Nevada football's projected post-spring camp two-deep depth chart on offense
The Nevada football team finished spring camp last week with the "Friday Night Lights Spring Showcase" at Carson High. While the Wolf Pack will not release an official post-spring depth chart, we can take our best guess on the post-spring game depth chart, which will be fluid before Nevada's season opener Aug. 30 at Penn State. Today, we analyze the Wolf Pack offense under second-year head coach Jeff Choate and first-year coordinator David Gilbertson.
While Nevada returns only three starters on offense, that's better than the one back on defense. The Wolf Pack lost its top passer, top-three rushers and top-two pass-catchers plus three starting offensive linemen, including one who transferred to Oregon and another to Cal. That leaves a sizable rebuild for a unit that averaged 23.1 points per game, which was improved over 2023's 17.3 ppg but still ranked 105th out of 134 FBS schools. Here's our projected post-spring camp depth chart.
Nevada's offensive projected starters
QB Chubba Purdy, 6-3/218, sr.: Purdy takes the top spot on the quarterback depth chart into the offseason, and it'd be a surprise if he doesn't start the season opener at Penn State, barring injury. Purdy enters his sixth college season after two at Florida State, two at Nebraska and now two at Nevada. He is an excellent athlete who is dangerous with his legs and must prove he can (a) stay healthy and (b) operate an offense with his arm in his final college season. Backup: AJ Bianco, jr.
RB Herschel Turner Jr., 5-9/190, soph.: Nevada went running back by committee last season with nobody carrying the ball even 10 times per game from the position. It could be the same story in 2025, but the hunch is Turner wins this job and gets the lion's share of the work. After a historic prep career out of the Bay Area (3,027 yards and 42 TDs as a senior), Turner tallied 405 yards and 5.1 yards per carry as a freshman at Utah State last season with four scores. Backup: Caleb Ramseur, sr.
WR Marcus Bellon*, 5-9/182, sr.: Six Wolf Pack players had 10-plus catches last season; Bellon is the only returning player from that group. The Truckee High alum was a pleasant surprise last season and will be counted on to take the next step and lead the receiver group in 2025. Bellon has slot receiver size but could be moved around the formation to get him the ball more often. He has excellent shake to his game and is an excellent punt returner, too. Backup: Charles Brown, sr.
WR Marshaun Brown, 6-4/201, soph.: Starting spots at wideout will be battled for until the season opener after Nevada lost top pass-catchers Jaden Smith and Cortez Braham Jr. in the offseason. Brown has the most potential of anybody at the position with a tremendous size (6-4/201) and speed combo. The Bishop Manogue product only has six catches for 76 yards in his first two college seasons, but the opportunity is there for him to emerge in 2025. Backup: Jordan Brown, sr.
WR Nate Burleson II, 6-2/161, soph.: We'll slot another redshirt sophomore in a starting spot in Burleson, although it seems unlikely Nevada starts two youngsters as Texas Tech transfer Jordan Brown and Southern Miss transfer Dakota Thomas also push for reps. Burleson has been tracked as the Wolf Pack's fastest wideout, which he showed with a deep-ball touchdown catch against Fresno State last season. Like Marshaun Brown, this is a big year in his development. Backup: Dakota Thomas, sr.
TE Jace Henry, 6-4/269, sr.: Henry, a Dartmouth transfer, started Nevada's first four games last year before suffering a season-ending foot injury, which impacted the Wolf Pack's run game. Henry is a big-bodied tight end primarily known for his blocking, although he caught two touchdowns last season, so he's a red zone weapon, too. Andrew Savaiinaea is a Florida transfer who got some reps at Nevada last year. The Pack also likes EWU transfer Jett Carpenter. Backup: Andrew Savaiinaea, jr.
LT Jack Foster, 6-7/295, jr.: A Boise native, Foster has the length to play tackle and good experience at the FCS level, appearing in two games at Idaho in 2022, six in 2023 and 14 in 2024. Last year was his first as a starter, and he did so for one of the top FCS programs as the Vandals made back-to-back quarterfinal appearances. He played right tackle at Idaho, but we'll project him on the left side. He's a key transfer that must produce at a high level for Nevada in 2025. Backup: Jakobus Seth, jr.
LG Hadine Diaby, 6-3/300, jr.: Another FCS transfer, Diaby has experience at every offensive line position but center from his time at Tennessee State. Guard is his best fit after he was an HBCU freshman All-American in 2023. Diaby is a scrapper who should be a plus in the run game in his first season in the FBS. Tennessee State made last year's FCS playoffs, so Nevada targeted high-rep players from winning programs with its Union transfer additions. Backup: Snoop Leota-Amaama, jr.
C Andrew Madrigal*, 6-3/314, sr.: Madrigal is entering his fourth year as a starter at Nevada and fifth season in the program overall, making him one of the team's most experienced players. His 33 career starts are the most of any returning Wolf Pack player. This spring, Madrigal practiced some at guard, his original position at Nevada, so he could slot there, too, if the Wolf Pack wants to start Dylan Lopez, an Oregon State transfer, at center. The hunch is Madrigal stays put. Backup: Dylan Lopez, jr.
RG Josh Grabowski*, 6-3/304, sr.: After starting the season playing some tight end, Grabowski emerged as a starter at guard in the second half of the 2024 season. He appeared in all 12 games with seven starts and won the team's Basalite Big Blocker award as the Wolf Pack's top offensive lineman in 2025. And that included Madrigal not to mention Isaiah World (who transferred to Oregon) and Tyson Ruffins (who transferred to Cal). He's a fifth-year senior in 2025. Backup: Tyler Miller, fr.
RT John Bolles, 6-4, 291, sr.: This position is wide open. Bolles has dealt with injuries during his Wolf Pack tenure but is entering his third season at Nevada after two at the College of San Mateo. He has good length and athleticism and is entering a now-or-never season after playing in nine games last year as a reserve lineman and as a jumbo-package tight end late in the season. Nevada is also high on redshirt freshman Henry Sellards. Backup: Henry Sellards, fr.
K Kian Afrookhteh, 5-7/195, jr.: Afrookhteh subbed in for an injured Matthew Killam last season and made both of his field-goal attempts (with a long of 27 yards) and all nine extra points. He is entering his fourth college season after two at Saddleback College and last year at Nevada. The Wolf Pack also picked up Keaton Emmett, a transfer from Western Oregon, this offseason and returns Tyler Manship, an Incline High graduate. Backup: Keaton Emmett, soph.
* - indicates returning starter, which is defined by starting at least half the team's games in 2024
Columnist Chris Murray provides insight on Northern Nevada sports. Contact him at crmurray@sbgtv.com or follow him on Twitter @ByChrisMurray.
