Jordan Villamin has the ideal size (6-5, 222 lbs) and athleticism for the receiver position. When Villamin is at the top of his game, he is arguably one of the best receivers in the Pac-12. Villamin was impressive during his Freshman season in 2014 as he quickly established himself as one of QB Sean Mannion’s favorite targets. Villamin had 35 receptions, 578 yds. receiving, and 6 TD’s in 2014. Beaver Nation had high hopes for the talented receiver’s future from Fontana, CA.
In 2015 Villamin led the team in receiving yds. with 660 yds. In addition, Villamin scored 5 TD’s and had 43 receptions. Opposing Defensive coaches made it a priority to slow down Jordan. His numbers were impressive, especially during the 2015 season where there was instability at the QB position. Although the Offense struggled mightily in 2015 (the entire team struggled for that matter), Villamin was one of the few bright spots of the 2015 season. It was widely speculated that Villamin was just at the beginning of his super stardom.
Villamin was expected to put up huge numbers in 2016. Before the 2016 season, there were some people predicting that Villamin might declare for the draft after his Junior season. Villamin possesses the size and athleticism that NFL scouts drool over. In addition, Beavers had named Darrell Garretson starting QB, which meant that there was finally going to be stability in the passing game.
Even Jordan Villamin would tell you himself that the 2016 season was a disappointment. He ended the season with only 21 catches for 253 yds. and only 1TD. Villamin found himself out of the starting lineup in several games. In fairness to Jordan, the overall passing game was not successful at all in 2016, which contributed to his low numbers. Villamin admitted in an interview in the Oregonian in 2016 that the frustration of losing got to him, which made him complacent on the field. Additionally, Villamin also blamed himself for not doing a better job paying attention to the opposing defensive coverages, which often led him to be in the wrong spot to receive the football. Villamin did have an amazing performance against Arizona, where he had 6 catches for 124 yds., including a 53 yd. touchdown reception on the Beavs first drive of the game. Villamin looked like the star receiver that Beaver Nation had grown accustomed to. Although, Jordan only had 1 catch for 4 yds. against Oregon, he did amazing job blocking, which aided the running game in the teams 34-24 victory over the Ducks.
2017 should be a banner year for Jordan Villamin. Villamin and his teammates are more comfortable in their knowledge of the offense. For the first time in his OSU career, Jordan will have the same Offensive Coordinator (Kevin McGiven) for more than one season, which will contribute to his comfort level within the Offense. Also, the Beavers have named Jake Luton starting Quarterback, and he has looked good according to reports. Stability at the QB position will help Villamin’s numbers rise. Plus, Villamin will be aided by playing with a talented receiving core, and opposing defenses are likely to focus on stopping the talented Beaver running game, which should open things up in the passing game. The overall improvement of the Beaver Offense, will also likely boost Villamin’s level of play in 2017. Villamin is expected to be a huge part of the passing game with his impressive frame, athleticism, and his experience. Will Jordan Villamin live up to his remarkable talent level in the 2017 season? Stay tuned…