With several new faces taking up positions at receiver for the Wylie Pirates, it’d be fair to expect a steep learning curve.

Head coach Jimmy Carter is expecting to use the two non-district games to help the group to get up to speed at the varsity football level. Overall, the team feels great about the players’ talent and potential.

“It does a great job for us,” Carter said. “We’ve got guys playing both ways, allowing us to cycle guys in and out. We also have different kinds of receivers to fill roles, which will also be nice to fill out our roster and take advantage of different matchups.”

Chris Lewis, Jackson Draper, Hayden Stewart, Weston Burkett, Martaveion Sanders, Sean Carter and Gavin Medina lead the Pirates at receiver in 2022. Lewis stood out during the offseason and spring football. Despite not playing for the team at the high school level previously, the 6-foot-4 rising senior’s natural athleticism in basketball and track and field makes him a natural fit on the football turf.

“He hasn’t played football in several years and is still working to get back into the game,” Carter said. “You want to get a player like that the ball as much as you can. He’s got great athletic ability and has put the work in over the offseason. He’s way ahead of where he was in March.”

Moving away from the H-back look, Dane Farley will start at the tight end position for the Pirates and compete for looks with Dawson Cleveland. Farley, along with slot receiver Sean Carter, is expected to play both ways for the team this season.

Coach Carter is confident both players as multi-sport athletes can help carry the load for the team.

“It’s going to help us a bunch to get the best 11 players on the field,” Carter said. “We’ll have to pick and choose are spots for Sean on offense and Dane on defense to get on the field and give us great looks.”

With the team changing to a traditional tight end this offseason, Farley should expect to be on the line of scrimmage more in blocking situations for the Pirates. That should be no problem for the star wrestler, as he ended last season as the right tackle because of injuries.

To read the full story, see next week’s issue. For more sports stories, see The Wylie News in print or online. Support your community newspaper for less than $40 a year.

By Kyle Grondin • kgrondin@csmediatexas.com