Who is Chamon Metayer? Cincinnati tight end gets Bearcats' first touchdowns in Big 12 play
Seeking their first-ever conference win in Big 12 play Friday night at BYU, the Cincinnati Bearcats did score their first touchdown against a conference opponent since joining the league, on tight end Chamon Metayer's 27-yard reception from quarterback Emory Jones in the second quarter in Provo.
Metayer added another TD late in the third quarter of UC's 35-27 loss, on a juggling catch as he fell in the end zone sure to show up in college football highlights of the week.
"This is SportsCenter top-10 worthy, the concentration," ESPN analyst Aaron Murray said of Metayer's second TD. "To be able to reel it in and just get that left cheek in bounds."
They were Metayer's first two TDs as a Bearcat.
Metayer's breakout has come in UC's first two Big 12 games.
The 6-foot-5 redshirt sophomore did have a 27-yard run on a fake punt and a catch for a 2-point conversion against the Miami RedHawks.
But then his team-high 50 receiving yards on three catches in UC's loss to Oklahoma included a 35-yard reception, the longest of his young UC career.
And he followed it with Friday's big plays against the Cougars, finishing the game with three catches for 59 yards.
What to know about Metayer:
Metayer committed to UC after decommitting from the Miami Hurricanes.
Metayer, who starred at North Miami High School, committed to UC in September 2020.
He had committed to the University of Miami in February 2019 but reopened his recruitment the following year.
Metayer also had offers, per 247sports.com, from Auburn, Colorado, Florida, Florida State, Indiana, Kentucky, Marshall, Maryland, Nebraska, South Carolina, UAB, UCF, USF and West Virginia.
After redshirting in 2021, Metayer had one catch last season.
Metayer's only reception in six games was a 32-yard catch against Kennesaw State.
He missed six games because of injury.
He did have two touchdowns in the Bearcats' 2022 Spring Game.
"I waited my turn," Metayer told The Enquirer's Scott Springer in August. "I didn't run from the grind. Now it's time to lead these guys to the best ability I can."
Springer added that Chad Bowden, the son of former Cincinnati Reds general manager Jim Bowden and now Notre Dame's director of recruiting, sold Metayer on UC.
Metayer switched from No. 18 to No. 1 to No. 7.
Metayer wore No. 7 when he helped Miami Central to a 6A state championship.
He wore No. 11 at North Miami, where he also played linebacker.
Metayer was a high school basketball star in addition to football.
Metayer had some hoping he'd pursue college basketball instead.
Metayer scored 34 points for North Miami in a district semifinal in February 2021.
Metayer played forward for the Pioneers, and led the team his senior year in points per game (15.8) and field-goal percentage (59), as well as rebounds (8.5).
Metayer is one of 10 players from Florida high schools on the Bearcats' roster.
Half of the 10 Bearcats from high schools in Florida, including Metayer, receivers Dee Wiggins and Xzavier Henderson, cornerback Rayquan Adkins and linebacker Jah-Mal Williams, are from the Miami area.
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This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Who is Chamon Metayer? Cincinnati tight end gets Bearcats' Big 12 TDs
