Throughout the month of April, we'll have some kind of football preview coverage released to HSOT Insiders each day.
Today is a look at the top statistically returning pass catchers in the 3A classification. These players could be wide receivers, tight ends, running backs, or any other kind of offensive weapon. The only requirement is that they had 30 receptions last year.
We have four sections: Yards/Game, Yards/Reception, Touchdowns/Game, and Touchdown Rate (touchdowns/reception). We are using these efficiency stats because the bulk numbers like total yards and total touchdowns can be deceiving and don't always correlate year-to-year.
Note: If your player's stats have not been published to MaxPreps or have not been sent to me, they are not going to be included below.
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Top Returning 3A Receiving Leaders: Yards per Game
Players are listed with their rising class year and school. Minimum 2023 receptions to qualify: 30. Ties broken by total receiving yards.
- Ian Graybeal, senior WR, Ashe County — 104.0 YPG
- Jasiah Jones, senior WR, West Carteret — 88.9 YPG
- Jamien Little, senior WR, Hickory — 85.8 YPG
- Steven Murray, senior WR, Eastern Guilford — 85.0 YPG
- Xavier Burnett, senior WR, Jay M. Robinson — 84.2 YPG
- Sean Cartwight, senior WR, West Carteret — 84.0 YPG
- Brian Rowe, senior WR, Jay M. Robinson — 81.8 YPG
- Dominic Testa, senior WR, Jay M. Robinson (transfer from Hickory Ridge) — 81.3 YPG
- Porter Branham, senior WR, Northwest Cabarrus — 78.1 YPG
- Elijah Woodle, senior WR, Asheboro — 78.0 YPG
- CJ Neely, senior WR, Dudley — 77.6 YPG
- Nasir Newkirk, senior WR, Dudley — 74.9 YPG
- Kobe Johnson, junior WR, Freedom — 72.9 YPG
- Da'vius Johnson, senior WR, South Central — 70.2 YPG
- Jayden Hill, senior WR, Lee County — 68.2 YPG
Top Returning 3A Receiving Leaders: Yards per Reception
Players are listed with their rising class year and school. Minimum 2023 receptions to qualify: 30. Ties broken by most receptions.
- Nasir Newkirk, senior WR, Dudley — 22.0 Yds/Rec
- Brian Rowe, senior WR, Jay M. Robinson — 21.3 Yds/Rec
- CJ Neely, senior WR, Dudley — 21.2 Yds/Rec
- Jamien Little, senior WR, Hickory — 19.6 Yds/Rec
- Xavier Burnett, senior WR, Jay M. Robinson — 18.7 Yds/Rec (54 receptions)
- Porter Branham, senior WR, Northwest Cabarrus — 18.7 Yds/Rec (46 receptions)
- Michael Smith, senior WR, Harnett Central — 18.6 Yds/Rec
- Quatavius Everette, senior WR, Scotland — 18.4 Yds/Rec
- Kobe Johnson, junior WR, Freedom — 17.4 Yds/Rec
- Koredell Bartley, senior WR, Dudley — 17.2 Yds/Rec
- Steven Murray, senior WR, Eastern Guilford — 17.0 Yds/Rec
- Dajuan Gibson, senior WR, Scotland — 16.9 Yds/Rec
- Elijah Woodle, senior WR, Asheboro — 16.6 Yds/Rec
- Ian Graybeal, senior WR, Ashe County — 16.3 Yds/Rec
- Landon Culbreth, junior WR, Harnett Central — 16.2 Yds/Rec
Top Returning 3A Receiving Leaders: Touchdowns per Game
Players are listed with their rising class year and school. Minimum 2023 receptions to qualify: 30. Ties broken by most touchdowns, then fewest receptions).
- Steven Murray, senior WR, Eastern Guilford — 1.5 TD/Gm (16 TDs)
- Jamien Little, senior WR, Hickory — 1.3 TD/Gm (20 TDs)
- Brian Rowe, senior WR, Jay M. Robinson — 1.2 TD/Gm (15 TDs)
- Nasir Newkirk, senior WR, Dudley — 1.1 TD/Gm (16 TDs)
- Dominic Testa, senior WR, Jay M. Robinson (transfer from Hickory Ridge) — 1.1 TD/Gm (9 TDs)
- CJ Neely, senior WR, Dudley — 1.0 TD/Gm (15 TDs)
- Jasiah Jones, senior WR, West Carteret — 1.0 TD/Gm (11 TDs)
- Kayden Lytle, senior WR, Freedom — 1.0 TD/Gm (10 TDs, 41 receptions)
- Elijah Woodle, senior WR, Asheboro — 1.0 TD/Gm (10 TDs, 47 receptions)
- Ian Graybeal, senior WR, Ashe County — 1.0 TD/Gm (10 TDs, 64 receptions)
- Jackson Beam, senior WR, East Lincoln — 0.9 TD/Gm (10 TDs)
- Kobe Johnson, junior WR, Freedom — 0.9 TD/Gm (9 TDs)
- Xavier Burnett, senior WR, Jay M. Robinson — 0.8 TD/Gm (10 TDs)
- Koredell Bartley, senior WR, Dudley — 0.7 TD/Gm (11 TDs)
- Porter Branham, senior WR, Northwest Cabarrus — 0.7 TD/Gm (8 TDs)
Top Returning 3A Receiving Leaders: Touchdown Rate
This is the rate of total receiving touchdowns scored to number of receptions, it is designed to highlight the players with the biggest knack for key plays. Players are listed with their rising class year and school. Minimum 2023 receptions to qualify: 30. Ties broken by most receptions, then yards per reception.
- Nasir Newkirk, senior WR, Dudley — 0.314 TD/Rec
- Brian Rowe, senior WR, Jay M. Robinson — 0.300 TD/Rec
- Steven Murray, senior WR, Eastern Guilford — 0.291 TD/Rec
- Jamien Little, senior WR, Hickory — 0.286 TD/Rec
- CJ Neely, senior WR, Dudley — 0.273 TD/Rec
- Kayden Lytle, senior WR, Freedom — 0.244 TD/Rec
- Landon Culbreth, junior WR, Harnett Central — 0.233 TD/Rec
- Ellis Chappell, senior WR, Hickory — 0.233 TD/Rec
- Kobe Johnson, junior WR, Freedom — 0.214 TD/Rec
- Elijah Woodle, senior WR, Asheboro — 0.213 TD/Rec
- Jhari Mosely, senior WR/DB, Crest (transfer from CHASE) — 0.212 TD/Rec
- Quatavius Everette, senior WR, Scotland — 0.195 TD/Rec
- Koredell Bartley, senior WR, Dudley — 0.186 TD/Rec
- Xavier Burnett, senior WR, Jay M. Robinson — 0.185 TD/Rec
- Ny'Gir Alston, senior WR, Hunt — 0.184 TD/Rec
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