Wyoming WR Justin Stevenson Entering Transfer Portal

LARAMIE -- Wyoming Friday suffered arguably its biggest loss of the offseason.

Wide receiver Justin Stevenson announced on social media he will be entering the NCAA Transfer Portal, becoming the 11th Cowboy to hit the open market, the third on the offensive side of the football.

He has three seasons of eligibility remaining.

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Stevenson capped his redshirt freshman campaign with 204 yards and 17 catches. He also found the end zone three times, including hauling in the eventual game winner against New Mexico from 27 yards out.

The 6-foot-1, 192-pound Katy, Texas product caught a career-best four passes for 82 yards and a touchdown in a 17-13 loss to No. 12 Boise State. That included a long of 63 in the second half.

The former three-star recruit redshirted during the 2023 campaign. Wyoming head coach Jay Sawvel said last August, though the talent and promise were on display when Stevenson lined up on the scout team, academics was not a priority. Stevenson said lack of playing time affected his performance in the classroom.

That all changed last fall.

"I think he's got a really, really high ceiling," Sawvel added. "... I think he can make an impact for us, so I'm excited for him."

Stevenson was recruited by Hawaii, Illinois State and Incarnate Word after snagging 37 balls for 552 yards and five touchdowns as a two-years starter at Paetow High School. He also handled kicks for the Panthers, dashing 71 yards for a touchdown during his senior season.

"I just was getting overlooked, honestly," he said back in August. "I'm used to being overlooked. I've been overlooked since high school, even with my high school coaches overlooking me with some older guys. It's all about how you persevered."

Running back Dawaiian McNeely and fellow Houston-area wideout Tyler "TK" King are also in the portal.

So are eight other defensive players: tackle Jaden Williams, linebacker Read Sunn, edge rushers Braden Siders and Ethan Day, safeties Koa McIntyre, Nikos Varelas, Miles Tucker and cornerback Naz Hill. Senior linebacker Cole DeMarzo, earlier in the month, announced he was retiring from football.

As of now, only Sunn has found his next landing spot, signing with Eastern Washington.

MORE UW FOOTBALL NEWS VIA 7220SPORTS:

* Cowboys sign Oklahoma Baptist linebacker Brayden Johnson

* Wyoming's secondary Wednesday lands another transfer

* Wyoming inks former Wisconsin safety Justin Taylor

* Wyoming Cowboys in the NFL: Week 15

* Pokes Land 6'5" Linebacker from Lindenwood

* Wyoming football Monday inks three transfers

* Dawaiian McNeely entering portal after five years in Laramie

* Cowboys lose another edge rusher to transfer portal

* Cornerback becomes seventh Cowboy to hit open market

* Wyoming LB Cole DeMarzo retiring from football

* Wyoming announces 2025 football matchups

* Wyoming Football: 2025 Transfer Portal Tracker

* Edge Rusher Braden Siders Looking Elsewhere to Cap Career

* What's on deck for Sawvel, Wyoming's football staff?

Wyoming has added to its wide receiver room this offseason with the portal acquisition of Eric Richardson, who caught 25 passes for 411 yards and six touchdowns during his final year at Northwest Missouri State. He has two seasons of eligibility remaining.

The Cowboys' leading receiver Jaylen Sargent (23 catches, 480 yards, two touchdowns), along with Chris Durr Jr. (31 catches, 348 yards, touchdown) are expected to be in the fold in 2024. So is tight end John Michael Gyllenborg, who capped his junior year with 425 yards on 30 grabs. He also scored three times.

Sawvel and Co. also inked freshmen Pierre "PJ" Jackson (Chicago), Ke'lyn Washom (Houston) and, arguably the gem of the 2025 class, Deion DeBlanc (Houston), who turned down offers from Oregon, Arizona State and Arkansas, among many other Power-4 programs.

"He's playing both ways at North Shore High School. Nobody does that," Sawvel said of the powerhouse 6A program on the east side of the city. "When he gets the ball on offense, he'll try to run through you. When you have the ball, on defense, he tries to run through your face. So, you look at that, and you're like, 'OK, this is a guy that obviously loves to play.'"

DeBlanc, along with incoming Gillette quarterback Mason Drube, will be early enrollees this spring.

Wyoming will now look to add a pair of veteran receivers through the portal, according to a source familiar with the situation. One of those offers has already been extended to former Arizona pass catcher Jackson Holman. The 6-foot-4, 208-pound redshirt freshman appeared in seven games last season, mainly on the Wildcats' special-teams unit.

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