#10Strong Spring Preview | Wide Receivers

One of the biggest disappointments on the team last year was the depth of the wide receivers. When Leonte Carroo was injured or suspended, there was really no one to pick up the slack. Andre Patton was supposed to be a great #2 receiver and Carlton Agudosi was supposed to have a breakout year. No wide receiver not named Leonte Carroo had more than 1 touchdown catch. That is a disturbing statistic and does not bode well for the future.

That can be attributed to poor QB play, bad play-calling, or poor coaching from Anthony Campanile. Regardless, the other wide receivers on the roster did not get the job done. Jafar Williams is now the man in charge of the wide receivers and will have to get Andre Patton ready to be the #1 receiver. Also, Carlton Agudosi will be a 5th-year senior and is in his last season. This HAS to be the year that his 6'6" frame is utilized properly. Finally, Janarion Grant will need to get the ball in his hands more to truly help tie together this diverse unit.

The Players

Starter Quality

RS-Sr Carlton Agudosi

Sr Janarion Grant

Sr Andre Patton

RS-Jr  John Tsimis

Can earn extended time

RS-Fr Jawuan Harris

RS-Sr Vance Matthews

So Dontae Owens

In the abyss

RS-Jr Sandy Anya

RS-Fr Rashad Blunt

RS-Fr JoJo Gause

RS-Fr Christopher Parker

RS-So Ntwademela Perry

RS-Jr Alex Schoen

RS-Fr Justice Stewart

As of now, there are only 3 receivers on the current roster that really contributed last year. Tsimis was injured for most of the year but showed potential in 2014 and can definitely play at a high level. Walk-on Vance Matthews and 2-sport athlete Jawuan Harris have been hyped up, but Matthews never got extended playing time and Harris was injured and took a redshirt year. Based on what people are saying about them, they can make an impact. Dontae Owens had his redshirt wrongfully burned by Kyle Flood at the end of last year, but is a dynamic athlete who can play all over the field. The rest of the wide receivers have yet to see any game action and are complete unknowns.

Who will emerge?

Only having 4 guys with legit game experience is not going to fly. Some unknown or under appreciated players will have to step up this Spring. Maybe Dontae Owens shows why Kyle Flood chose to play him late in the season. Maybe Jawuan Harris lives up to the hype given by Leonte Carroo. Someone from the abyss has a great opportunity to step up and make a name for themselves. This is a position group where just about every spot is open.

Different roles in a different offense

It is very likely that Janarion Grant shifts from a slot receiver to an h-back. This means he will spend some time in the slot, but also take the ball out of the backfield on reverses and similar plays. This position suits him better because the focus on the h-back is to get them the ball in space, where Grant is an absolute nightmare. This opens up a spot for potentially John Tsimis to slide into the slot and get more reps. I could see a guy like Jawuan Harris backing up Grant in that h-back role or playing some slot as well. Carlton Agudosi and Andre Patton will likely stay on the outside, but will need to learn how to block more. There will be a lot more runs to the outside with the spread offense and read option. The last thing these guys want to do i be responsible for the starting QB getting lit up. Blocking may be the biggest challenge, since there hasn't been an emphasis on it in the past. However, they are all big bodies and should do well with good coaching.

Spread the wealth

With Carroo gone and a guarantee for more offense, there is a lot of receptions, yards, and TDs to go around this group. I highly doubt that one receiver will dominate like Carroo did, and my best guess is Patton and Agudosi lead in receptions, yards, and TDs given their experience and potential. However, Grant is the type of player that can take over a game like Braxton Miller did against Virginia Tech when he was on Ohio State. They play the same position and if a defense can't stop him, the ball will keep coming his way. I think with the up-tempo offense come more substitutions and more playing time for backups. Showing effort and skill in blocking will earn these guys playing time and potentially help them put up some state while they are on the field. That being said, the coaches will be very smart about who is on the field for which plays, since this offense will be ran very meticulously.

Position Prediction

1. RS-Sr Carlton Agudosi
2. Sr Janarion Grant
3. Sr Andre Patton
4. RS-Jr  John Tsimis
5. So Dontae Owens
6. RS-Fr Jawuan Harris
7. RS-Sr Vance Matthews
8. The Abyss

Tomorrow: #10Strong Spring Preview | Tight Ends