Fall Camp Preview: Wide Receivers
Graduated: Levern Jacobs, DeAndre Lane, Teldrick Morgan, Malcolm Culmer
Returning: D.J. Moore, DJ Turner, Taivon Jacobs, Josh Bekoe, Chris Jones, Jacquille Veii, Jahrvis Davenport, Michael Cornwell
Incoming: Jalen Browder, Tahj Capehart, Carlos Carriere, Jayden Comma, MJ Jarrell, Sean Nelson
The receiving corps in College Park was underwhelming last season with its leader--D.J. Moore--compiling just 637 yards and six touchdowns. Moore finished the year just two receptions shy of the team lead (Teldrick Morgan, 43) but continued to make strides as the Terps most talented pass catcher.
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With Maryland’s offense electing to throw on only about 39 percent of its plays in 2016, the opportunity for the Terps wide receivers to make an impact was limited, but much of that had to do with inconsistent quarterback play and poor pass protection throughout the season.
Three of Maryland’s top five leading receivers last season have since graduated, but the Terps receiving corps is being replenished with an impressive cohort of incoming freshmen wideouts.
Four pass catchers from the Peach State--Jalen Browder, Carlos Carriere, Jayden Comma and Sean Nelson--will make their College Park debuts in 2017, along with Virginia Beach native Tahj Capehart and Orlando, Fla., product MJ Jarrell.
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There are many different skill sets represented in this group of rookies, and any or all of them could have an impact during their freshman season, with Capehart perhaps being the most intriguing.
But the contributions of the newcomers will be predicated on how the upperclassmen look in fall camp. Senior Taivon Jacobs and Jacquille Veii, along with juniors Jahrvis Davenport and Michael Cornwell will all be competing for targets and have their chance in fall camp to prove where they belong on Maryland’s wide receiver depth chart.
Top Storyline:
Will Maryland’s offense be more balanced in 2017?
Having a strong run game is important, but Maryland’s offense could definitely stand to air the ball out more. Last season the talent at quarterback in College Park was limited, but entering this year the Terps appear to have better arms under center that should be able to get the ball to wide receivers more often.
Maryland’s offense will still likely revolve around the backfield, but can the wide receivers help make the ratio of run to pass plays closer to a 50-50 split?
A more balanced offense would make the Terps less predictable and in turn lead to more points. With Moore primed to become one of the Big Ten’s best wideouts and several dynamic speedsters like Jacobs and Veii, not to mention promising sophomore DJ Turner, as parts of the receiving corps, defenses might not be able to load the box as much against the Terps as they did last season.
Prediction:
The DJs are about to take over College Park. Moore and Turner are primed for impactful seasons with the former possibly being able to play his way onto an NFL roster in 2018.
Moore made huge strides from his freshman to sophomore season and a similar trajectory in his junior year could make him a force to be reckoned with this year. The Philadelphia native can do it all from the wide receiver position. Although he primarily plays outside for the Terps, he has the versatility to move inside and can run a diverse route tree. He has solid speed and has transformed his body throughout his college career so that he can fend off defensive backs and take punishment while making catches across the middle of the field.
The only thing stopping Moore from being more heavily discussed in NFL circles are his numbers, which should be at their highest in 2017. With plenty of experience, playmaking ability and football IQ, Moore has a good chance of having the option to leave college for the pros after his junior season.
Turner, on the other hand, has at least two more seasons in College Park and is about to breakout as a superstar for the Terps. Lining up out wide for the most part and in the backfield at times, Turner is about to show Maryland fans why he was so heavily recruited out of Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha Catholic as a four-star athlete. He was perhaps the most impressive offensive player in spring ball and we’ll see how that carries over into the fall.