Here are southwest Missouri's high school football receivers to know heading into 2024

Southwest Missouri’s five receiving leaders from a year ago graduated, leaving plenty of room for the next batch of pass-catchers to break out and make names for themselves.

There is plenty of speed and returning talent for a group with much potential. Here are the pass catchers you need to know.

Tegan Asbury, Branson, 12

Eight of Asbury’s 28 catches last year went for touchdowns and he averaged over 20 yards per reception.

Braydon Bellah, Marionville, 11

Among returning receivers, Bellah ranks third in the area in receiving yards. He had 54 catches for 691 yards and 12 scores as a sophomore in a state championship-winning season.

Brock Bruner, Fair Grove, 12

Bruner is a solid two-way player who earned all-state recognition a year ago. He enters the year as the top tight end in the area.

Gardner Casey, Bolivar, 11

Bolivar has a lot of turnover on offense. Casey will give the Liberators a steady playmaker after coming up with 664 yards and 10 touchdowns last season.

Sam Clark, Ozark, 12

Clark was the Tigers’ leading receiver last season in a new offense. He caught 57 passes for 682 yards and four touchdowns.

Joseph DeGraffenreid, Webb City, 12

DeGraffenreid has a high ceiling as a great athlete at 6-foot-2, 190 pounds. He was a third-team All-Central Ozark Conference performer last season and he should continue to get better in an offense with a star quarterback who is developing as a passer.

Rex Deters, Glendale, 12

Deters was moved all around the Glendale offense last season, seeing time both at quarterback and receiver. He should spend a lot more time primarily as a receiver this season when he’s capable of putting up big numbers, as he did his sophomore year when he caught 75 passes for 675 yards. He can be one of the better pass-catchers in the area.

Hagen Ginger, Seneca, 12

Ginger is another top-tier tight end who only caught one pass for 53 yards and a touchdown last season. He’s a notable returner from a Seneca state runner-up team with a lot of offensive turnover.

Tyrone Harris, Neosho, 11

Harris was highly productive in eight games last season as he came down with 59 catches for 685 yards and three scores in a Neosho offense that’s aired it out in recent years.

Trevor Heman, Glendale, 10

Heman showed a lot of potential as a freshman last season. He caught 48 passes for 608 yards and four scores, the best receiving year out of an area freshman.

Gavin Reese, Liberty, 11

Reese was a reliable receiver in Liberty’s offense, coming down with 46 catches for 686 yards and nine touchdowns.

Xavier Robinson, Clever, 12

Among returning receivers, Robinson is the second-leading receiver and he’s proven to be one of the better players Clever’s had since launching varsity football in recent years. Robinson had 55 catches for 696 yards and four touchdowns last season.

Davin Thomas, Joplin, 12

Thomas has proven to be one of the area’s most explosive weapons since his breakout sophomore season. That should continue after a 47-catch, 680-yard, six-touchdown season a year ago.

Wyatt Vincent, Nixa, 12

Vincent returns to the Eagles’ offense and should be their most reliable weapon at receiver this season. The speedy baseball star averaged 26.6 yards per catch last season with seven of his 24 catches turning into scores.

Hudson Williams, Neosho, 12

Williams is the area’s top returning receiver after catching 69 passes for 789 yards and seven scores last season. Neosho has developed some solid receivers in recent years and Williams is the latest.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Here are southwest Missouri's high school football receivers to know heading into 2024