Receiver, Rice and Hawai’i, 2016–⁠21

Aaron Cephus

Lettered 2020–⁠21 (school media guide)

Number
No. 28
Height
6′4″
Weight
200 lb
Class (2021)
Senior
Hometown
Houston, TX

Aaron Cephus played receiver at Rice (2016–⁠18), Hawai’i (2020–⁠21), Rice (2021) and Hawai’i (2021).

At a glance

Best season
622
Receiving yards, 2017 (Rice, 1–⁠11)
National rank
No. 1
In the nation in yards per catch, 2017

Career highs

7catches, career highat Louisiana Tech, 2018105receiving yards, career highat UTSA, 20172receiving touchdowns, career highat Southern Miss, 2018

Honors

Receiving

Receiving yards, season by season, with his team’s record
SeasonTeamRecYdsAvgTDLong
2017Rice2562224.9563
2018Rice4056514.1541
2020Hawai’i12929.0029
2021Hawai’i78011.4149
Career731,29617.81163

Season lines from CollegeFootballData, regular season and bowls.

On the roster

SeasonTeamNo.PosClassHtWt
2017Rice28WRYr 1
2018Rice28WRYr 2
2020Hawai’i28WRYr 4
2021Hawai’i28WRSr. (Yr 5)
2021Rice28WRSr. (Yr 5)6′4″200

As each season’s roster listed the player (CollegeFootballData). Classes before the latest listing are counted back from it; “Yr 1” is the year on file where that count can’t place a season he played (a redshirt, transfer or 2020 year); height and weight as last listed.

Per play

SeasonTeamPlaysEPA/playPctileMedianTotalUsage
2017Rice440.9392nd (n=507)0.5240.77%
2018Rice710.5757th (n=497)0.5340.59%
2020Hawai’i12.53––2.5–
2021Hawai’i100.12––1.2–

Expected points added: how much the player’s plays moved the team’s expected score, per play and in total. Plays: total EPA divided by EPA per play, the plays the source credits to him (for a receiver roughly his catches and runs, not every target; for a passer, not every attempt), so it can differ from attempts plus carries. Percentile: against the position’s regulars that season across all divisions on file (quarterbacks with 150+ plays, backs 60+, receivers and tight ends 30+), with how many there were (n) and their median; a dash means too few plays to rank. A season in progress uses the full-season bar scaled by games played, never below 75 plays for quarterbacks, 30 for backs and 20 for receivers. The cohort grows or shrinks with the source’s coverage each season (2025 lists far more players), so compare percentiles rather than raw EPA across years. FCS seasons are marked. Usage: the share of the team’s plays the player was part of (shown from 20 plays). From CollegeFootballData, 2013 on.

Game by game

2021 Hawai’i 5 games, 7 catches, 80 yards, 1 TD
DateOpponentResultRecYdsTDLong
Aug 28atUCLAL 10–⁠44149049
Sep 4vs.Portland StateW 49–⁠352314
Sep 11atOregon StateL 27–⁠45117017
Sep 18vs.San José StateL 13–⁠17217010
Oct 23vs.New Mexico StateW 48–⁠341−60−6
2020 Hawai’i 1 game, 1 catch, 29 yards
DateOpponentResultRecYdsTDLong
Nov 14atSan Diego StateL 10–⁠34129029
2018 Rice 11 games, 40 catches, 565 yards, 5 TD
DateOpponentResultRecYdsTDLong
Aug 25vs.Prairie View A&MW 31–⁠28110010
Sep 1vs.HoustonL 27–⁠45595039
Sep 8atHawai’iL 29–⁠43597141
Sep 22atSouthern MissL 22–⁠40322213
Sep 29atWake ForestL 24–⁠56427111
Oct 6vs.UTSAL 3–⁠20464023
Oct 13vs.UABL 0–⁠42135035
Oct 20atFlorida InternationalL 17–⁠36224014
Oct 27atNorth TexasL 17–⁠41679135
Nov 3vs.UTEPL 26–⁠34231020
Nov 10atLouisiana TechL 13–⁠28781029
2017 Rice 10 games, 25 catches, 622 yards, 5 TD
DateOpponentResultRecYdsTDLong
Sep 9atUTEPW 31–⁠14152152
Sep 16atHoustonL 3–⁠38127027
Sep 23vs.Florida InternationalL 7–⁠13554015
Oct 7vs.ArmyL 12–⁠49387158
Oct 21atUTSAL 7–⁠202105155
Oct 28vs.Louisiana TechL 28–⁠42275151
Nov 4atUABL 21–⁠524100163
Nov 11vs.Southern MissL 34–⁠43468033
Nov 18atOld DominionL 21–⁠241404
Nov 25vs.North TexasL 14–⁠30250046

Box scores from CollegeFootballData, 2004 on. ✦ postseason; ★ a career high on file.

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