The Toledo Rockets are coming off an 11-3 campaign, which featured a perfect regular season in conference play, an 11-game win streak, a second consecutive trip to the Mid-American Conference Championship, and an appearance in the Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl.
While the return of six All-MAC selections could be enough to make another title-game run in the conference’s first divisionless season, losing starting quarterback Dequan Finn (Baylor) and starting running back Peny Boone (UCF) to the transfer portal — while already needing to replace the entire starting offensive line — could also mean the Rockets’ failure to launch in 2024.
Here are Toledo’s top returning players who are aiming to soar toward new heights this season.
Toledo Rockets Top 10 Returning Players in 2024
10) Cavon Butler, DT
With more of a profile to stuff the run on the interior of the defensive line than that of a pass rusher, Cavon Butler should be a handful for opposing offenses this season. He contributed 1.5 sacks to go along with four tackles for loss in 2023 — more than he had in his previous two seasons combined.
At 6’3″ and over 300 pounds, Butler is an imposing figure that will force “business decisions” once he sheds his initial blocker.
9) Daniel Bolden, LB
A tackling machine at the second level of the defense, Daniel Bolden contributed a career-high 6.5 TFLs last season while posting double-digit tackle numbers in four games. He also showed a nose for the football with three passes defensed and his first career fumble recovery (Sept. 23 vs. Western Michigan).
8) Anthony Torres, TE
Anthony Torres was named to the official Watch List for the 2024 John Mackey Award after earning Second Team All-MAC honors last season. At 6’6″ and 250 pounds, he combines great size with instincts and athleticism that further developed when he played basketball in high school. His 17.8 yards per reception was the top mark among FBS tight ends with at least 20 catches in 2023.
7) Junior Vandeross III, WR
If a defender thinks he can make an easy tackle because of his size, he needs to think again.
Receivers who realize they are at a clear height and weight disadvantage — 5’8″ and 182 pounds in this case — almost every time they run a route are the best. That is Junior Vandeross III, who, despite his physical limitations, had a productive 2023 season with 47 grabs for 664 yards and four scores.
6) Darius Alexander, DT
A third-team All-MAC pick with career highs in tackles (36) and sacks (four) in 2023, Darius Alexander will team with Butler on the interior of the Rockets defensive line to create a formidable duo against the run. At 6’4″ and 310 pounds, he has flashed an ability to get into the backfield with a quick first step that has led to 12.5 TFLs over the past two seasons.
5) Jacquez Stuart, RB
An absolute speedster at running back, Jacquez Stuart has rushed for 1,344 yards and 10 touchdowns over the past two seasons. His kickoff-return versatility (MAC-best 582 kick return yards in 2023) got him named to the Paul Hornung Award Preseason Watch List for a second straight season.
Whether it was a 97-yard kickoff return TD vs. Buffalo, a 59-yard catch and run for a game-winning TD vs. Bowling Green, or an 80-yard TD run vs. Wyoming in Toledo’s bowl game, Stuart’s big play ability was on display several times last season.
4) D’Andre Ragin, EDGE
With pass rusher Judge Culpepper (nine sacks) now NFL-bound, D’Andre Ragin steps into an even larger role this season after producing 41 tackles, eight TFLs, and five sacks in 2023.
Despite ranking in the top 20 of the FBS in both pressure rate and sack rate last season, defensive coordinator Vince Kehres rarely blitzed and instead relied on players like Ragin, who used his 6’2″ and 252-pound frame to shrug off blocks and force quarterbacks to make decisions quicker.
3) Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S
Used mostly on special teams in 2022, Emmanuel McNeil-Warren thrust himself into a starter role by the end of last season. He ranked third on the team with 69 tackles while adding a pair of interceptions and three pass breakups from his safety position.
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McNeil-Warren’s nose for the football and IQ were on display all season, with four fumbles forced and four TFLs — many of which were the result of his pre-snap alignment.
2) Maxen Hook, S
A three-time All-MAC selection, earning first-team all-league honors in 2022 and 2023, Maxen Hook has been named to preseason watch lists for the Chuck Bednarik Award, the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, and the Jim Thorpe Award.
Hook missed five games last season due to injury but still totaled 69 tackles, including 37 solo stops to go along with four pass breakups, a team-high three interceptions, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.
Last season, the Rockets’ secondary produced a first-round NFL draft pick in Quinyon Mitchell. Undrafted defensive back Chris McDonald should see playing time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers too.
Hook and McNeil-Warren will be relied on even more in 2024 to carry the torch forward for this group.
1) Jerjuan Newton, WR
The brother of current Washington Commanders and former Illinois defensive tackle Jer’Zhan Newton, Jerjuan Newton received first-team All-MAC recognition last season after leading the conference in receiving yards (696) and touchdowns (nine).
Newton is one of four FBS players to produce at least 50 catches and nine TD receptions in each of the last two seasons, along with three NFL draft picks in 2024 (Marvin Harrison Jr., Malachi Corley, and Troy Franklin).
If former Georgia Tech quarterback Tucker Gleason provides somewhat of a seamless transition from Finn, it could mean even more targets for the Rockets’ top pass catcher.
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