Elite-level talents like Alabama’s Amari Cooper and former Vanderbilt wide receiver Jordan Matthews were once dominant players at the prep level, Cooper a sought-after speedster out of south Florida and Matthews an under-recruited three-star from Madison, Ala.
Success didn’t happen overnight, however.
Wideouts develop at different rates and there’s several in the incoming 2015 class destined for greatness in the SEC with help from the right coaching staff.
Looking at 247Sports’ individual player rankings at the position, two of the nation’s seven five-stars are SEC-bound while numerous others at the top of the list have listed SEC schools as finalists.
Here’s a quick glance at some of 2015’s top incoming wide receivers:
- Calvin Ridley 6-0, 170, Pompano Beach, Fla — Committed to Alabama (Five-Star): Nicknamed ‘Showtime’ by his peers, Ridley has large shoes to fill in Tuscaloosa following the footsteps of Cooper, a speed demon on the outside with a similar skillset. He’ll need to polish his route-running to reach All-American status in the future.
Football has taken me a lot of places and I am thankful ??????
— c.o.r boyz (@ridley_calvin) December 15, 2014
- Tyron Johnson, 6-1, 190, New Orleans — SEC target, LSU lean (Five-Star)
- Christian Kirk, 5-10, 190, Scottsdale, Ariz. — SEC target, Texas A&M lean (Five-Star)
- Preston Williams, 6-4, 190, Hampton, Ga. — Committed to Tennessee (Five-Star)
- Damarkus Lodge, 6-3, 195, Cedar Hill, Texas — SEC target, Ole Miss lean (Five-Star): Lodge is coming on strong at the end of his senior season at Cedar Hill, eclipsing the school record for career touchdown receptions. He’s also 149 yards away — with the state title game remaining — from setting the single-season yardage record.
Just wanna thank God for giving me the ability to break my own record tonight!?
— HONEY BEAR JR. (@DaMarkusLodge18) December 14, 2014
