The rooster crows loudest, but it is the quiet pig that fattens. The underdog does not boast; the tadpole does not beg to be a frog.
– Chinese proverb, Anonymous
It’s that time of the year again—Underdog bestball drafts will commence soon, and so will this year’s newest addition to the CFF universe: Scott Fish Tadpole Bowl Drafts. Unfortunately for us sickos, these leagues are restricted to only Power Four (P4) conferences. 🤷♂️ You have to ease people in slowly, I guess.
Nonetheless, today, I have identified seven P4 receivers with potential CFF upside in 2025 who are not currently typically drafted in 30-round best ball drafts. (Editor’s note: Tadpole Bowl drafts are 20 rounds, but 30-round drafts usually include all conferences)
Kwazi Gilmer, UCLA
Gilmer and the UCLA receivers received a quarterback upgrade this offseason via the Nico Iamaleava scandal. Gilmer was a true freshman standout last year for the Bruins, playing in every game and having moments of solid production (season highs of 17, 11, and 10 PPR points).
At 6’2″, he’ll be on the boundary in this offense. Remember that the new UCLA OC, Tino Sunseri, was the former QBs coach with Curt Cignetti at Indiana and JMU. He’ll most likely be deploying the same kind of system that has been friendly to the WR position.
Jordan Mosley, Mississippi State
Jeff Lebby’s WR1 has averaged approximately 17, 13, 15, and 14 PPG in full PPR formats over the last four seasons. Kevin Coleman (16.9 PPG) moves on and was the alpha in 2024, while Mosley, the WR2, is still here. Mosley, at 6’0″ and 195 lbs., can probably fill in the same role that Coleman played.
Lebby’s pattern regarding his WR1 is pretty clear, but the question here is whether Mosley will be the next guy up or someone else, like Ayden Williams, for example. This room is wide open. Mosley is the most productive returning player; he caught 23 passes for 405 yards and three scores last year.
Cam Abshire, Oklahoma State
Abshire produced 1,057 yards and 13 scores last year at the D2 level (Emory & Henry), and he enters a room that cleared out its WR rotation from a year ago. Abshire and Jaylen Lloyd are the two Cowboys receivers who intrigue me the most. Abshire is a 6’4″ boundary receiver, similar to the mold of many productive WRs we’ve seen under Mike Gundy. Lloyd is more of the slot guy.
Micah Mays, Wake Forest
Mays was a freshman last year out of Florida. Starting from Week 3, he never played less than 40 snaps in a game. His impact was limited, catching only 16 passes for 218 yards and two scores, but again, he was a freshman.
The 6’2″, 195-pound player will be a boundary player, but it’s yet to be seen how the new regime in town feels about him. Fellow WF WR Carlos Hernandez (6’0″, 190) on the other hand has familiarity with head coach Jake Dickert, but it’s new OC Rob Ezell who’s calling the shots. Ezell came over by way of Southern Alabama, where Jamaal Pritchett dominated the WR room. Keep your eyes peeled if Ezell finds his next prodigy; and how freaking fun would it be if it turns out to be Mays, the 6’2″ sophomore from Florida?
Chris Hunter, Arizona
Hunter emerged as Tet McMillan’s wingman last year, finishing the season with 35 receptions, 323 yards, and three scores. However, he didn’t start getting any spin until mid-October, so don’t judge his aggregate stats too hard.
TMac moves on, and Hunter has apparently stepped up as a vocal leader this offseason, which hopefully translates into actually leading the target share, too. Noah Fifita returns at QB, and the Wildcats will be apparently running an up-tempo offense in 2025.
Octavian Smith, Maryland
We know Maryland had a productive receiver last year in Taj Felton, but by and large, this is not a staff that typically produces standout CFF WRs. So keep that in mind. Ryan Manning had a strong spring game, and Jalil Farooq has the name-brand value, but I will roll with Smith as the guy I’d target if I choose to invest in this room.
Farooq is often injured, and Manning is less of a proven commodity than Smith, who returns as Maryland’s leading receiver from 2024. There’s a slight chance that Smith can step up as the Felton replacement when Farooq inevitably goes down and the new young pup at QB needs a go-to chain mover.
Tre Richardson, Vanderbilt
Richardson is coming off a 1,200 total yard season with 11 scores at the D2 level last year, and he joins a program in need of some playmakers to step up at WR. Once upon a time, this staff fed WR Will Sheppard enough to make him CFF relevant. Richardson is an intriguing option for late rounds with a returning QB in Diego Pavia.
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