The influx of new names to James Madison’s two-deep was tough to track at times throughout the spring.

They just kept cracking the lineup.

During the Dukes’ campaign, in which they reached the semifinals of the FCS postseason, 15 true freshmen and seven redshirt freshmen saw game action. And as part of the debuting youthful core, 16 players across all classes became regular, full-time starters for the first time in their careers at JMU.

Whether they earned their way to a spot atop the depth chart or needed to start because of an injury or a coronavirus-impacted absence to other personnel, younger players were consistently needed to step into vital roles for the Dukes.

“Playing this spring season, it definitely helped us with experience,” senior defensive end Mike Greene said after they were beat 38-35 by eventual national champion Sam Houston earlier this month.

Some of the up-and-comers excelled greater than others, though, and therefore proved what’s ahead during their time in Harrisonburg – beginning again in just a few short months with the traditional fall slate – is promising. Here are four players who emerged this spring and could become mainstays for the program at their respective positions:

The 6-foot-1, 200-pound freshman wide receiver was at his best during the playoffs.

“It just escalated,” Dukes coach Curt Cignetti said about the growing confidence Wells Jr. displayed throughout the postseason.

Wells Jr. tallied 33 catches for 603 yards and six touchdowns for the spring. Eighteen of those receptions for 364 yards and four touchdowns came in three playoff games against VMI, North Dakota and Sam Houston.

Ahead of the meeting with the Bearkats, Sam Houston coach K.C. Keeler said Wells Jr., “is as impressive as a freshman wide receiver as I’ve ever seen.”

The Fork Union Military Academy and Highland Springs product started slow, but by the end of the season was quarterback Cole Johnson’s clear go-to target. Cignetti said Wells Jr. has great practice habits and is extremely competitive.

Wells Jr. will enter the fall as the unquestioned No. 1 receiver on the roster.

Reid was in line for playing time going into the season, but perhaps not for as much as he ended up playing throughout the spring.

The third-year sophomore was a full-time starter by Week 2 following the injury to fellow safety Sam Kidd. Reid and Kidd were expected to share responsibilities at free safety, but Reid rarely came off the field.

He was fourth on the team in tackles with 38, and had two interceptions, two pass breakups and five quarterback hurries.

“Last year when he got in, it seemed like every time he was in the game, he made a play,” Cignetti said last month about Reid, “whether it was a big tackle, a forced fumble, an interception or what have you and he’s had a number of big plays this year, too. He’s in his third year, so he’s not a young guy anymore and I think the experience he got early in the year has really helped him.”

The Concord, N.C. native has the inside track to start at safety again for the Dukes.

Cignetti called Potts, “a real, physical dude,” following Potts’ first career start earlier this spring.

Potts was the second true freshman to earn a start on the offensive line for the Dukes in 2021, when he was given the nod against William & Mary in late March. More impressively, he kept his position at right guard for the remainder of the campaign.

The 6-foot-3, 300-pounder fit in well with JMU’s front while helping the Dukes fill the void left behind by injured All-American right tackle Liam Fornadel. Nick Kidwell, who began the season as the starter at right guard, slid to right tackle and Potts was inserted into the right guard spot.

He’ll have a chance to keep a starting role this fall, too, even with Fornadel expected to return. Left guard Truvell Wilson graduated, so JMU could opt to move either Kidwell or Potts – whoever isn’t playing on the right side – to left guard.

Before arriving in Harrisonburg, Potts was highly recruited and notched 15 scholarship offers, including four from programs in the Mid-American Conference while he was a standout at St. Francis DeSales in Columbus, Ohio.

One season-ending injury after another could’ve derailed JMU’s defensive line before the season started.

But the Dukes got significant contributions from players like redshirt freshman defensive tackle James Carpenter, who developed into a starter when he was needed. Carpenter produced, too, finishing with 21 tackles, five tackles for loss, two sacks, an interception, a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry.

The Roanoke Catholic graduate, having only appeared in one game for JMU in 2019, showed he could play well against FCS competition this spring. He’ll be challenged in the fall for the starting spot he filled over the last few months; but with the experienced he gained, could be in position to hold onto it.