SDSU expects high production from receivers in 2026

BROOKINGS – South Dakota State lost its top receiver from last season, but the Jackrabbits are optimistic about the talent that they have at that position heading into the 2026 season.

Alex Bullock was the top receiver for the Jacks in 2025 with 71 catches for 936 yards and five touchdowns. He graduated, but SDSU returned the rest of the top five in receiving and have a lot of options at receiver ahead of the season opener on Aug. 29.

The Jacks also have their receivers coach back as Luke Bengtson will enter his second season leading the receiving room. He said he feels a lot more comfortable heading into this year.

“I mean, there’s such a big advantage being in your second year. Like, our players know the offense, but so do us coaches. So, everything [heading into the season] is like fine tuning and trying to get the details better [rather] than just learning. We know what we’re supposed to be doing to begin with, so it’s been really nice,” Bengtson said.

The leader of the receiver room on the field is sixth-year senior Grahm Goering. Goering was second on the team in receiving last year with 43 catches for 656 yards and two touchdowns. He had a strong finish to the season as he caught the game-winning touchdown against North Dakota in the regular season finale and then had 137 yards and a touchdown in SDSU’s second round playoff loss to Montana.

Bengtson said he’s expecting a big jump from Goering and it started at the end of last year.

“He’s taken a big jump. You know, he started playing really well at the end of last season, and then that carried into the spring, and now, he’s had a good summer and fall camp too. Like from where he was when we got here to where he is now, I’m really proud of his growth. He’s taking on a leadership role too and mentoring some of the young guys. He’s doing a really good job,” Bengtson said.

Goering is one of two senior wide receivers for the Jackrabbits and he’s the only graduate player at that position. Junior Lofton O’Groske joked that Goering is “like 30 years old,” and Goering said it’s a unique situation, but he’s taking pride in being the elder statesman of the receivers.

“I think it’s kind of unique because I’m a sixth year and then our next oldest guy [is a junior],” Goering said. “… There is a weight for me for sure, and I take pride in how I lead. I’ve seen a lot of growth in our room because you can’t just have one leader. 

“Not saying I’m that guy, but the more leaders you have, the better your room is going to be. A lot of guys have stepped up, and it’s been really cool to see them grow and mature because they are still young. They’re sophomores at the end of the day. So, I do hold myself to a high standard when it comes to leadership.”

The aforementioned O’Groske had a strong start to his sophomore season in 2025. He looked like he was going to lead the Jacks in receiving and follow a long line of Jackrabbits that have come onto the scene early in their career.

O’Groske had 23 catches for 278 yards and two touchdowns in the first three games of the season. He missed two games in the beginning of October due to an injury and then had 43 yards and a touchdown against North Dakota State on Oct. 25. However, that would be his final game of the season as he got hurt again and wasn’t able to come back.

O’Groske said last season was tough, with SDSU losing four-straight games after he got hurt a second time and the Jacks ultimately sputtering out in the FCS Playoffs. He added that he and his teammates learned a lot last season.

“Obiviously, we started it off amazing,” O’Groske said. “Like starting 7-0, we were doing great and staying on the rails. We were feeling really good, and obviously those injuries hurt me. It was freak injuries. They’re not any soft tissue stuff where you can prevent those kinds of injuries. Chase [Mason getting injured], that obviously hurt us a lot. … That obviously affected us. We had more than just me and Chase. I think at one point we had six or seven starters out, which really hurt us. … But I think [we learned a lot] from just feeling [the losses]. 

“I mean a lot of these returners have come from two championship [seasons] and we hadn’t really experienced the real silence of the losses that we had. Like four in a row, that’s just a horrible feeling for a team and I think we can learn from that feeling. We hate losing.”

There’s high expectations for O’Groske going into his junior season as he was named a Preseason All-American by Stats Perform. Bengtson said consistency and health are going to be keys for O’Groske if he wants to have an All-American type season.

“His talent is undeniable, right?,” Bengtson said. “I mean, you just turn on the film and you see that, and you see what he did against Montana State, and now we just need to get that from him every single week. You know, he feels better now, and you know he’ll be ready to roll. As long as he can stay healthy for the whole season, I think he’s going to have a monster breakout year.”

The rest of the receivers that are expected to have playing time in 2026 are underclassmen. Sophomore Jack Smith replaced some of O’Groske’s production in the back half of last year as he finished with 33 catches for 396 yards and four touchdowns in his freshman season. He also had a long rushing touchdown against South Dakota.

Sophomore Sammy Dresie and redshirt freshman Landon Dulaney are two other guys that Bengtson said could make an impact this season.

Bengtson said his goal for the receiving room in the spring and fall camp was to pay attention to the details so that they can have more explosive plays through the air this year, which was something that was lacking in 2025.

“[I want them to have] attention to detail. Like we knew what to do generally overall [last season], but how do you kind of take it to the next level? All of those little details show up on the field and make a big difference. So, a lot of that, it sounds simple, but just making big plays down the field. We know we have to be more explosive on offense and that starts with [the receivers]. When we get opportunities down the field, we have to go make those plays,” Bengtson said.

Bengtson’s receivers will have their first chance at that in a week and a half when they welcome Stetson to Brookings. Kickoff for the season opener is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Aug. 29.