Why Memphis football's Ryan Silverfield said wide receiver room is 'grab bag' as practices kick off
Memphis football kicks off its 2025 season in exactly one month, but that doesn't mean the Tigers have a depth chart that's anything close to set in stone.
They kicked off summer practices on July 30, braving temperatures that neared 100 degrees for the first full practice since spring ball ended in April. It was a chance for coaches to take a full look at the roster they've been assembling throughout the year, especially because the Tigers brought in multiple players in the spring who could earn legitimate playing time this season.
Offensively, they will look almost completely different. They lost their starters at quarterback, tight end, receiver (all three) and offensive line (three out of five). Coach Ryan Silverfield knows where the depth is and isn't.
"There are so many unknowns at wide receiver," he said.
Silverfield went through Memphis' receiver room, where the current player who had the most FBS production in 2024 is returner Marcello Bussey. He had only 10 catches and is coming off a torn ACL.
There's talent in the room, even if it's mostly unproven. Ger-Cari Caldwell had 530 receiving yards last season at FCS team North Carolina A&T. Louisville transfer Jadon Thompson is dealing with injuries and is also coming off a torn ACL. Purdue transfer C.J. Smith was a highly ranked recruit out of high school but has made only 12 career catches.
"We all saw what he was capable of in the spring," Silverfield said. "C.J. Smith has not been healthy much of his career. If he can be healthy, could he be special? Absolutely."
Coaches also are hoping they'll get significant jumps from the players already in the program. The top candidate for that is sophomore Brady Kluse, who earned playing time toward the end of the season and impressed in a limited sample size. Redshirt freshmen Keonde Henry and Bryce Dorsey could earn playing time with strong practice showings.
"We've got a grab bag and we're shaking it up and seeing who's capable of going out there and playing," Silverfield said. "I'm OK if it's seven or eight guys."
The group stands in stark contrast to last offseason, when the Tigers brought back Roc Taylor, Demeer Blankumsee and Koby Drake and needed only depth contributors behind them. That story is similar to what the running back room looks like now, though there are questions there as well.
Silverfield said running back and offensive line are the groups with the most depth on the offense, and it's easy to see why. Among the running backs is Sutton Smith, who missed nearly the entire 2024 season with a torn ACL but flashed superstar potential. Greg Desrosiers showed promise toward the end of the season after recovering from a broken collarbone. Makari Bodiford likely will take on a goal-line role, and Middle Tennessee transfer Frank Peasant could factor in as well.
That group likely will be the engine for Memphis' offense in 2025.
"From day one, just OTAs this summer, you could just see that as a group, as a room that we've taken on a leadership role within the whole offense," Desrosiers said. "And I feel like a lot of people trust in us. (Offensive coordinator Tim) Cramsey trusts us. The quarterbacks, tight ends, the O-line. So I feel like that room's definitely a special room."
Reach sports writer Jonah Dylan at jonah.dylan@commercialappeal.com or on X @thejonahdylan.