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With the SEC largely unproven at the quarterback position in 2015, here are the top returning pass-catchers for each team hoping to make their jobs a little easier:
Alabama
- O.J. Howard, TE: 17 catches, 260 yards
- Chris Black, WR: 15 catches, 188 yards
Bottom line: Replacing Amari Cooper won’t be easy, but the Crimson Tide have the depth, though unproven, to do so. Howard’s an All-American candidate who underachieved last season thanks to a substantial decrease in targets.
Arkansas
- Keon Hatcher, WR: 43 catches, 558 yards, 6 TD
- Hunter Henry, TE: 37 catches, 513 yards, 2 TD
Bottom line: Hatcher is the Razorbacks’ true No. 1 and is up to 215 pounds this spring. Drew Morgan, Jared Cornelius and Cody Hollister will battle for the second spot.
Auburn
- Duke Williams, WR: 45 catches, 730 yards, 5 TD
- Ricardo Louis, WR: 21 catches, 261 yards, 3 TD
Bottom line: Williams is the tall and athletic go-to target for Jeremy Johnson who skipped a second-round NFL grade for one final season. Louis, a senior with five career touchdown receptions, is reliable as well. JUCO quarterback signee Jason Smith has made the transition to wideout this spring to try and get on the field as quickly as possible for the Tigers.
Florida
- Demarcus Robinson, WR: 53 catches, 810 yards, 7 TD
- Latroy Pittman, WR: 15 catches, 164 yards
Bottom line: Nearly on the same level as South Carolina’s Pharoh Cooper for the Eastern Division’s top receiver crown, Robinson caught 32 more passes than Florida’s next closest wideout last fall. Finding a true No. 2 has been the issue during spring practice.
Georgia
- Malcolm Mitchell, WR: 31 catches, 248 yards, 3 TD
- Jeb Blazevich, TE: 18 catches, 269 yards, 2 TD
Bottom line: Seniors Malcolm Mitchell and Justin Scott-Wesley, if they can stay healthy, are playmakers in the passing game. They’ll replace leading receivers Chris Conley and Michael Bennett along with tight end Jeb Blazevich who made a substantial impact as a true freshman in 2014.
Kentucky
- Ryan Timmons, WR: 45 catches, 536 yards, 2 TD
- Garrett Johnson, WR: 22 catches, 271 yards, 2 TD
Bottom line: When healthy, Ryan Timmons is an electric player with the ball in his hands and Kentucky will try and find creative ways to give him opportunities this season. It’s too bad Willie Cauley-Stein can’t suit up for the Wildcats football team on the outside. He’d make for a heck of a red zone threat.
LSU
- Travin Dural, WR: 37 catches, 758 yards, 7 TD
- Malachi Dupre, WR: 14 catches, 318 yards, 5 TD
Bottom line: The Tigers might be shaky at the quarterback position, but LSU’s loaded with young talent in the receiving game. With consistent play under center, Dural or Dupre are 1,000-yard capable with more balls thrown their way.
Mississippi
- Laquon Treadwell, WR: 48 catches, 632 yards, 5 TD
- Evan Engram, TE: 38 catches, 662 yards, 4 TD
Bottom line: There’s a variety of weapons back for Ole Miss this season including Laquon Treadwell, one of the nation’s best at his position. Tight end-receiver hybrids Evan Engram and Cody Core provide the Rebels with two additional big-play threats down the seam.
Mississippi State
- De’Runnya Wilson, WR: 47 catches, 680 yards, 9 TD
- Fred Ross, WR: 30 catches, 489 yards, 5 TD
Bottom line: Can De’Runnya Wilson handle expectations as the SEC’s next great wideout? The more interesting angle is Fred Ross as Dak Prescott’s No. 2, a player who won’t be game-planned against and double-teamed as much as Wilson.
Mizzou
- Nate Brown, WR: 5 catches, 46 yards
- Wesley Leftwich, WR: 3 catches, 36 yards
Bottom line: Mizzou’s wideouts are a major question right now following the departure of four leading receivers last season and inconsistency thus far during the early portion of spring practice. Brown has the potential to be a No. 1, but he’s not there yet.
South Carolina
- Pharoh Cooper, WR: 69 catches, 1,136 yards, 9 TD
- Jerell Adams, WR: 21 catches, 279 yards, TD
Bottom line: The Gamecocks are awfully thin at receiver heading into the 2015 campaign, but their No. 1 — Pharoh Cooper — will have no problem shouldering the load offensively. Cooper will catch passes, take snaps and likely throw for a couple touchdowns as the Eastern Division’s top playmaker.
Tennessee
- Pig Howard, WR: 54 catches, 618 yards, TD
- Von Pearson, WR: 38 catches, 393 yards, 5 TD
Bottom line: If the Vols can get Marquez North to reach his fullest potential as a junior, the sky’s the limit for this offense. The only problem? North must get in line behind several speedsters in the passing game.
Texas A&M
- Josh Reynolds, WR: 52 catches, 842 yards, 13 TD
- Speedy Noil, WR: 46 catches, 583 yards, 5 TD
Bottom line: The SEC’s biggest splash at receiver last season, Reynolds out-shined several others at his position with 13 touchdown receptions, second only to Amari Cooper.
Vanderbilt
- C.J. Duncan, WR: 28 catches, 441 yards, 4 TD
- Steven Scheu, WR: 39 catches, 525 yards, 4 TD
Bottom line: Duncan showed promise last season as the primary replacement for Jordan Matthews, but offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig plans to also utilize him in the backfield alongside Ralph Webb this fall.
