an impact, and two to three more likely will see the field.

The most likely to emerge this fall is the redshirt sophomore Cobbs, who has been impressive in practice the past two years and showed his potential in limited game action last season. He appeared in six games and had three catches for 57 yards, including a 44-yard touchdown against Portland State.

Bowens has good size at 6-foot-1, 202 pounds and has earned strong praise from coaches. The former three-star recruit redshirted in 2018 and played in just one game last year due to a logjam of older receivers ahead of him. Bowens seemingly will see the field some this year, but should take on a much bigger role in 2021 when Thomas and Evans are no longer around.

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Whiting is even bigger at 6-2, 201 pounds and appeared in three games as a true freshman last year to preserve his redshirt year. The redshirt freshman appears to have a ton of potential, but how much he gets to show it this year remains to be seen.

Waleed is in a similar boat after playing in four games as a true freshman in 2019. He also was a three-star recruit and has earned praise from coaches, but it he’s no better than No. 5 on Boise State’s depth chart this year and probably is not ready to make a huge impact yet.

The story will be different for all four youngsters a year from now. Thomas and Evans will graduate and a strong season from Khalil Shakir could have him thinking about an early jump to the NFL. At least two of the four will have to start and maybe three. All four seemingly will get significant playing time in 2021.

Cobbs is the most likely to have a big role this fall because he's the only one with the playing time - and the one with a catch or touchdown. He's the most ready of the group, and should be the No. 4 receiver behind the top three.

The other three all could see the field, but more importantly for them will be the experience they gain before they step into bigger shoes a year from now.

Boise State continuously finds talented, productive wide receivers and the trend doesn't appear on its way to slowing down anytime soon.