DEKALB, Ill. -- Coaches always enjoy seeing players take ownership of their team and within the Northern Illinois University receivers room, senior D.J. Brown has taken that idea even one step further, viewing his younger teammates as more than just his understudies. 

"Being an older guy, I try to revert back to when Aregeros Turner, Tommylee Lewis, Kenny (Golladay) and those type of guys were here," Brown explained. "Aregeros and Tommylee really took me under their wing, so I'm trying to take the young guys now under my wing and teach them to work. I call them my kids, I have three kids in the (receivers) room, I've got Fotis (Kokosioulis), I've got Leon Payne and Ryan Gibbons. Those guys usually work the slot, so I try to show them little things so that they will know when they get in the game, they know the things that I do."

That kind of leadership within the position group is helping a young group come along behind the three stalwarts that lead the way.  

Brown has contributed to the Huskie offense from the moment he stepped on campus, although it initially came as a running back during his true freshman season in 2015. After playing in 13 games, including a start at Boston College, at tailback in his rookie campaign, Brown moved to receiver prior to the 2016 season. Last year, Brown hit his stride as a receiver, catching 42 passes for 365 yards and three touchdown, while also remaining a dual threat as he recorded 22 carries and averaged 4.9 yards per rush. 

In addition to Brown, another veteran in the Huskie receiving corps is junior Spencer Tears, a third-team All-MAC selection a season ago. The only Huskie to catch a pass in every game in 2017, Tears led the Huskies with 43 catches for 528 yards, while his four touchdown receptions was tied for second on the team with Christian Blake. 

Along with Brown and Tears, senior Jauan Wesley will also look to increase his production in his final season as a Huskie. A native of Markham, Ill., Wesley began his college career at Iowa State, where he recorded 40 catches for 408 yards. After sitting out the 2016 season following his transfer from DeKalb, Wesley caught 10 passes for 250 yards a season ago. Wesley proved to be a deep threat in his first season at NIU, catching a 70-yard touchdown pass against Ball State and a 67-yard touchdown pass against Duke in the Quick Lane Bowl.  

NIU head coach Rod Carey is happy with his three veterans and see a lot of upside in the younger players behind them.

"Spencer (Tears) and D.J. (Brown) have played a lot, D.J. the most, and Wesley played a lot last year. I have liked what I have seen so far out of Wesley, he has to keep coming, as a senior," Carey said. "The young group is really playing pretty well. It's young, but it's talented. So it will be a matter of using them the right way. I'm really pretty pleased with how they are developing their timing with the quarterbacks."

A number of different players have shown promise amongst the young receivers, with Brown picking out four that he has high hopes for.

"Really good guys right now are Leon Payne and Fotis (Kokosioulis), they are two slots, younger guys, they are freshmen," Brown remarked. "They are going to be really good. Another one is Amir (Brummett), Amir is a big guy on the outside, and he is working on his strength right now. Those three, and Cole Tucker, those are the future in my eyes."

Carey added his praise for that quartet, as well as three more, including redshirt freshman Rodney Hall who has seen time in camp at both quarterback and wide receiver.  

"Dennis (Robinson) and Cole (Tucker) have been here (as redshirts in 2017), and are doing a nice job," Carey said. "Rodney (Hall) is out there running around playing two positions and has done a nice job. Leon Payne, Fotis (Kokosioulis), Amir Brummett and Jyran (Mitchell), I think they are all doing certain things well. We are keeping them in specific roles right now to help get them going faster."

Practice Notes: Overcast skies and somewhat humid air greeted the Huskies on Monday afternoon as they returned to the practice field after an off day on Sunday and Carey was pleased with what he saw in Monday's workout. 

"I liked it, but I want to see some of the finer details (on film)," said Carey. "I thought we were flat to start, but they progressed as we went. We are starting to make the transition out of camp, but they have been grinding pretty hard."

The defense had a good share of the success in full team periods, particularly early in practice. As he did throughout the 2017 season, defensive end Sutton Smith found himself in the offensive backfield on numerous occasions. Safety Trayshon Foster made a good play that nearly resulted in an interception while corner Jalen Embry got the defensive sideline excited with a perfectly timed hit that separated a pass from its intended receiver. 

NIU's offensive also had success during Monday's practice, including a long run up the middle from junior tailback Marcus Jones on a long drive by the first-team offense. 

Up Next: NIU will return to the practice field on Tuesday afternoon at 3:30 p.m., at Huskie Stadium. 

The Huskies kick off the 2018 campaign at Iowa Saturday, Sept. 1 and will welcome Utah the following weekend to Huskie Stadium. Season ticket packages start as low as $55 in 2018 with the Huskie Stadium Family Pack (four tickets for $220), while a general admission ticket on the East Side is only $60. Mini-plans were introduced last week. Fans can pick two Saturday games and one midweek MACtion game for $70. Single game tickets for all five 2018 NIU home football games are on sale NOW online at NIUHuskies.com or by calling 815-753-PACK (7225).