Elijhah Badger, Florida Football News: Draft Scout Player News

10/27/22 - WR Elijhah Badger, rSr/2025, Florida

Arizona State has been searching for its go-to receiver the last few seasons, but the potential answer was waiting for his turn to play. Following two seasons that involved taking reps on the scout team and earning limited touches last season, Elijhah Badger has steadily emerged as a top target this season. ASU's passing game floundered last season with 12 touchdowns, tied for the second-lowest in the Pac-12. Ricky Pearsall led the team with four touchdowns. Pearsall was expected to have more of a role this season on offense, but transferred to Florida during the spring. His absence gave Badger more of a position to take over. The redshirt sophomore eased into the offense in Week 1 with four catches for 38 yards against Northern Arizona. He became the bright spot on the offense within Week 2 against Oklahoma State with 91 yards and a touchdown on six catches.

Since then, he's led the receivers with four touchdowns on 490 yards. "I'm really comfortable now I know the plays," Badger said. "I'm really comfortable with everything and I'm playing into what the offense is doing right now." Badger was the energizer in last week's game that otherwise was a quiet offensive effort. In the first half, he churned out 87 yards on four catches. Badger's speed was on full display as he outran two Stanford defensive backs and caught Emory Jones' pass for a 39-yard touchdown in the second quarter. "We knew what we were going to get with him from an athletic standpoint," ASU interim head coach Shaun Aguano said. "Now comes the maturity and mental and making sure you can do it every play, and he's getting better and better. As you see he's making huge plays. I thought he was one of the better players on the field in that game." - Arizona Republic

rSr/2025