Keric Wheatfall learned how to find daylight on a football field a long time ago. He’s figured out how to do the same away from it this season.
Life has resembled a winding road embedded with peaks and valleys at every turn for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers rookie receiver since he arrived in the Manitoba capital.
Wheatfall, 25, signed with the Bombers in January, which marked his first professional opportunity in nine months. He started the year on the practice roster but was quickly called into action when Kenny Lawler suffered a forearm fracture in the season-opener against Montreal.
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS files Keric Wheatfall has averaged 26 yards per reception in limited action this season.
The 6-2, 194-pound receiver flashed his ability in his first contest, recording three receptions for 111 yards against Ottawa in Week 2. It looked like Wheatfall would be a big contributor from that point on. That is until he went down with a hamstring injury the next week.
The ailment wasn’t just a tweak, it also affected the mobility in his knee and required him to miss an extended period. Wheatfall, who tweaked a hamstring once in junior college and again while in training camp with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2022, had never suffered any injury to that extent before.
The Brenham, Texas, product was placed on the six-game injured list on June 28.
In a blink, the best opportunity of his young career felt as if it had been ripped away.
“That moment, it was just real dark. Honestly, I was in a hole, trying to climb out of a dark hole, for the next two to three weeks,” Wheatfall told the Free Press after the Bombers’ closed practice on Wednesday. “With the great support I had from my teammates, they got me up out of that hole. They just told me to keep on going and when I get back, just be ready.
“That’s what I did.”
Wheatfall was on the shelf for 13 weeks before making his return against the Edmonton Elks on Sept. 21, a game in which he recorded 43 yards on three catches. In last week’s rematch against the Elks, however, the young receiver popped as he got in on a season-best performance by the Bombers’ offence, tallying three receptions for 80 yards and a touchdown.
“It’s been a lot of highs and lows,” Wheatfall reflected. “I got my opportunity against Ottawa, did what I had to do, felt like I could’ve done better.
“My goal was to improve each game and the next game I got hurt, unfortunately, but the good thing I got out of being out for those three months is I got in the film room and learned other spots, as well, so when I came back I knew every spot at the receiver spot. They can put me anywhere. I really appreciate this, appreciate the opportunity, and I’m glad to be back.”
Wheatfall’s limited action has kept him relatively unknown to those outside of the Bombers’ facility, but make no mistake, he’s proven that he’s a big play waiting to happen. Though he’s caught just nine passes this season, Wheatfall ranks second in the CFL at 26 yards per reception.
“He seems to be in the right place at the right time. Zach (Collaros) seems to be able to find him. He’s made some key catches, even before he went out. He misses a little bit of time but, before that and after that he seems to be doing quite well,” said head coach Mike O’Shea, who also credited Wheatfall for being well-rounded so early in his career.
“You don’t get that action from any quarterback if you’re not gonna be in the right place at the right time if you’re not gonna run the right routes — right depth, right split, right tempo, those kinds of things. He’s another really good piece.”
With his injury behind him, Wheatfall said his focus is back to finding ways to get better each day. At the top of the list is continuing to improve his rapport with the quarterback and earn his trust.
Collaros needs no convincing on the talent that exists within one of his youngest weapons.
“I’m happy for him for how hard he’s worked to come back from injury,” Collaros said earlier this week. “I thought he was on a really good trajectory to start the season, and he’s picked up where he’s left off. Keric’s a guy who studies hard, he’s a smart kid, on top of all the intangible things that he can do on the football field. We’re happy to have him back.”
Star receiver Kenny Lawler added Wheatfall reminded him a little bit of his younger self. Lawler faced his own adversity as a rookie, believing he could contribute to a CFL team immediately but being forced to sit on the B.C. Lions’ practice roster while he waited for an opening.
“With Keric, I seen a guy that was hungry, kind of holds a chip on his shoulder, as well, as far as he wants a little but more respect because he works hard and he’s a talented player,” said Lawler, who, after being injured, helped Wheatfall prepare for a starting role.
“At the beginning of the season, we had conversations and I was letting him know that I see him, as far as, ‘I see that you’re gifted, I see that you’re talented and I’m excited to work with you.’ I went to the rookies who had it and I kind of told them similar things.
“Keric, he’s a special talent. He’s fast, he can catch the ball with the best of them, he gets in and out of his breaks with the best of him and he’s young so I’m just excited for him.”
The Bombers (9-6) travel to Hamilton to face the Tiger-Cats (6-9) on Friday (6 p.m.). It’s there Wheatfall could figure out a way to once again find daylight under the night sky.
“My mindset is to go in there and do whatever I got to do for my team. If I got the whole game I’m gonna block. If I got to run one route the whole game, I’m gonna run that route to the best of my ability,” he said.
“On a personal level, my mindset is going out there to dominate. Dominate any man coverage or zone coverage and go in there smart, knowing what I got to do… just being smart and playing hard.”
X: @jfreysam
Joshua Frey-Sam
Reporter
Josh Frey-Sam reports on sports and business at the Free Press. Josh got his start at the paper in 2022, just weeks after graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College. He’s reported primarily on amateur teams and athletes in sports and writes a weekly real estate feature for the business section. Read more about Josh.
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