'A bunch of somebodies': Rice HC Mike Bloomgren discusses replacing a player like WR Luke McCaffrey

The 2024 NFL Draft features a host of intriguing prospects at the wide receiver position, and one to watch will be former Rice Owls wide receiver Luke McCaffrey.

McCaffrey, a prospect from the G5 level who is also the brother of San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, has watched his stock consistently rise throughout the pre-draft process after putting up solid, versatile film in his time in Houston under head coach Mike Bloomgren.

And back there, the Owls will be faced with the tall task of filling the void in one of their best offensive performers over recent history.

"We've had kind of a group of receivers (who have done well)," Bloomgren told us during spring practices. 

"One of the questions I get asked a lot is 'who is going to replace Luke McCaffrey.' Nobody is going to replace Luke McCaffrey. It's going to be a bunch of somebodies. It's not one person. It's good to see those guys stepping up and making some plays. There's been some flexibility -- some play 'F', some play 'Z', and vice versa. The ability to play at multiple position. Within the offensive line, a lot of guys have taken big steps and I think that's great."

Rice's current corps of wide receivers includes Kobie Campbell, JoVoni Johnson-McCray, Drayden Dickmann, Matt Sykes, Tyson Thompson, Landon Ransom-Goelz, Arden Napier, Rawson MacNeill, Braylen Walker, Justin Williams Jr. and Jake Dragoo.

How those players combine to try to produce a similar effect to the one McCaffrey had will have a large bearing on the heights the Owls offense can reach after showing some real flashes in 2023.

But it won't be easy.

“I feel like at the receiver position, it’s hard to be 10 percent of someone’s offense,” Bloomgren said. “And I feel like he was 40 percent of ours."

Rice opens the 2024 season in its own house against Sam Houston State on Aug 31, with kickoff time still to be determined.