After Western Kentucky quarterback Caden Veltkamp announced his transfer to the Florida Atlantic Owls, one of his teammates will join him as Easton Messer brings his talent to Boca Raton.
Easton Messer
Wide Receiver
5-9, 180 lbs
Transfer
Western Kentucky
Messer announced his commitment to the Owls on Monday afternoon via X, shortly after entering the portal on Dec. 9. He joins the team with two years of eligibility remaining.
He looks for a new opportunity after being a member of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers for three years, earning his opportunities as a starter while building a connection with Veltkamp. This past season saw him with his best performances to date, recording 55 catches for 793 yards and four touchdowns.
Messer reached the mark of 100 receiving yards once, doing it against UTEP on Oct. 10 with six catches for 106 yards. His chemistry with Veltkamp was solid throughout the year, catching around 20% of the quarterback’s completed passes.
Like his teammate, Messer was also at FAU, being at the newly named Flagler Credit Union Stadium for the annual Boca Raton Bowl on Dec. 18. He caught three passes from Veltkamp for 68 yards against James Madison, giving FAU a direct sneak peek of what’s to come.
He took advantage of the chances given to him in 2023, becoming an active player in the rotation on offense and special teams. He caught 42 passes for 484 yards and four touchdowns on the season, finishing third on the team in all three categories. Messer also served as WKU’s kick returner, posting 333 yards on 15 returns.
He had season highs of nine catches and 116 yards during WKU’s 52-22 win over Houston Christian on Sept. 9 and a season-high 102 yards on five returns against New Mexico State on Nov. 11. Messer ranked third in Conference USA in kick return yards. Messer received CUSA All-Conference and All-Freshman Team honors as a kick returner and was also named to the CUSA All-Freshman Team as a receiver.
Messer was viewed as a two-star prospect by recruiting outlets coming out of high school. On 247Sports, he has a 77 score as the 25th-best player in the state of Kentucky and 360th-best receiver in the Class of 2022. He had multiple offers from the likes of Air Force, Marshall, and Eastern Kentucky among other schools before choosing Western Kentucky in January 2022.
Messer has the ability to torch defenders on routes and break down opposing defenses with his speed and strength including his connection with Veltkamp, making him a potential weapon for FAU’s depth at wide receiver.
His highlights from the 2023 season can be viewed below: