Fall Camp Preview: Punt and Kick Returners

Today we continue our look at returning, departed, and new players in various units. Friday’s feature?

Returners.

Who’s Gone (Notable stats from 2016)

No one notable. Oh, wait...

John Ross (5’11” 190 lbs): 1 KR TD, 24.2 Avg yards/KR

A moment of silence for our lost angel. For optimal viewing experience, put on Sarah McLachlan’s “I Will Remember You,” mute the below video, and hit play.

(Also, take a drink every time Jake Browning takes out an opposing defensive lineman on a block for a fun little game.)

He shall be missed.

Who’s Back

Dante Pettis (6’1” 195 lbs): 2 PR TDs, 11.5 Avg yards/PR

What’s there to say about Dante? He’s trusty and shifty and gets the job done. Personally I like that he doesn’t do that dumb thing athletes do where they try to do too much and in the process screw everything up and lose a billion yards. Many yards for you, Dante Pettis. You go Dante Pettis.

Who’s New

Salvon Ahmed (5’11” 189 lbs)

Chico McClatcher (5’7” 181 lbs)

Jomon Dotson (5’10” 181 lbs)

Austin Joyner (5’10” 182 lbs)

Although only Ahmed is technically “new,” I decided to include Chico as well as Dotson and Joyner since Husky fans haven’t ever seen them returning and they’ve been mentioned in the mix.

Whoever ends up taking back kicks, the coaches sure have a skillset and body type in mind. I’d guess either Chico or Dotson end up getting the majority of them although that’s just based on a hunch and involves exactly zero inside information. Dotson ran the fastest post-John-Ross 40 score this spring and Chico’s a known fast guy whose diminutive stature could play to his advantage in space and defenders’ visibility (or lack thereof) in tracking him. Considering all their other roles, though, I’d be inclined to go with Dotson solely for the reasoning that he plays less of a role in his primary position than Chico does; an injury to McClatcher has a greater impact on the #1 offense than an injury to Dotson has on his new home in the defense.

That’s all for the returners, have a great Friday and remember:

Do good things, don’t do bad things, and bow down to Washington