Boise State to look for wide receiver help in transfer portal

With spring practice wrapping up, Boise State is looking to add some more talent to its wide receiver room. 

Wide receivers coach and co-offensive coordinator Matt Miller said the Broncos will be going after another pass-catcher in the transfer portal. 

“We definitely want to go get another guy,” Miller said. “I think we’re always trying to improve our roster on a day-to-day basis.”

Boise State must replace two of its top three receivers from last season in Cam Camper and Prince Strachan. Camper, who led the team with 58 catches for 903 yards and four touchdowns, is preparing for the NFL Draft while Strachan transferred to USC. 

Miller said the Broncos will carefully comb through the portal to find the right addition. 

“Obviously best available (player) is a huge piece, but also a guy who is going to be an impactful person in this program,” Miller said. “We’re going to go find a really, really good player who is an even better person, who is going to come into our locker room and be an impactful guy in a positive way, not a negative way. 

“I think sometimes with this portal stuff you’re just out there shopping a little bit. For us, we’re still going to do our homework on them, and we want them to do their homework on us and make sure it’s a good fit.”

Latrell Caples, Boise State’s lone returning starter at wide receiver, is sitting out the remainder of spring practice with an unspecified injury. Caples had 38 catches for 473 yards and five touchdowns last season.

Potential starters Austin Bolt and Chris Marshall are also out with injuries. The 6-foot-3, 211-pound Marshall, a former five-star high school recruit, is one of the most talented players in the program. 

“Chris has grown a lot over his time here, and he’s still growing,” Miller said. “Sometimes we’re going to see big gains, sometimes we’re going to see slight losses, but at the end of the day, let’s have that trajectory of improving. I think that’s what Chris is doing, but we need him to take that next step, too. And he knows that.”

With Bolt, Caples and Marshall sidelined, sophomore Cameron Bates has burst onto the scene during spring ball. Bates caught nine passes for 67 yards during his true freshman season. 

“The guy’s got tremendous ball skills, Miller said. “He can blow the top off the defense. … I’d be hard-pressed to find somebody in the room faster than him.”

The Broncos are also experimenting with deploying star safety Ty Benefield at receiver. 

“We’ve always done things different here at Boise State, and we’ve been cutting edge,” Miller said. “We’re going to put the best 11 on the field whenever we can to go be successful. That’s what’s fun for us, and it’s fun for our guys, too.”