Amid a veteran receiver group, these Boise State underclassmen are standing out
Boise State football enters the 2025 season with a mature group of wide receivers.
The Broncos have five upperclassmen wideouts who will likely take the majority of snaps and touches this year, led by redshirt junior Chris Marshall and redshirt senior Latrell Caples.
But the future of Boise State’s receiving corps is already in the building, and one of those athletes, sophomore Cam Bates, is readying himself for a breakout year.
Bates appeared in 13 games for Boise State last season, primarily on special teams, but he did showcase his pass-catching skills on occasion, ending the season with nine catches for 67 yards. He also rushed for 43 yards on four carries, including a 20-yard touchdown against Portland State at Albertsons Stadium for the sole TD of his college career.
“Being able to come in as a true freshman, playing and scoring on The Blue, that was probably the best thing ever,” Bates told reporters Monday.
But Bates wants a bit more than just a simple touchdown this year.
When Bates was given the opportunity to get on the field in 2024, it was oftentimes for jet sweep or end-around handoffs from the quarterback. He said Monday that his goal for 2025 isn’t just to get more route-running snaps, but to end the season with stats that would have ranked him within the Broncos’ top three pass-catchers in 2024.
“My personal goal is getting on the field more; still gaining trust from our coaches, the rest of the players … .” Bates said. “But numbers-wise, I’m thinking around 500 yards, six to eight touchdowns.”
The Broncos’ top pass-catcher in 2024 was now-redshirt senior tight end Matt Lauter, who ended the season with 619 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. The best-performing wide receiver was Caples, who finished with 473 yards and five touchdowns. Of course, the receiving numbers were stunted as a result of running back Ashton Jeanty’s historic season.
Boise State head coach Spencer Danielson said in January that Bates is “one of the better ones we’ve had here,” and fans can expect to see a lot more of him in the future.
Bates acknowledged that the college game is a step up from high school, specifically in terms of speed and strength. He said this offseason he was improving his release speed because he can struggle with larger, stronger defensive backs who cut off his route. To counter that, Bates also said he put on about 10 pounds, bringing his weight to 180 pounds.
While Bates may be the oldest of the underclassmen, he’s not the only young receiver turning heads. Freshman Quenton Brown has impressed teammates and coaching staff alike through the summer and the first week of fall camp.
Redshirt junior quarterback Maddux Madsen called Brown a “stud,” while Danielson said he’d done a great job throughout the summer.
“I’ve been very impressed with (Brown’s) maturity, his work ethic, and then we all know the type of speed he has,” offensive coordinator Nate Potter said last week. “But I think he’s showing his full game right now, his ability to run every route, his toughness blocking. It’s been fun to see, but I’m excited about where he starts.”
Potter said it’s too early to tell how soon Brown will be making an impact on offense, but that he was encouraged by the depth in the receiver room. Brown is joined by fellow freshman receivers Kamryn Jones, AJ Jones and Gavin Packer.
And even if Brown doesn’t make a significant impact on offense in 2025, Bates had some words of wisdom for the incoming freshman.
“In their own time, just head down, getting into the playbook and grind, just work,” Bates said. “I told them, if they have any questions, come to my house. It doesn’t matter. I’m free anytime.”
This story was originally published August 5, 2025 at 2:48 PM.