LSU’s wide receivers were, for the most part, a mixed bag last season, a talented but inconsistent group of athletic targets plagued by inconsistent quarterback play.

The Tigers’ whimsical carousel under center hasn’t yet stopped and may have limited growth at a position of inexperience, but LSU’s hoping fall practice provides enough time to work out the kinks, find separation at quarterback and determine a four-player rotation at receiver suitable for success in the SEC this fall.

Heading into August, here’s our best guess at LSU’s WR pecking order:

LSU’s pecking order at WR

  1. Travin Dural, Jr.
  2. Malachi Dupre, Soph.
  3. D.J. Chark, Soph.
  4. John Diarse, Soph.
  5. Trey Quinn, Soph.

Dural’s an obvious choice to resume the No. 1 role on the outside in the LSU offense after doubling his next closest teammate in catches and yards last fall. Dupre and Diarse are proven big-play threats who combined for eight touchdown receptions as freshmen contributors, bailing out LSU quarterbacks often down the field.

Chark moved up the depth chart and showed the most promise during the spring, at times playing better than Dural and Dupre. Precise out of cuts with a knack for catching balls in traffic, Chark held the unofficial title of the team’s spring leader in touchdown receptions after not recording a single receptions during six games as a true freshman.

In hindsight, the Tigers would’ve been better off redshirting the four-star signee considering his impact.

Perhaps Chark’s best gift is his speed, arguably LSU’s second-fastest player behind freshman defensive back Donte Jackson. At 6-foot-2, 185 pounds, he’s a much-needed threat across the middle to complement Dural at the second-team X spot and has certainly earned a place in the rotation this season.

“(His confidence is) through the roof,” LSU quarterback Anthony Jennings said in March, according to the Shreveport-Times. “He’s one of the most explosive guys we have on the team speed wise. But he came out this spring working his hands and his feet.”

The Tigers lost some depth at receiver earlier this month when redshirt sophomore Avery Peterson, the brother of former LSU great Patrick Peterson, decided he was too far down the depth chart to continue and announced a transfer.

The former three-star recruit who landed at Cincinnati last week was likely the odd man out this season as LSU’s sixth receiver, battling behind Chark, Quinn and Diarse for playing time.

Ultimately, development at wideout can only take place in Baton Rouge when Cam Cameron and Les Miles decide on a quarterback, which may not be determined until the end of the August.

The sooner the better in this case for the Tigers’ promising group of underclassmen pass-catchers.