Last week we looked at returning SEC quarterbacks that will attempt to match the offensive output of those headed to the NFL. This week we’re going to take a look at the wide receivers that will have “a hand” or two in helping those quarterbacks keep the trend going. Six of your top ten pass catchers and Eight out of your top ten yardage guys will be catching passes from an NFL QB next year, but there are still some talented Receivers looking to give defensive backs fits in 2014. Here are a few I expect to haul in our attention next season.
Dorial Green-Beckham – Missouri At 6’6″ Dorial Green-Beckham is a QB’s best friend in the red zone. Along with Mike Evans, Green-Beckham led the league with 12 TD receptions for the 2013 season. 2014 should see a rise in those numbers for the talented WR. Green-Beckham’s targets will drastically increase due to the departure of other top receivers Washington (50 rec. 893 yds. 10TD) and Lucas (58 rec. 692 yds. 3TD) and even if he does see a ton of double coverage the targets will be there. I personally see the Missouri offense going to the next level and as long as some early January legal issues don’t get in the way, Beckham-Green will be a big reason.
Jameon Lewis – Mississippi State Versatility is the word for the 5’9 195 lb Sr to be. Lewis can lineup at any skill position on offense and make you pay if you don’t find him, but as a junior he took his biggest step at the WR position. The talent has always been there for Lewis but the knowledge of the position has been a work in progress. A QB in high school, Lewis was recruited to be the Percy Harvin of Dan Mullen’s offense but more times than not Lewis found himself out of place on most plays. Some time between his Sophomore and Junior season something clicked though. His routes looked crisp(don’t you love that word) and he didn’t look lost on the field. As a matter of fact, the Bulldog WR has developed a knack for finding a gap in zone coverages or getting open when a play is falling apart. Lewis finished 2013 with 64 receptions for 923 yards and 5 TD’s to go along with 3 rushing TDs and 3 passing TDs. Expect Lewis and Dak Prescott to give defenses fits in 2014.
Laquon Treadwell – Ole Miss As a part of Hugh Freezes star studded 2013 recruiting class, everyone expected big things from Laquon Treadwell, but even still I believe he surpassed expectations in 2013. With Donte Moncrief on everyone’s preseason All-SEC list I didn’t expect there to be many targets left for Treadwell but he finished third in the conference with 72 receptions surpassing Moncrief’s respectable 59 receptions. Now with Moncrief off to the NFL the sky is the limit for Treadwell. At 6’3″ 215 lbs Treadwell is the perfect combination of size and speed and he has perfect timing going after the jump ball. An already above average route runner, with a full spring and summer to work with QB Bo Wallace, Treadwell looks like a star in the making.
Sammie Coates – Auburn It’s called Big Play Ability. Sammie Coates may have finished outside the top 20 in receptions with 42 but those 42 receptions were for 902 yds and 7 TDs. That’s a whopping 21.5 Yards per catch and the best in the league. All this with Nick Marshall learning to play QB on the fly in Gus Malzahn’s offense. Another WR gifted with great size (6’2″ 200lbs) and ability (4.31 40 time), Coates can beat you deep or make the tough catch over the middle and take a big hit. The more Gus Malzahn gets his offense installed the more Coates will really start to shine, and as a sophomore has a ton of upside. A game changer already, Coates will be open often in 2014.
Amari Cooper – Alabama This off-season is shaping up to be very interesting for the Alabama Crimson Tide. With long time starter and legendary tattoo bearer A.J. McCarron gone the QB position at Alabama is a mystery but it shouldn’t make too much of a difference. Alabama is a running team and with T.J. Yeldon and company returning nothing will change. So why does Amari Cooper make this list you ask? Well, with a great running game comes the ability to run the play action and throw over teams who try to load the box to stop the run. No team has done this better than Alabama in recent history and, wIth Kevin Norwood gone the bulk of these passes should go Coopers way and he has the talent to capitalize. It says a lot about your program when you lose a player like McCarron and still are picked to finish first in your division by most “experts”. This is the Alabama of the Saban era and Amari Cooper will be a big part of that in 2014.
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StuShoemake
Stu Shoemake is a lover of Jesus, a husband, a father to two boys, an outdoor enthusiast and the epitome of the word fanatic when it comes to sports. Born with a tomahawk in one hand and a cowbell in the other, he is armed with a plethora of knowledge concerning Baseball and College Sports. But the Atlanta Braves and Mississippi State Bulldogs are his weapons of choice. Kneeling down to rub some dirt between his hands before the game, you won’t catch Stu chanting SEC after a nonconference win but a Braveheart or Tombstone quote are sure to be heard. “I’m your huckleberry. That’s just my game”
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