University of Delaware Athletics
Photo by: Riley Moquin
Football Position Previews: Quarterbacks and Wide Receivers
8/5/2026 10:06:00 AM | Football
NEWARK, Del. – The University of Delaware football team is preparing for the 2026 season which kicks off at home against Merrimack on Thursday, September 3 at 7 p.m. Throughout fall camp, positional previews will be posted online to spotlight the different units that make up the 2026 Fightin' Blue Hens.
QUARTERBACKS
Quarterbacks Coach Garrett Smith oversees the unit in his fifth season with the Blue Hens. It is the first year in charge of the signal callers for the former Louisiana-Monroe QB after spending the previous four seasons working with the tight ends
"We have a great room of great kids and they all want to see each other do really well," Smith said. "When somebody makes a really good throw, you see all five other quarterbacks get really excited and I think it starts with just the excitement of wanting to get better as a group."
The unit is led by incumbent starter senior Nick Minicucci, who earned a spot on the Maxwell Award Preseason Watch List. Minicucci has had a busy preseason of awards, also being named Conference USA Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, Preseason First Team All-CUSA by Athlon Sports, Preseason Second Team All-CUSA by Phil Steele, and earning a spot on the Conference USA Preseason Watch List. A 2025 Second Team All-CUSA selection and 68 Ventures Bowl Offensive MVP, he spearheaded a Fightin' Blue Hen offense that finished with a bowl win in its first FBS season. In 2025, Minicucci led CUSA in passing yards (3,683), completions (322), attempts (512), passing yards/game (283.3), total offense (3,918), and total offense per game (301.4). He connected with 10+ receivers in seven games, eight or more in 10 of 13 games, and seven in all 12 regular season games. On the ground, the signal caller tied for fourth in the conference with 10 rushing touchdowns. Minicucci became the second QB in program history with 20 passing TDs and 10 rushing TDs (first since 1969). He ranked among the nation's best in passing yards (sixth), pass yards per game (eighth), total yards (eighth), and total yards per game (ninth).
Juniors Braden Streeter and Riley Trujillo also return, as well as sophomore EJ Archield Jr. Streeter and Trujillo appeared sparingly for the Hens last season, while Archield Jr. is looking to make his collegiate debut.
Joining the QB room this season are freshmen Tyler Bell (East Rutherford, N.J. / St. Peter's Prep) and Sean Sutherland (Potomac Falls, Va. / The Potomac School). Bell comes to the 302 as the fourth-best recruit all-time in program history according to 247Sports, finishing as a three-star recruit, while Sutherland joins as a walk-on.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Assistant Head Coach, Offense / Offensive Coordinator / Wide Receivers Coach Terence Archer leads the room in his fifth season at UD.
"From a talent level, we're happy with all of them," Archer said. "We're excited about our depth in this room. I feel like, depth-wise, we're as good as we've been since I've gotten here."
In a unit that features incredible depth with 16 wide receivers, Delaware returns its leading receiver in junior Sean Wilson. Wilson burst onto the scene as a starter in his first full season in 2025. He led the team with 68 catches for 877 receiving yards, and three touchdowns, setting freshman records in receptions and receiving yards as a redshirt for the Hens. Across conference action, Wilson had a stretch of three-consecutive games with 100+ receiving yards, becoming the first Fightin' Blue Hen to do so since Aaron Love had four-straight 100-yard games in 2006. Wilson set career bests with 162 yards and nine catches at Sam Houston.
Senior Donovan Lewis brings experience to the room, appearing in all nine games last season. Lewis recorded 20 catches for 219 yards and one touchdown. Juniors Brandon Rehmann, Matthew McKinley-Daniels, and Nick Tyree also played snaps for the Blue & Gold last season, looking to expand their roles in 2026.
Other returnees include Luke Brown, Emmanuel Doku, Ashton Navarrete, Ty Salazer, and Calvin Thomas.
A duo of experienced FBS transfers joined the room: Da'Wain Lofton (Oklahoma State/Virginia Tech) and Bryson Graves (Coastal Carolina). Carson Griffin (Lynn Haven, Fla. / A. Crawford Mosley) and Tae'Sean Robinson (Tampa, Fla. / Sumner) joined the fray as true freshmen, while Jake Blum (Northfield, N.J. / Mainland Regional) and Brandon DeAngelo (Philadelphia, Pa. / Pope John Paul II) walked on.
TICKET INFORMATION
Get your 2026 Delaware Football season tickets now by visiting bluehens.com/fbtickets.
FOLLOW ON SOCIAL
For the latest on Delaware football, follow the Fightin' Blue Hens on X, Instagram, and like on Facebook.
QUARTERBACKS
Quarterbacks Coach Garrett Smith oversees the unit in his fifth season with the Blue Hens. It is the first year in charge of the signal callers for the former Louisiana-Monroe QB after spending the previous four seasons working with the tight ends
"We have a great room of great kids and they all want to see each other do really well," Smith said. "When somebody makes a really good throw, you see all five other quarterbacks get really excited and I think it starts with just the excitement of wanting to get better as a group."
The unit is led by incumbent starter senior Nick Minicucci, who earned a spot on the Maxwell Award Preseason Watch List. Minicucci has had a busy preseason of awards, also being named Conference USA Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, Preseason First Team All-CUSA by Athlon Sports, Preseason Second Team All-CUSA by Phil Steele, and earning a spot on the Conference USA Preseason Watch List. A 2025 Second Team All-CUSA selection and 68 Ventures Bowl Offensive MVP, he spearheaded a Fightin' Blue Hen offense that finished with a bowl win in its first FBS season. In 2025, Minicucci led CUSA in passing yards (3,683), completions (322), attempts (512), passing yards/game (283.3), total offense (3,918), and total offense per game (301.4). He connected with 10+ receivers in seven games, eight or more in 10 of 13 games, and seven in all 12 regular season games. On the ground, the signal caller tied for fourth in the conference with 10 rushing touchdowns. Minicucci became the second QB in program history with 20 passing TDs and 10 rushing TDs (first since 1969). He ranked among the nation's best in passing yards (sixth), pass yards per game (eighth), total yards (eighth), and total yards per game (ninth).
Juniors Braden Streeter and Riley Trujillo also return, as well as sophomore EJ Archield Jr. Streeter and Trujillo appeared sparingly for the Hens last season, while Archield Jr. is looking to make his collegiate debut.
Joining the QB room this season are freshmen Tyler Bell (East Rutherford, N.J. / St. Peter's Prep) and Sean Sutherland (Potomac Falls, Va. / The Potomac School). Bell comes to the 302 as the fourth-best recruit all-time in program history according to 247Sports, finishing as a three-star recruit, while Sutherland joins as a walk-on.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Assistant Head Coach, Offense / Offensive Coordinator / Wide Receivers Coach Terence Archer leads the room in his fifth season at UD.
"From a talent level, we're happy with all of them," Archer said. "We're excited about our depth in this room. I feel like, depth-wise, we're as good as we've been since I've gotten here."
In a unit that features incredible depth with 16 wide receivers, Delaware returns its leading receiver in junior Sean Wilson. Wilson burst onto the scene as a starter in his first full season in 2025. He led the team with 68 catches for 877 receiving yards, and three touchdowns, setting freshman records in receptions and receiving yards as a redshirt for the Hens. Across conference action, Wilson had a stretch of three-consecutive games with 100+ receiving yards, becoming the first Fightin' Blue Hen to do so since Aaron Love had four-straight 100-yard games in 2006. Wilson set career bests with 162 yards and nine catches at Sam Houston.
Senior Donovan Lewis brings experience to the room, appearing in all nine games last season. Lewis recorded 20 catches for 219 yards and one touchdown. Juniors Brandon Rehmann, Matthew McKinley-Daniels, and Nick Tyree also played snaps for the Blue & Gold last season, looking to expand their roles in 2026.
Other returnees include Luke Brown, Emmanuel Doku, Ashton Navarrete, Ty Salazer, and Calvin Thomas.
A duo of experienced FBS transfers joined the room: Da'Wain Lofton (Oklahoma State/Virginia Tech) and Bryson Graves (Coastal Carolina). Carson Griffin (Lynn Haven, Fla. / A. Crawford Mosley) and Tae'Sean Robinson (Tampa, Fla. / Sumner) joined the fray as true freshmen, while Jake Blum (Northfield, N.J. / Mainland Regional) and Brandon DeAngelo (Philadelphia, Pa. / Pope John Paul II) walked on.
TICKET INFORMATION
Get your 2026 Delaware Football season tickets now by visiting bluehens.com/fbtickets.
FOLLOW ON SOCIAL
For the latest on Delaware football, follow the Fightin' Blue Hens on X, Instagram, and like on Facebook.
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