11 Days to Miami football: WR Marquez Ezzard 2018 Preview
Marquez Ezzard is part of a stellar group of Freshman wide receivers for the Miami football team. Ezzard signed with the Hurricanes in February and was rated four-stars by the 247 Sports composite.
Ezzard, Mark Pope and Brian Hightower were all rated as four-star recruits in the Miami football for Class 2018. In front of them on the depth chart are Juniors Ahmmon Richards and Lawrence Cager, Senior Darrell Langham, Sophomores Jeff Thomas and Mike Harley and redshirt Freshman Evidence Njoku.
Freshmen tight ends Brevin Jordan and Mike Mallory will also be options in the passing game. Depending on the formations that Head Coach Mark Richt and Offensive Coordinator Thomas Brown chose to use the competition for playing time will be fierce. Richards is the clear number one receiver for the Hurricanes.
The Miami football team also signed three-star Freshman wide receiver Daquris Wiggins, The entire Freshmen group of wide receivers and tight ends have been impressive in training camp.
Not much has been said about Ezzard thus far in training camp. The focus has been more on the return of Richards who missed six games because of injuries last season. That included the losses to Clemson and Wisconsin. Richards has surgery to repair a torn MCL during the week of practice for the ACC Championship Game.
Richt discussed how Ezzard was doing in training camp with the Miami Herald earlier this month.
"“[Marquez] Ezzard— once he learns what to do—I think is going to be a pretty good ballplayer."
It’s not common for a four-star skill position player to redshirt. With all the talent the Miami football team has there it would not be surprising if Ezzard did just that. Wiggins is also a candidate. The reports on Pope and Hightower have been excellent thus far. It’s highly unlikely either of them would redshirt this season.
The Hurricanes currently have Ezzard in the slot. At 6’2 210 pounds he would be exceptionally big for a slot receiver. Last year’s leading receiver for the Braxton Berrios played out of the slot at 5’9 190 pounds. Miami wide receivers coach Ron Dugans spoke to the Herald on August 8 about what Ezzard needs to work on.
"“The biggest thing with him is knowing what to do and take it from the classroom to the field…It’s been kind of a struggle there as far as that goes with him but today he looked better effort wise and assignment wise.”"
Langham is gone for sure after this season. If Richards can stay healthy and produces like he did in 2016 he could leave early for the NFL. Cager will be a Senior in 2019. At best Ezzard is active this season and gives Miami a quality backup at wide receiver.
Ezzard began August training camp off the four-deep depth chart. That doesn’t mean he won’t play in 2018.
Next. Several Miami Hurricanes nursing injuries 11 days out from LSU. dark
The coaches have a lot of tough decisions at wide receiver this season. Whatever happens, these are good problems to have. This just means that Richt, Dugans and Brown have done a great job recruiting at wide receiver