Going into the 2015 season, Missouri is tasked with replacing its three starting receivers while only bringing back three who have ever caught a pass in college.

That would seem like a gargantuan problem for most programs, but the Tigers are taking the challenge in stride. Missouri’s offense, and its receivers, especially, have been the surprising performers during the team’s two open scrimmages of August camp.

Their play prompted the offense to “win” the last scrimmage against the defense on Saturday, a rare occurrence in recent times. Missouri receivers accounted for five touchdowns and 52 receptions, six of those coming for 25 or more yards. That’s not easy to do against a secondary like Missouri’s.

DeSean Blair was the top performer of the scrimmage, catching five passes for 66 yards on the day. The redshirt freshman has been one of Missouri’s biggest revelations in August, excelling when replacing J’Mon Moore atop the depth chart at X and making some ridiculous plays along the way.

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Moore sat out that scrimmage with a shoulder sprain, but is only listed as day-to-day. That’s good news for the Tigers, as the sophomore has as much potential as any receiver on the roster and needs to be productive for Maty Mauk to have the type of passing numbers that he’s aiming for.

At 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, Blair and Moore are the prototypical size for receivers who have success in the SEC. They’re not quite as big as Missouri’s 2013 receivers – minus the tight ends, that group was among the best in Tiger history – but they’re more than capable of turning into legitimate downfield threats.

Four other Missouri receivers who have been factoring into camp are that tall and a bit bulkier: Jake Brents, Keyon Dilosa, Eric Laurent and Nate Brown. Throw in Wesley Leftwich – one of the three returners who has stats to show from last season – at Z, as well as redshirt freshman Thomas Richard, and the Tigers have themselves what could be a pretty formidable eight-deep at the receiver position.

Not all eight will contribute significantly this season, of course. But the Tigers receivers have shown they’re ready to prove doubters wrong.

“Why can’t young receivers play great?” Missouri coach Gary Pinkel asked rhetorically in an article from the Kansas City Star.

Maybe the biggest sign that Missouri’s receivers are progressing is the play of the Tigers quarterbacks. Mauk is the solidified starter, and has improved his accuracy numbers in the scrimmages. Eddie Printz looks like a worthy backup. And against the defensive reserves, young QBs Marvin Zanders and Drew Lock have looked fantastic. That doesn’t usually happen without good play from the wideouts.

With all the early optimism, though, it’s important to remember scrimmage stats don’t necessarily translate to in-game production. For that, we’ll have to wait until the Tigers begin their season on Sept. 5.