New Wyoming Wideout Eager to Prove Himself at FBS Level

LARAMIE -- After a lopsided loss at San Diego State in early November, Jay Sawvel said in the upcoming offseason he would seek out more size and physicality at the wide receiver position.

Wyoming's second-year head coach was basing that off the performance he witnessed from Jordan Napier over the previous two seasons.

They may have found that guy.

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Justin Popovich last week signed with the Cowboys after spending the last three years at Lock Haven, a Division-II program in Pennsylvania. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound junior is coming off a career season, catching 55 passes for 709 yards and six touchdowns.

The Louisville, Ky., product has two years of eligibility remaining.

Popovich was also courted by the likes of West Virginia, Cincinnati, Colorado, Arkansas and Syracuse. His final-four choices included Buffalo, along with Mountain West foes New Mexico and UTEP.

"What really separated Wyoming was the relationship I developed with coach Sawvel, coach (Jovon) Bouknight and the rest of the staff," Popovich said. "All the coaches reached out, calling or texting everyday since we started talking. That really showed me that they see what I have always seen in myself, as well as having a great vision for my future."

Wyoming's leading receiver, Chris Durr Jr., entered the NCAA Transfer Portal in January and has recently inked with Maryland. Jaylan Bean is also currently on the open market. Jaylen Sargent, Clay Nanke and Michael Fitzgerald exhausted their eligibility last fall. Jackson Holman is set to return to the perimeter. So is Deion DeBlanc, Eric Richardson, Charlie Coenen and Bricen Brantley.

The staff is also high on redshirt freshman Ke'Lyn Washom, who reportedly was making plenty of plays on the scout team in 2025. Sawvel and Co. also picked up a mid-year freshman, Jayden Williams, a three-star recruit from Las Vegas.

Tyler Nystrom, Pierre "PJ" Jackson, Jarell Gary and Jordan Styles are also in the pipeline at the position.

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Wyoming featured one of the least efficient passing attacks in the country last season, averaging just 183 yards per game. When it came to scoring, the Cowboys ranked 129th out of 134 FBS programs, managing only 16 points an outing.

Kaden Anderson, who is now at Tarleton State, completed 56.3% of his passes while throwing for 1,971 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also added 10 interceptions, three lost fumbles and rushed for minus-39 yards. Fifteen sacks played a role in that total, but the redshirt sophomore had a season-long rush of just nine in an opening day win at Akron.

Enter Tyler Hughes.

Wyoming landed its coveted quarterback in free agency, inking the senior after a breakout year at William & Mary. Hughes threw for 2,330 yards and 20 touchdowns to go along with just three picks. The 6-foot, 200-pound Georgia native also rushed for 670 yards and 11 more scores.

Could the Hughes-to-Popovich connection be coming in the near future?

That's the plan.

"I’ve heard a lot about the new QB and watched a little film on him," Popovich said. "He's definitely a dual-threat that I can see tearing up the Mountain West. I can’t wait to get to work with him and the rest of the team, getting ready for this upcoming season."

Why was Sawvel so impressed with what he saw from Napier?

In two games against the Aztecs' 6-foot-1, 195-pound wideout, the sophomore torched the Cowboys' secondary to the tune of 134 yards and a touchdown on 10 grabs. He also crossed the goal line on a jet sweep from the 7-yard line in that 24-7 victory inside Snap Dragon Stadium.

Napier also hauled down Wyoming's 306-pound defensive tackle Tegen Seeds after he snagged a second-quarter interception near midfield.

"I want to try to find Jordan Napier, OK? So, there you go," Sawvel said back on Nov. 3. "Now, it's going to be hard to do, but that's what we're trying to find."

Popovich, a self-proclaimed "late bloomer," redshirted during the 2023 campaign and appeared in just four games the following season, catching three passes for 55 yards and a touchdown.

He knows the pressure is on to contribute right away. Is he worried his production will translate?

"I’m extremely excited to showcase my talent at the FBS level," he said. "I know what kind of production I bring to the table ... Now that I’ve been given the opportunity to play FBS ball, I’m confident I will do what I intend to do.

"The staff obviously has big plans for me."

Wyoming currently has 19 transfers, who will begin classes this week. A 20th -- a running back -- is en route, according to a source familiar with the situation. The staff is also keeping its collective eyes peeled for an additional pass catcher.

The final day of enrollment at UW is Monday.

Spring practice in Laramie is scheduled to begin March 24. Those 15 practices culminate with the annual game April 25 inside War Memorial Stadium.