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Predicting the SEC’s 1,000-yard receivers

Published: Jul 9, 2015 · 1:45 PM EDT

Trying to determine who’s the better option at wide receiver between Duke Williams and Laquon Treadwell this season is like choosing which parent to take on a field trip as a grade-schooler.

You can’t go wrong with either choice.

The two All-American candidates mirror each other, big targets with sticky hands gearing up for monster years. Picking one over the other is an arduous task mid-summer, a debate that won’t likely be settled until November.

Projecting overall production numbers from the SEC’s best at the position, here’s seven possible players who could surpass the 1,000-yard total this fall:

A league of their own

Duke Williams, Auburn — Primed to double his touchdown total from a season ago with the new SEC Heisman favorite at quarterback, Williams’ numbers will skyrocket without Sammie Coates on the opposite end of the line of scrimmage hogging some of his reception opportunities. He’s an above average blocker too, an element that comes in handy within the Tigers’ run-heavy scheme. Williams’ decision to return for his senior season to fine tune some areas will pay off in a big way for the future lottery pick.

Pharoh Cooper, South Carolina — The SEC’s most versatile threat on offense will lead the league in targets this season on an offense unproven at the wide receiver spot. That will lead to a new career-high in receptions and yardage, resulting in another All-SEC bid. In coverage, Cooper doesn’t shy away from contact and is one of college football’s best at wrestling the football away from defenders and coming down with acrobatic catches. When balls are thrown in his vicinity, Cooper usually hauls them in.

Laquon Treadwell, Ole Miss — More so a possession target than a field-stretcher like Williams, Treadwell will be the go-to option on third down for either of two possible first-year starters at quarterback for the Rebels this season. Ole Miss is hoping the explosion’s still there for the future first-round pick who’s coming off an ankle injury that shortened his sophomore season. Over two years, Treadwell’s recorded 120 catches for 1,240 yards and 10 touchdowns, despite missing four games.

Josh Reynolds, Texas A&M — One of the league’s top breakout players last fall, this JUCO transfer rose above all in a crowded group of Texas A&M wideouts to lead the SEC’s top passing offense with 16.2 yards per catch — tops in the Western Division among receivers with at least 50 catches. A quarter of Reynolds’ total receptions went for touchdowns (13). Out of the four players listed in this category, Reynolds has the toughest road to 1,000 yards receiving since the Aggies are the SEC’s deepest at wideout. Kyle Allen has plenty of options.

On the cusp of greatness

De’Runnya Wilson, Mississippi State — This guy’s entering only his fourth year of organized football this fall, a terrifying thought considering the damage he caused SEC defenses as a sophomore. The comparison to Alshon Jeffery’s obvious due to his ability to haul in passes at their highest point and Wilson’s coming off arguably the two best games of his career. The former 2013 Mr. Basketball in the state of Alabama flexes insane athleticism at the position and is a lock for 1,000 yards this fall if Dak Prescott stays healthy.

Demarcus Robinson, Florida — The last time the Gators had a 1,000-yard receiver was 2002, but that could change this season with an offense geared toward moving the football through the air under Jim McElwain if Will Grier or Treon Harris establish early confidence from the pocket. Robinson stood out as a true No. 1 as a sophomore, hauling in 53 passes for 810 yards and seven touchdowns, highlighted by a monster 15-catch outing against Kentucky. SDS colleague Jon Cooper is picking Robinson to reach 1,000 yards, but that will hinge on the play of Florida’s possible two-quarterback system.

Travin Dural, LSU — The Tigers’ only upperclassman among nine scholarship receivers this season, Dural’s was on his way to becoming a Biletnikoff finalist after the season’s first month before inconsistent quarterback play damaged production totals from the LSU receiving corps. Dural has a penchant for big plays and averaged a spectacular 20.5 yards per catch as a sophomore. Finding ways to get Dural, a player with top-end speed, the football is vital for an offense that could be vertically-challenged this season.