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Athlon Sports ranks top fifty receiving corps nationally(8 SEC schools)

Posted on 8/9/17 at 4:51 pm
Posted by Gatorbait2008
Member since Aug 2015
22953 posts
Posted on 8/9/17 at 4:51 pm
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SEC schools
5. Florida - Under Jim McElwain’s direction, this unit has slowly morphed from a weakness into a strength. Antonio Callaway has led the team in receiving yards over the last two seasons and could be poised for his first 1,000-yard campaign with new quarterback Feleipe Franks at the controls. Brandon Powell (45 catches) is a reliable No. 2, but McElwain is eager to utilize Tyrie Cleveland more after Cleveland averaged a healthy 21.3 yards per catch in 2016. Dre Massey also returns after missing nearly all of last season due to a knee injury. Sophomores Freddie Swain and Josh Hammond are expected to provide depth at receiver, but freshmen James Robinson and Kadarius Toney will push for playing time. DeAndre Goolsby, C’yontai Lewis and true freshman Kemore Gamble provide a trio of options at tight end.

6. South Carolina - With Jake Bentley under center for a full year, South Carolina’s offense is poised to show marked improvement on the stat sheet. The Gamecocks averaged only 20.8 points per game last fall and ranked 13th in the SEC in rushing offense. But Bentley’s play at the end of 2016 changed the outlook for this unit, and the sophomore quarterback is surrounded by a talented group of skill players on the outside. Deebo Samuel leads the way at receiver after catching 59 passes for 783 yards and a touchdown last fall. Samuel will be joined by rising star Bryan Edwards, who is poised for a bigger role in the offense after catching 44 passes as a true freshman in 2016. Fellow freshmen Shi Smith, Randrecous Davis and OreTre Smith are expected to join Terry Googer and Chavis Dawkins as the other top contributors at receiver. Tight end Hayden Hurst (48 catches for 616 yards) is an Athlon Sports first-team All-SEC selection for 2017. Junior K.C. Crosby (23 catches last year) is the No. 2 tight end.

7. Bama - ArDarius Stewart and tight end O.J. Howard depart, but as expected in Tuscaloosa, the Crimson Tide have the next wave of standouts ready to emerge. Junior Calvin Ridley is the go-to target for quarterback Jalen Hurts and is a second-team All-American by Athlon Sports for 2017. Ridley caught 89 passes for 1,045 yards as a freshman in 2015 and grabbed 72 passes for 769 yards and seven touchdowns last fall. He also has 16 receptions of 30 or more yards over the last two seasons. Seniors Cam Sims and Robert Foster ranked as top 100 recruits by the 247Sports Composite but have combined for only 48 receptions in their career. Will Sims and Foster deliver breakout campaigns in their final year on campus? The Crimson Tide have reinforcements coming through the freshmen ranks with the arrival of Jerry Jeudy, Tyrell Shavers, Devonta Smith and Henry Ruggs. All four players ranked as top 100 recruits by the 247Sports Composite. Sophomore T.J. Simmons and junior Derek Kief are also expected to factor into the receiver rotation, while Miller Forristall, Hale Hentges and Irv Smith Jr. will battle to replace Howard at tight end.

9. Ole Miss - Even though the Rebels have a new coach (Matt Luke) and must replace tight end Evan Engram and receiver Damore’ea Stringfellow, this offense is going to score its share of points in 2017. That’s largely due to the development of sophomore quarterback Shea Patterson, along with the arrival of coordinator Phil Longo from Sam Houston State. While Engram and Stringfellow are going to be missed, Ole Miss still returns a talented and athletic group of options on the outside. Van Jefferson grabbed 49 receptions as a freshman last fall and returns as one of the primary targets for 2017. He’s joined by A.J. Brown (29 catches for 412 yards in 2016), D.K. Metcalf, DaMarkus Lodge and Markell Pack as key contributors. Redshirt freshman Tre Nixon – a former four-star recruit – is also expected to factor into the passing attack. Sophomore Octavious Cooley was expected to replace Engram at tight end, but he’s suspended indefinitely. Converted quarterback Jason Pellerin or sophomore Dawson Knox are expected to see time at tight end in Cooley’s place.


12. Missouri, 26. Auburn, 27. Aggies, 28. Georgia
This post was edited on 8/9/17 at 4:52 pm
Posted by RB10
Member since Nov 2010
43790 posts
Posted on 8/9/17 at 4:54 pm to
No LSU? List is probably right.
Posted by rmnldr
Member since Oct 2013
38215 posts
Posted on 8/9/17 at 4:54 pm to
Auburn should be higher. We probably have the best in the SEC. Nate Craig-Myers is one of the best in the country
Posted by Gatorbait2008
Member since Aug 2015
22953 posts
Posted on 8/9/17 at 4:55 pm to
Agree Auburn should be higher.
Posted by RebelTheBear
Saban's spare bedroom
Member since Aug 2016
5530 posts
Posted on 8/9/17 at 4:55 pm to
No. Just no. AU should be higher, but definitely not the best corps in the SEC.

OM has a better and more proven receiving corps than AU, and quite frankly I'm surprised that our corps is listed lower than SCAR.
This post was edited on 8/9/17 at 4:56 pm
Posted by EKG
Houston, TX
Member since Jun 2010
43980 posts
Posted on 8/9/17 at 4:58 pm to
I'm not one to offer opinions on the countless preseason sports predictions.
But year after year, I've found Athlon to be one of the worst at what they do.
That's not intended to take anything away from Florida, who I'm sure has a killer receiving corps.
Posted by cajunbama
Metairie
Member since Jan 2007
30949 posts
Posted on 8/9/17 at 4:59 pm to
quote:

rmnldr



So rustled.
Posted by Carolina_Girl
South Cackalacky
Member since Apr 2012
23973 posts
Posted on 8/9/17 at 5:02 pm to
quote:

6. South Carolina






Posted by Space Cowboy
Member since Oct 2016
4079 posts
Posted on 8/9/17 at 5:04 pm to
With all due disrespect, Athlon is a joke.
Posted by Space Cowboy
Member since Oct 2016
4079 posts
Posted on 8/9/17 at 5:08 pm to
quote:

No LSU? List is probably right.


That's the legacy we have to live with thanks to Less Miles.
Posted by Space Cowboy
Member since Oct 2016
4079 posts
Posted on 8/9/17 at 5:10 pm to
Damn...I thought this year we would at least make their top 50 simply due to the fact that we finally fired Less Miles.
Posted by BayouBengals18
Fort Worth
Member since Jan 2009
9843 posts
Posted on 8/9/17 at 5:12 pm to
quote:

That's the legacy we have to live with thanks to Less Miles.


Because LSU never had elite WR's under Les. fricking idiot.
Posted by SwaggerCopter
H TINE HOL IT DINE
Member since Dec 2012
27230 posts
Posted on 8/9/17 at 5:20 pm to
Aggies at 27 with Christian Kirk on the roster is troubling. Accurate probably but troubling.
Posted by Sid E Walker
InsecureU ©
Member since Nov 2013
23882 posts
Posted on 8/9/17 at 6:11 pm to
Bama too low. Will be in the top 3 nationally by year's end.
Posted by I-H8-BAMA
Benton, Louisiana
Member since Jan 2013
10427 posts
Posted on 8/9/17 at 6:13 pm to
LSU will be in the top 20 after the year. LSU has never had a problem with receivers.
Posted by JuiceTerry
Roond the Scheme
Member since Apr 2013
40868 posts
Posted on 8/9/17 at 6:17 pm to
Member when TT projected AUs WRs as a strength over Bama's?

When asked for reasoning, he cited three guys with 17 career catches, combined.
Posted by scrooster
Resident Ethicist
Member since Jul 2012
37581 posts
Posted on 8/9/17 at 6:33 pm to
quote:

No. Just no. AU should be higher, but definitely not the best corps in the SEC.

OM has a better and more proven receiving corps than AU, and quite frankly I'm surprised that our corps is listed lower than SCAR.


I agree, Auburn should be higher but they in no way have the best in the SEC.

As far as SCAR goes, they're legit twelve deep combined WRs and TEs. Six at WR and six at TE. It's just crazy the TE talent they have with eight on the roster. It really makes me think that recruiting certain positions has a lot to do with how many you have at that position in the NFL.

Point being, the list, fwiw being Athlons and all, takes into account TEs ... which is why SCAR is up there. Plus everyone saw what Deebo and Edwards can do last year - add that to Smith1 being an early enrollee and Smith2 wowing everyone over the summer ... if Bently can deliver the ball they should have a very potent air attack.
Posted by CrabInMyShoeMouth
Member since Jul 2016
2486 posts
Posted on 8/9/17 at 6:56 pm to
Athlon is trash and makes up meaningless polls for clicks
Posted by BowlJackson
Birmingham, AL
Member since Sep 2013
52881 posts
Posted on 8/9/17 at 6:59 pm to
quote:

As far as SCAR goes, they're legit twelve deep combined WRs and TEs. Six at WR and six at TE


Auburn is a legit 10 deep. 8 at WR and 2 at TE.
5 or 6 of the WRs are legitimate NFL talents, and I think one of the TEs is as well.
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