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Every year (or at least for the last few), I write a piece examining potential breakout candidates for the Cincinnati Bearcats and their football team. In 2016, I hit big with Devin Gray. The next year, I was right about another wide receiver by the name of Thomas Geddis. I was also wrong about a lot of those guesses, but we’re not talking about that right now. OK? OK.
Anyway, back to Geddis. Now when I say that I was right about Geddis being a breakout player, that is all relative to the players around him. His final stat line (29 receptions, 388 yards, 3 TDs) would not make you look twice on most rosters, but for a pretty terrible passing team like UC, those numbers stood out. He ranked second on the team in receptions, tied for second in touchdown catches and was third in receiving yards. He was also used much more frequently than in the past, making 11 starts a year after playing in only eight contests.
Geddis shared the bulk of the receptions available with Kahlil Lewis and Devin Gray and thread the needle nicely between the two, providing both some possession receiver skills as well as big-play ability. He averaged 13.4 yards per reception and even managed to be a contributor on special teams early on, averaging 17.9 yards per kickoff return.
Consistent work was a hallmark of Geddis’ breakout season. He didn’t just blow up for 220 yards and 15 receptions one week and then post a bunch of relatively empty games the rest of the way. Instead, he had at least 40 yards receiving in five games and at least 25 in all but two contests. He closed the season on a very high note, setting a career-high with six receptions en route to a season-best 65 yards against UConn on the final day of the season.
Geddis isn’t going to take people by surprise in his junior season. The 6’3”, 190-pound wideout is now clearly the No. 2 target on the team with Gray gone and he will be treated as such by opposing defenses. It will be up to him to continue to improve along with the rising degree of difficulty.