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Braxton Berrios
WR - 5'9 180 Junior - Raleigh, NC
2015 Statistics: 12 catches - 86 yards
Rough sophomore campaign in which he missed 3 games due to injury.
Excellent as a freshman, recording 21 catches for 232 yards, and 3 scores.
Berrios appeared to be healthy this Spring, and capped it with a monster performance in the Spring Game:
Top #UM Spring Game performers: 1. QB Brad Kaaya (29-of-47 passing, 345 yds., 3 TDs, 1 INT), 2. WR Braxton Berrios (8 rec., 127 yds., TD)
— PrepBuilders.com (@PrepBuilders) April 16, 2016
Summary: Looking at UM's WR Corps, as well as after watching the Spring Game, it's apparent that Berrios is a likely starter/#2 option behind Stacy Coley. And that is not necessarily a bad thing. Berrios is more ideally suited to play in the slot, given his size, than on the outside. But he seems to have a nice chemistry building with QB Brad Kaaya, and he displayed crisp route running ability as well as good hands in traffic this spring. While the 'Canes wait for sophomore Lawrence Cager to develop, and some of the incoming freshmen to ready themselves for this level, Berrios gives Kaaya a reliable target to count on behind Coley. His possession skills are certainly valuable, but one has to wonder if he will ever display the explosiveness projected of him coming out of H.S. A 60 yard run off a reverse in UM's bowl game loss last year to WSU was a positive sign. Even if he is just a move the chains type, it will help Miami's offense. But if he can make some big plays as well, it makes them more dangerous and potentially frees up Coley for more big plays himself. Overall I expect Berrios to collect somewhere in the range of 35 passes this season, for around 500 yards and a few scores. He should also factor in on punt returns.