STORRS, Ct. – We recently discussed the quarterback room in Connecticut this season. And there’s no overlooking that their weapons will be different than last year’s. After all, the Huskies lost their top two pass catchers in yardage from last season. Now as we eye UConn’s season opener against Maryland, it’s worth taking a look at the UConn football team’s wide receiver room, and who may become pass catchers the team can rely on this upcoming season.
Skyler Bell
I don’t think there has ever been more pressure for a UConn WR transfer going into a season than what is expected from Skyler Bell. He’s coming over to UConn with his Wisconsin teammate Nick Evers, who will most likely start at quarterback.
While with the Badgers, Bell put together some productive seasons. In three years at Wisconsin, he totaled 775 yards and six touchdowns. His best season came in 2022, where he caught 30 passes for 444 yards and five touchdowns. However, he transfers to UConn for a bigger opportunity in his football career.
Bell should be UConn’s primary receiver to start the season. He will not be the type of player to win a one-on-one battle. However, he is a great route runner and finds himself open with a burst to gain yards after the catch. He was inconsistent at Wisconsin, never catching more than four passes in a game. However, that will not be the case as the number one target with the Huskies. UConn will expect major things from the redshirt junior.
Brett Buckman
While all of the hype in this receiving room surrounds Bell, it’s not like there aren’t expectations for Brett Buckman in a Husky uniform. He will be going into his graduate season, his sixth and final year of NCAA eligibility.
Buckman spent his first four seasons with Delaware. While the program isn’t in FBS, it’s still a D1 program. With the Fightin’ Blue Hens, Buckman totaled over 750 yards. His breakout season came in 2022, where he totaled 470 yards on 39 catches in that season, though with only one touchdown.
Then in 2023, he transferred to Connecticut hoping for a bigger role at a bigger school – and that’s what he got. In 12 games, Buckman started 11, and totaled close to 500 yards and two touchdowns on 46 catches. That included breakout performances against FIU (five catches, 62 yards), James Madison (six catches, 52 yards) and Georgia State (nine catches, 93 yards). More impressive, is that he did it while being the number three option behind Justin Joly and Cameron Ross.
TJ Sheffield
TJ Sheffield is yet another hyped up transfer coming to Connecticut for a bigger opportunity. Sheffield transferred from Purdue, where he was one of their top receivers. In fact, he was second on their team in receiving yards just last year.
In five seasons with the Boilermakers, (only three with a major opportunity) he totaled 1,209 receiving yards and eleven passing touchdowns. In 2022, he accumulated 480 yards, but in 2023, he had a higher average yards per reception. He’s learning how to become a true difference maker after the catch, which will be crucial to this teams’ success.
Sheffield–heading into his final year of eligibility–will also play a ton of special teams. He returned a combined 60 kicks between kick returns and punt returns in his time at Purdue. To be fair, most of which came before he progressed as a receiver. At UConn though, they may utilize his abilities in that area. I expect major things from Sheffield, who could possibly lead the team in receiving yardage this coming season.
The wide receiver room will definitely be entertaining in 2024, but these three player’s should really bring a boost to the UConn offense and the football team overall.
Chase Coburn
Chase Coburn is an aspiring sports reporter and journalist who's already achieved some great things in the industry. At just 13 years old, Chase has already started his own podcast, interviewing celebrities such as ESPN's Adam Schefter, Baltimore Ravens' Justin Madubuike, ESPN's Dan Graziano, and many others. Chase is even experienced in writing for his websites, chasessportsnews.com & chasecoburn.substack.com. He runs his schools broadcast department, and is also a freelance writer for The League Winners, covering Ravens football and UConn football.Chase, who resides in Fairfield, CT, hopes to continue his dream as a broadcaster, and inspire others to CHASE their dreams like he has.