When sophomore receivers Drake Davis and Stephen Sullivan walk out on the field, some may confuse them for linebackers. The 6-foot-4-inch, 218-pound Davis and the 6-foot-6-inch, 235-pound Sullivan tower over the cornerbacks across from them.
The two have a combined five receptions, 223 yards and all three of the Tigers’ receiving touchdowns. Their combined 223 yards account for almost 31 percent of senior quarterback Danny Etling’s total passing yards on the season.
Etling said that he trusts both Davis and Sullivan to make a play when the ball is in the air, and he is proud of the way they have played in the first four games of the season.
“Those two guys are real physical receivers and big, strong kids,” Etling said. “It’s something we’ve been asking them do, and they keep improving each week.”
Davis and Sullivan have stepped up this season as the Tigers’ best deep threats after being used primarily as blockers in their freshman season.
Davis has consistently beat cornerbacks downfield throughout the season. He has caught a 36-yard touchdown and an 87-yard touchdown against Chattanooga and Syracuse, respectively.
“In my head I was thinking, ‘Wow, they’re cheering before I even caught the ball,’ so I was like I’ve got to catch it now,” Davis said regarding his first career touchdown catch against Chattanooga.
Sullivan also had a big catch against Chattanooga. Sullivan used his size and went up in traffic between two defenders, and pulled the ball down for a 46-yard gain for the first catch of his career.
Sullivan had a chance to make another play in the game against Chattanooga, but dropped a pass from freshman quarterback Myles Brennan that was almost assuredly going to be a touchdown.
He was given a chance to make up for it against Syracuse, and did so with a 43 yard touchdown.
“I was thinking, ‘catch it this time,’” Sullivan said. “That was exactly the same play from Chattanooga that I dropped, I just had to make sure I caught that one.”
The two players will start to develop a more complete role for the team further into the season. Orgeron has said that the offense wants to incorporate more four-receiver sets, but he was not quite sure there was enough depth or talent at the position to do it.
“We’re going to continue to give the ball to as many guys that can catch it,”
Orgeron said. “They can’t catch it, we’re not throwing it to them. They know that. We want to spread the ball around.”
“[Offensive coordinator Matt Canada] is doing a tremendous job of spreading the ball around. We want to continue to do that. Drake Davis showed, Stephen Sullivan showed.”
Sullivan said he will continue to do what the coaches ask regardless of how he is being used in the offense.
“Whenever the ball comes my way, I’m going to try my best to catch,” Sullivan said.
“It can be five yards, two yards, it can be three yards; as long as we are winning, and I’m contributing to the team then I’m fine with it.”

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Ramsina Odisho