2014 BYU Football Newcomers: Nick Kurtz
Leading up to Fall Camp at the end of the month, here at Lawless Republic we will be giving you a daily glimpse at the signees and return missionaries that will be part of the 2014 BYU Football team.
Nick Kurtz
Grossmont College | El Cajon, CA
6-6 | 205 lbs | 4.50 | WR
Before BYU: One of the most anticipated prospects on BYU’s list of newcomers is wide receiver Nick Kurtz, a junior college transfer out of Grossmont College in El Cajon, CA. Kurtz is rated a 4-star prospect by Rivals.com and ranked as the #4 overall JC wide receiver. Grossmont JC is also the school that former standout BYU wide receiver Todd Watkins attended before transferring to Provo in 2004.
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In his two seasons at Grossmont JC, Kurtz hauled in a total of 87 receptions for 1,301 yards and 18 touchdowns, ranking 3rd and 6th in receiving yards per game during his freshman and sophomore seasons. He recorded six multi-touchdown games, including two games where he scored three touchdowns. Kurtz was honored as 1st Team All-conference wide receiver during both of his junior college seasons.
Kurtz was a highly sought-after recruit, targeted by dozens of major schools, including Oregon, USC, LSU, and Texas Tech with the help of Wes Welker via Twitter. He ultimately chose BYU and enrolled in January with two years of eligibility.
After observing his highlights, there is no doubt that Cougar fans are excited for this kid. Kurtz demonstrates all of the sound techniques of a standout wide receiver, and shows off his size and speed. It is apparent that he is capable of using his route running skills to get open, make the catch, and then immediately cut up-field and use his 4.50 breakaway speed. He also reveals a tremendous amount of agility as he often makes the catch over the middle and then cuts to the outside. His height and vertical leap allows him to high-point the football, giving him an unfair advantage over shorter defenders.
Expectations in 2014: Starter
With the 2014 season bringing in the most wide receiver depth that we have ever seen, Kurtz will most definitely see immediate playing time at the WR position. We plan on seeing Kurtz in the starting wide receiver rotation along with fellow newcomers Jordan Leslie and Devon Blackmon, giving Taysom Hill plenty of threats to throw to. The combination of size and speed and two years of junior college experience will allow Kurtz to make an immediate impact.
Potential in BYU Career: High
No Hoffman, no problem. Nick Kurtz will make BYU fans forget about the loss of Cody Hoffman due to graduation and entry into the NFL this past offseason. We anticipate that Kurtz will have a similar career as former BYU wide receiver Todd Watkins in that he will make an immediate impact and be a threat to opposing secondary’s each time he lines up on offense. Kurtz will be a valuable asset to our offense for the next two seasons and will undoubtedly continue to put up big numbers. Stay tuned for an exciting career at BYU from this guy.