New Kid on the Block-Wide Receiver Javon Conner

Javon Conner is a 5-foot 10-inch redshirt freshman wide receiver from Landry-Walker High School in New Orleans, Louisiana. Although he is young, he is most certainly very talented. After his first year of play, he finished third on the team in both receptions and yards behind All-Southland Conference Honorable Mentions in Brandon Acker and Juwan Dickey. He finished this 2016 campaign with 23 receptions, 269 yards and one lone touchdown in the final game of the season against the rival Nicholls State Colonels. With Brandon Acker now graduating, it is now looking very likely that Javon will potentially move up to second behind Juwan Dickey on that receiver depth chart.

Although Conner is a smaller receiver, he appears to know how to use the middle of the field well as a slot receiver and he can put his body into position to make catches even if he is going to get hit in traffic. Make no mistake though, he has shown some occasional flashes of tight-roping the sidelines as well. The former Chargin’ Buc is also hoping to look back on this first season as one that he can learn from. I decided to ask Javon a few questions about his eye-opening transitional year at wide receiver.

 

• “What was the toughest part about transitioning from the high school days to your college reps?”

 

Javon:  “I’d have to say that the largest adjustment that I had to make was in the speed of the game. I feel like once we got around to about Week 6 or Week , that’s when I finally felt comfortable and familiar with the speed of the game.”

 

• “Which game was the biggest game for the Lions receiving corps throughout the whole season?”

 

Javon: “The game against McNeese State was our most important game this season because we really had to readjust ourselves after a pretty shaky first half start. We made the necessary adjustments at halftime, and Acker, Dickey and myself, we all made some great catches that helped us win, but especially Brandon’s catch from Alo’s downfield Hail Mary pass.”

 

• “What were some tidbits of advice that you’ve taken away from the older veteran guys on this Lions team?”

 

Javon:  “All of the older guys continue to tell me and plenty of the younger guys that we need to take advantage of our opportunities early and treat everything you do with a 110 percent effort. It’s better to learn the most necessary life lessons early on and then also make the best of what we’ve got, because most of us only have three or four years on this team, and once you’re done, then it’s gone.”

 

• “How much do you look up to Ron Roberts as a Coach?”

 

Javon: “I am very glad that Ron Roberts is my coach! I remember he called me into his office one day because he saw that I was not consistently giving my full effort in practice, and he just talked to me in such an encouraging way because he sees my potential as well as everyone else’s, and he wants to see everybody’s full potential realized on the field. That’s why I love him so much and think that Coach Roberts is a great coach!”

With a humble personality, a bright attitude, and plenty of talented upside, I think the green and gold faithful should look forward to seeing how this young man named Javon Conner will turn out over his next three years in Hammond!