Nevada’s football program has named redshirt junior wide receiver Donnie Cheers as the 25th most important player for the 2025 season, a nod to his rapid rise after a breakout year in 2024.
Having transferred from Southeast Missouri State, where he spent three seasons, Cheers quickly became a starter and posted 44 receptions for 585 yards and five touchdowns, numbers that placed him among the team’s most reliable targets.
A New Air Raid Identity
The Wolf Pack’s offensive overhaul centers on a high‑tempo Air Raid scheme, a departure from the struggling passing attack that plagued the team over the previous four seasons. Head coach Jeff Traylor believes the new system will unlock the potential of a receiving corps that has been bolstered by several transfers.
Cheers is expected to compete for a starting spot in this revamped offense, but he will face competition from other newcomers such as Damien Morgan, Gary Givens III and Jaceon Doss, each of whom arrived via the transfer portal to add depth and experience.
The excitement surrounding Cheers is not just limited to his on‑field contributions; his performance also reflects a broader effort to upgrade the wide receiving group, a unit that was identified as a trouble spot in the previous season’s statistics.
Opening the Season Against Western Kentucky
Nevada will kick off the 2025 campaign on September 5 at Mackay Stadium against Western Kentucky, a game that will serve as the first test of the Air Raid’s early chemistry and the debut of several transfer additions.
Beyond the on‑field action, the matchup will also showcase the Wolf Pack’s home crowd in Reno, a city that has long been the heart of Nevada football, and will be played under the broader banner of collegiate football across the United States.