Marquez

Stevenson

Stevenson measured 5-foot-10, 180 pounds, which is two inches taller and 10 pounds lighter than what he was billed at during the season. His speed and agility scores were excellent, as his 40-time rates in the 67th percentile while his 4.17 short shuttle landed in the 68th percentile and his 3-cone drill time of 6.46 is legitimately one of the best times ever run by a wideout, rating in the 100th percentile. It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows however, as his hands measured 8 5/8" (9th percentile) and his vertical jump of 33" (19th) were far short of average. He is very light at 180 pounds, which is concerning, but the Houston speedster can get deep from either the slot or the outside and has proven playmaking ability that should translate in some form to the next level. He is shaping up as a late Day 2-early Day 3 selection.

Stevenson (6'1/195) was a lethal deep threat for the Cougars in 2018 and 2019, amassing 127 receptions for 1,926 yards and 18 touchdowns combined heading into this year. He caught five passes for 118 yards and a touchdown against Tulane in his season opener, then followed it up with nine receptions for 129 yards and two touchdowns against Navy before suffering an ankle injury against UCF on October 31 that derailed his season. The Houston speedster can get deep from either the slot or the outside and has proven playmaking ability that should translate to the next level. If he runs in the 4.4 40-yard dash range as is expected, Stevenson would solidify himself as a Day 2 prospect.

Getting Stevenson (6'0/190) and Bradley (6'1/195) back for the regular season finale should give Houston a much-needed boost in the passing game. Both have been limited to just four games in 2020, with Stevenson catching 16 passes for 278 yards and three touchdowns and Bradley hauling in 15 passes for 202 yards.

Stevenson (6'0/190) has the big play ability to return kicks as well as take the top off of defenses. The two-time American All-Conference First Team honoree has the penchant for turning short passes into explosive plays by utilizing his 4.4 40-yard dash speed to blow past opposing defenders. He’s been banged up this season thanks to an ankle injury, but caught 52 passes for 907 yards and nine touchdowns for the Cougars last season. Though he currently projects as a 4th-rounder, his speed and explosiveness could vault him into Day 2 consideration.

Stevenson (6'0"/190) sustained the injury on his first reception in a 44-21 loss to UCF on October 31, rendering him unable to play last week against Cincinnati. When Houston HC Dana Holgerson was asked about the redshirt senior playmaker’s status against SMU, he replied “He’s day-to-day.” This season he has caught 16 passes for 278 yards and three touchdowns, serving as QB Clayton Tune’s favorite big-play option. Stevenson’s absence will also hurt Houston on special teams, as he has returned a kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown.

Stevenson (6'0/190) sustained the injury on his first reception in a 44-21 loss to UCF on October 31, rendering him unable to play last week against Cincinnati. When Houston HC Dana Holgerson was asked about the redshirt senior playmaker’s status against USF, he replied “He’s not quite there yet.” This season he has caught 16 passes for 278 yards and three touchdowns, serving as QB Clayton Tune’s favorite big-play option. Stevenson’s absence will also hurt Houston on special teams, as he has returned a kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown.

Tune (6'3/215) struggled for the second consecutive week, which shouldn’t come as a surprise given how good Cincinnati DC Marcus Freeman’s defense has been all season long. Saturday’s defeat was the first game this season in which the junior failed to throw at least one touchdown pass, and it’s worth noting that his favorite target (WR Marquez Stevenson) was out due to injury. Tune will have a far more favorable matchup next weekend when the Cougars host USF.

Stevenson (6'0/190) has been one of Houston’s biggest threats in the passing game, so his absence puts a notable dent in the Cougars’ chances of upsetting Cincinnati. This season he has caught 16 passes for 278 yards and three touchdowns, serving as QB Clayton Tune’s favorite big-play option. Stevenson’s absence will also hurt Houston on special teams, as he has returned a kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown this season.

This would be a big personnel loss for Houston to take, as Stevenson (6'0/190) has been their best playmaker on the outside. The redshirt senior left Saturday’s loss to UCF prematurely due to the ankle injury, finishing with just one reception for 12 yards. On the season Stevenson has posted a receiving stat line of 16-278-3, with his best outing coming in a win over Navy (9-129-2). He also has a kick return touchdown to his credit, as he ripped through Tulane for a 97-yard score in the season opener.

After being limited to just one reception in Houston’s October 16 loss to BYU, Stevenson (6'0/190) bounced back in a big way as the Cougars moved to 2-0 in conference play. Saturday was his first game with more than 120 receiving yards this season, something that he managed to do three times in 2019, and the matchup with Navy seems to work especially well for the redshirt senior. In three career games against the Midshipmen, Stevenson has caught 25 passes for 403 yards and four touchdowns (two in each of the last two outings). Next up for Stevenson and the Cougars is UCF next Saturday.