This is the third in a series of articles previewing the 2019 Missouri S&T football season.  The daily stories will feature one position, or a set of positions, each weekday through August 1.  The stories will be available on www.minerathletics.com at 11 a.m. each day, with the exception of July 26 when it will be available following the release of the GLVC pre-season poll.

ROLLA, Mo. – In recent years, Missouri S&T has been able to establish a depth situation at wide receiver to the extent where if it loses a player or two to graduation, there are plenty of capable players waiting in the wings to take advantage of the opportunity to contribute.

The Miners are in such a situation this fall, as it enters the year minus one of the top receivers and all-around productive players in school history in Braxton Graham (Seneca, MO/Seneca) as well as two-time All-GLVC wideout Justin Vaughn (Houston, TX/George Bush).  However, the Miners bring back two other all-conference performers at the position as well as an All-GLVC tight end – giving their quarterbacks a solid group of targets to work with in the upcoming campaign.

"It's no secret that we graduated a lot of production and talent last year at wide receiver," said S&T head coach Todd Drury.  "This year is a new opportunity for some other veterans to make plays. I think that this group is still as talented as ever."

The position is headed by first-team All-GLVC wideout Logan Armontrout (Centralia, MO/Centralia), who finished second to Graham in receptions last season with 41 and had five touchdown catches among them last fall.  Meanwhile, Josh Brown (Gainesville, FL/North Marion HS) hauled in 32 passes last season and could be a candidate to fill Graham's shoes in the lineup, as he had to do two seasons ago as a freshman when Graham missed playing time due to a mid-season injury.

"Logan and Josh are now veteran players that have been in the offense a long time and our quarterbacks feel very comfortable with them and how they play," Drury said.  "Austin Griffin (West Palm Beach, FL/Oxbridge Academy) is a very productive receiving threat at tight end and having one that can play all over the field is a huge advantage offensively. These guys bring a lot of experience to the offense."

Sophomores Tate Nickleberry (Columbia, MO/Rock Bridge) and Aundray Henley (Miami, FL/Flanagan) are expected to gain larger roles this season at wide receiver, as are returner Brett Campbell (Cedar Hill, MO/Northwest) and redshirt freshman David Adams (St. Robert, MO/Waynesville).   Three other returners – Calvin Whitfield, Rashad Robinson (Memphis, TN/Middle College) and Charles Golliday (Caruthersville, MO/Caruthersville) – could also work their way into the mix as well as returners Joe Ghormley (St. Louis, MO/Mehlville) and Tim Ghormley (St. Louis, MO/Mehlville).

The Miners have also added several freshmen to the wide receiver group, headed by Blaize Klossner (Rolla, MO/Rolla), who set several school records at Rolla High School that included a season with over 100 receptions and Reese Barnett (Clayton, MO/Clayton) and Reese Lillie (Plainfield, IL/Plainfield Central), a pair of all-conference receivers at the high school level.

Griffin, who made nine catches for 119 yards last season and had a touchdown reception during S&T's offensive surge during the Mineral Water Bowl, has earned All-GLVC honors in each of the last two seasons at tight end.  He will be joined at the position by redshirt freshmen Ryan Langford (Phoenix, AZ/O'Connor) and Ethan Gatzemeyer (Waynesville, MO/Waynesville), as well as newcomer Trevor Anthony (Elsberry, MO/Clopton).

"Griffin, Langford and Gatzemeyer bring so many options to the table offensively," Drury said.  "It really opens up the opportunity to use different formations and make the defense adjust. They are great weapons in both the running and passing games."

Coming Thursday: Offensive Line