KJ Maye is usually the first teammate Gophers quarterback Mitch Leidner mentions when asked which receivers have been standing out in practice.
"If you ever go watch KJ on film, he's easily the guy who's working harder than every single guy on the field," Leidner said. "When a teammate makes a catch, he'll be downfield, blocking a guy for 10 yards. It's unbelievable the motor that he has."
Maye emerged as more of a playmaker for the Gophers last season, with 16 receptions for 298 yards, along with 10 rushes for 144 yards. He scored two touchdowns.
Maye said his biggest goal this season is to go 13-0 as a team. He said he also wrote down some individual goals: 10 touchdowns, 60 receptions and 900 yards.
"This whole summer, I was just thinking about that," Maye said. "How am I going to get better? How am I going to improve my weaknesses?"
The Gophers need more production from their receivers this year.
"KJ Maye has had a great camp," coach Jerry Kill said Sunday. "[Drew] Wolitarsky's really done well. We moved him inside [to slot receiver], and I think he's really had a good camp. Eric Carter's done some very good things, and Melvin Holland's done some really good things.
"Jeff Jones had a good practice [Sunday], and Rashad Still, when he gets all of it figured out, he's a freak of nature. Desmond Gant's still learning. It's just going to be a learning process. We're going to suffer through some things, but we've got guys who can get vertical with some length."
