Saluki football Freshman Jones tapped for SIU

Here's the long and short of the wide receiver spot for Saluki foortball in 2020: SIU has a plethora of veteran talent and an incoming potential superstar.

Although All-American running back Javon Williams Jr. might argue (he had 1,000 yards as a freshman in 2019), I contend the wideout spot may be the sun of a new Saluki day this fall. SIU was known as a running team last year, but the program has the wide receivers to even things out between run and throw in 2020.

The Dawgs have both of their top receivers back to face UT-Martin Sept. 3. Landon Lenoir (616 yards receiving) and Avante Cox (617 yards receiving) were 2019 starters and will be so again this fall.

Lenoir has a great bloodline, in that his older brother was an All-MVFC wide receiver for Western Illinois University several years ago.

Landon was an honorable mention MVC performer last year, so look for him to have a breakout season at one wideout.

Cox was a dual threat at the Flanker position in 2019. He also had 212 yards rushing to give him 829 total yards last year, as well as eight touchdowns.

This year's recruiting class also includes Avante's twin brother, D'Ante Cox, who had 738 yards receiving for Missouri Baptist University in 2019. He transferred in from that school last fall.

SIU also has Jaden Roberts-Thomas on the roster, but he played little last year.

However, in bops one of the longest wideouts ever to play for the Dawgs: true freshman Jathen Jones of Carnahan High in St. Louis. He is listed as 6-foot-4 in the media guide, but watching tape of him from last season, he's the answer to the "long" of the "long and short" question.

In 2019, he had 855 yards and 10 touchdowns while splitting his time among wide receiver, quarterback and cornerback. He'll be squarely in the wide receiver room for the Salukis.

In the tape I viewed, he had deceptive speed and tremendous hands. In several clips he caught passes with one hand easily.

"When you see him, he looks the part of a Power 5 receiver," said Saluki head coach Nick Hill. "We are excited to have him here at SIU."

If the to-be-named Saluki quarterback can get the ball within a few yards of Jones, he will bring it in.