2015 LSU Football Depth Chart Preview: The Wide Receivers
By Scotty Nola
LSU is getting some love from the national sports media as a possible National Championship Game dark horse.
LSU fans are well aware that if the passing game were less of a question mark you could change dark horse to favorite very quickly.
This team is loaded but without an air attack they could be grounded when the College Football Playoffs start.
Better QB play will help but the Wide Receivers also need to show up every week to make this happen.
The Returning Starters
Oct 11, 2014; Gainesville, FL, USA; LSU Tigers wide receiver Trey Quinn (8) catches the ball as Florida Gators defensive back Marcus Maye (20) attempted to defend during the second half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. LSU Tigers defeated the Florida Gators 30-27. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Anyone who watched LSU play last year remembers Travin Dural as one of the starters.
It’s hard to forget someone who opens the season with a 5 game streak averaging over 100 yards per game and over 25 yards per catch. At one point Dural even looked like a possible Heisman candidate.
He was just that hot.
Travin Dural will be one of the starters this year. He is the best pure speed option the Tigers have had since Devery Henderson and with Brandon Harris and his cannon arm likely starting you can expect a lot of big plays downfield.
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Tiger fans might not remember that for over half the season the starter opposite Dural was Trey Quinn. Malachi Dupre made some more eye catching plays but Quinn was the steadier contributor.
Quinn slid back into the pack a little by the end of the season last year and will probably continue to be a rotation guy rather than a starter this year.
With the Tigers penchant for rotating receivers and a desire to run more 3 and 4 receiver sets Quinn will get a lot of work.
The Returning Veterans
Sep 20, 2014; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers wide receiver Malachi Dupre (15) runs after a catch against the Mississippi State Bulldogs during the first half of a game at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Of course Travin Dural and Trey Quinn are not the only major contributors returning from last years receiver corps.
Malachi Dupre, DJ Chark and John Diarse all saw a lot of action last year and are expected to get a lot of playing time this year.
Malachi Dupre is an exceptional talent who looked like he was starting to gain some separation from the other receivers as last season wore on.
An increased focus on the pass game will mean a lot more touches for him.
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Some of the touches may come from the slot instead of the outside lane though.
DJ Chark has emerged as a legitimate downfield threat and he may line up opposite Travin Dural with Dupre moving into the slot more often.
John Diarse is another returning vet to keep an eye on.
He will play mostly in the slot again. Last year he was still a little rough on route running but he is as dynamic a player as anyone on the team when the ball is in his hands.
Aug 30, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; LSU Tigers wide receiver John Diarse (9) makes a reception during the third quarter against the Wisconsin Badgers at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Freshman Who WILL Play
5 Star recruit Tyron Johnson is one of the freshmen LSU’s coaching staff was most excited to sign last spring. He is a monster talent and he will be on the field from day 1.
Wide Receiver is a much more complicated position in college than high school so the learning curve will be a little steep at times. Still, look for the Tigers staff to find ways to get Tyron Johnson touches in games so they can benefit from his world class speed.
At least one major national media outlet has labeled the LSU wides as the 5th best receiving corps in the SEC. Don’t believe it. The talent in this group is phenomenal.
With the right help from the QB position, they could be one of the best in the nation this fall.
And you can remember that Big Easy Believer’s LSU Football Preview told you first……
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