Virginia
Dontayvion Wicks runs for yards after the catch at the Virginia Blue-White Spring Game. ~ Photo By Kris Wright/TheSabre.com

Simply put, Virginia receiver Dontayvion Wicks turned in a whale of a season in 2021. Look no further than the other big fish he joined in school history for proof.

Wicks became UVA’s single-season record holder with 1,203 receiving yards as he passed Herman Moore on the charts and tied Germane Crowell for the most 100+-yard receiving games in a season as well. He averaged 21.1 yards per catch, the most in the ACC and fifth in the nation. He received first-team All-ACC honors and made the honorable mention All-America Team for the Pro Football Network.

Oh, and then there was this:

So, yes, 2021 turned out to be a breakout year for Wicks. Similar to how his UVA put him in the company of Moore and Crowell, new Virginia coach Tony Elliott placed him in some rare air from the Clemson days too when he said Wicks is as good as any he’s been around. Though Elliott didn’t call them by name, that would include players like DeAndre Hopkins, Sammy Watkins, and Tee Higgins to name a few.

“Tay, and I’ve told him this, he’s as a good as the guys that I’ve been around for the last 11 years from a talent standpoint,” Elliott said. “He can do it all. He’s got the speed, he’s the got the short area quickness, he’s got the natural hands, he’s a tough guy so he’s got it all.”

It hasn’t been all bubblegum praise from Elliott, though. He described the Cavalier receiver as one of the players that didn’t jump right on board when the coaching change happened this past winter. The pool analogy from the head coach was one foot in the water.

It’s easy to see why a successful receiver might have a little bit of hesitancy. Wicks just put up the big numbers mentioned above and he’s at least on some NFL Draft radars already. Then the incoming coaches arrived with new schemes to overhaul it all.

Elliott understood why that may be the case. Then he challenged Wicks directly for more.

“Because he’s had success. He knows he’s the best one returning,” Elliott said. “For me, my coaching style is I’m going at the best one. I’m coaching the best one harder than anybody else because in order for us to be the team we want to be, the best players got to be the hardest workers. They’ve got to lead every single day. At first there was a little resistance, but I’m proud of how he’s responded. I’ve seen that every area of his life has improved. Just in terms of his commitment, engagement in the classroom has improved. He’s trying to lead. His body language is a lot better from where we started. So I’m pleased with his spring, but I think he still has another step that he can take because he has a chance to be as good as the ones I’ve been around the last 11 years just from a talent standpoint, but he’s got to make that commitment that he wants to be the best at everything he does every single time he steps on the field.”

Wicks received the message and has turned the page to 2022. With Brennan Armstrong back, there’s room for another big year even if the numbers and style change.

“Basically, let last year go because it’s a new year and we’ve got to do the same thing this year, do better this year,” Wicks said. “So they’re just staying on us every day to be that and be better than we was last year.”

Forgotten Speedster

The UVA passing game put up crazy numbers all over the field last season, not just with Wicks. Other top targets return too. In addition to Wicks, Keytaon Thompson (990 yards, 1 touchdown) and Billy Kemp IV (725 yards, 6 touchdowns) are also back in orange and blue.

That makes it easy to overlook some other receivers potentially. That may be the case with Demick Starling, who played as a true freshman in 2020 and then followed it up with 93 yards and 1 touchdown last season. He had to rehab an offseason injury and fellow youngster Malachi Fields grabbed some of the early spring headlines.

With Jelani Woods and Ra’Shaun Henry on to NFL dreams now, though, there is room for some other targets to emerge at Virginia. Starling is one of the possibilities. He has the speed to maybe be a threat in the passing game as he enters his upperclass years.

“Demick is probably the fastest of the guys that we’ve got,” Elliott said. “He can run, he’s tough - body catcher a little bit right now so we’ve got to work on his confidence, consistency using his hands but man, he’s tough. He’s got an edge to him, which I like. We’ve just got to polish him up.”

Thompson On Jolt

Cavalier Futures, an NIL collective formed to help support opportunities for UVA student-athletes, announced in late April a partnership with FanJolt, a platform to connect fans with talent. Thompson was listed as one of the early Hoos expected to be on the network, which donates part of the proceeds to the talent’s favorite causes.

Thompson’s profile is now active on FanJolt where fans can purchase a personalized video from the star receiver for $49.99. Check it out.

Anticipated Return At Virginia

While other receivers had big years in 2021, LaVel Davis Jr.’s breakthrough came in 2020 as a true freshman. He posted 20 catches for 515 yards and 5 touchdowns in the shortened pandemic season. He played in just 8 games. Davis finished No. 2 in the nation with a 25.75 yards per catch average and made some tough grabs high in the air thanks to his 6’7” frame.

Unfortunately, Davis didn’t get an immediate chance at an encore. He tore his ACL in spring practice and sat out all of the 2021 season. The South Carolina native returned to the field this spring and made 6 catches for 33 yards in the Virginia Blue-White Spring Game.

Many fans are excited to see what he can do this fall. UVA released a video this week featuring Davis’ comeback.