As the nation gears up for another year of MACtion, the Western Michigan Broncos are preparing to improve upon the 2023 campaign that saw them go 4-8. Which players return for the Broncos, and who has developed ahead of the new season? Let’s take a look and find out.
Western Michigan Broncos Top 10 Returners in 2024
Analyzing the returning players at every school is a difficult task in the transfer portal era. As such, we’ve included transfer-portal athletes that were included on each team’s roster page to open fall camp in addition to the rostered players from last year.
10) Anthony Sambucci, Wide Receiver
Sambucci was a third-team All-MAC selection based on his 21 receptions 318 yards, and five touchdowns in 2023. He’s a fast, versatile receiver, and his big-play potential is something that Western Michigan will want to combine with the grind-it-out run game that has become its brand.
Sambucci isn’t a massive target, he’s just a worker who gets open and is fast enough to win a footrace to the end zone. He’s also got some trick-play potential — he threw a 31-yard touchdown pass of his own against Pittsburgh.
9) Hayden Wolff, QB Sr.
Wolff played in eight games for Western Michigan in 2023, making four starts, and will enter the 2024 season as a redshirt senior after spending time at Old Dominion. His numbers in 2023 were good, completing 65.5% of his passes. One of his best outings came in the second half against Mississippi State when he threw for 262 yards and three touchdowns.
Wolff has the best offensive line in the MAC and one of the best ground games to match. Another offseason getting familiar with life in Kalamazoo should help him be more consistent, and having some security as the Week 1 starter should, too. If it leads to fewer turnovers and more touchdowns, the Broncos should be much improved in 2024.
8) Aaron Wofford, Defensive Back
The 2023 campaign saw Wofford break out. The explosive junior started all 12 games for the Broncos, and he finished second on the team with 71 tackles. Wofford had two interceptions and five pass breakups, too.
He’s on the smaller side for a corner, but in his best game — also against Mississippi State — he tallied 13 tackles, so overlook him at your peril. He can shut down your slot receiver or harass a running back when called upon.
7) Jack Sherwin, Offensive Line
Another member of the Clydesdales of Kalamazoo, Sherwin has similar size to his mates along the offensive line. He’s 6’3″ and 295 pounds but his physicality and fight more than make up for any deficit in NFL-level size.
Sherwin has been at Western Michigan for a long time now. He’s a redshirt senior who first entered the program in 2019. His leadership should add to a group that returns a ton of experience.
6) Corey Walker, EDGE
An invaluable part of the defensive unit, Walker is a hulking presence on the edge that stands 6’5″ and 270 pounds. His production was just as big, tallying a career-high 31 tackles in 2023. He added eight tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks and even managed to return a fumble for a touchdown.
Walker is a redshirt junior coming into the 2024 campaign, and if he continues to improve at the same rate that he did in 2023, it may end up being his last season in Kalamazoo.
5) Bilhal Kone, Defensive Back
Starting in four games while seeing action in 12, Kone finished the year with 42 tackles, two tackles for loss, one interception, and eight pass breakups — not bad for a part-time role.
Kone came to the Broncos from Indiana State, and once he acclimated to the new surroundings the big corner had a major impact. His 6’2″, 190-pound frame and versatility helped make him a preseason All-MAC selection.
4) Jalen Buckley, Running Back
Buckley stepped into his first season as a Bronco as a redshirt freshman and steamrolled his way to MAC Freshman of the Year. He was one of only two freshmen to rush for 1,000 yards in the entire country.
His 5.3 yards per carry and 10 touchdowns were a key part of the Western Michigan offense. With another offseason under his belt, the only thing that stopping Buckley in 2024 is the end zone.
3) Addison West, Offensive Line
The Broncos might as well change the mascot to a Clydesdale with all the talent they have on the offensive line. West is another interior offensive lineman who doesn’t tip the scales, standing 6’3″ and 305 pounds. But you’d be remiss to discount him at all because of that.
MORE: Simulate the College Football Season with CFN’s College Football Playoff Predictor
West has started in 24 straight games for the Broncos and has the All-Mac selections to go along with it. He’s part of a group that has paved the way for 1,000-yard rushers in three consecutive seasons. West will be a huge part of repeating that performance in 2024.
2) Kenneth Womack, Wide Receiver
Womack started in every game for the Broncos and was a highly productive player with 76 receptions, 691 yards, and one touchdown. The 6’0″ phenom led the MAC in receptions, a nice feat for his first year in the program.
Womack transferred from Sacred Heart, where he also posted stellar numbers. He had 98 career catches for 1,234 yards and five touchdowns before transferring. He was also part of the basketball team, which tells you just how athletic Womack is. His ceiling is incredibly high, and the expectations for his production should stand as tall.
1) Jacob Gideon, Center
A rock at the center position, Gideon is the kind of player who gets attention despite playing a position that often gets overlooked. He’s been on the Rimington Trophy Watch List for the past two seasons and is already on the Outland Trophy Watch List for 2024. He’s been the best center in the MAC each of his two years as a starter and will likely repeat in 2024.
The 6’2″ Kentucky native may not have the most size, but he more than makes up for it in the trenches. He’s versatile and tough, having played both center and guard. He moves well and has no problem bullying opposing defenses. Gideon has been the tip of a Western Michigan spear that has produced back-to-back-to-back 1000-yard rushers in Sean Tyler in 2021/22 and Jalen Buckley in 2023.
College Football Network has you covered with the latest news and analysis, rankings, transfer portal information, top 10 returning players, the 2024 college football season schedule, and much more!