Perhaps the one area where Duke is undergoing the most change this season is at the receiver position, including tightend where the Blue Devils are looking at near whole-sale-changes.
The Blue Devils loose a lot of production after the graduation of all-time leading receiver in team and ACC history in Conner Vernon. They also loose the steady production of Desmond Scott who moved to wide receiver before last season and was a solid slot receiver for the Blue Devils.
Replacing those two guys will be paramount, but another factor will be the return of Duke’s projected starting tightend. Prior to last year, Braxton Deaver was slated to be the starter but an injury prior to the start of the season kept him out for its entirety. The injury forced David Reeves, and Issac Blakeney to play the position, primarily with mixed results.
Blakeney is more of a receiver ad Reeves more of a blocking tightend, so in a way the Blue Devils had to loose a big chunk of their production. Brandon Connette, a backup multi-purpose player, played the position some but not enough and it was mostly in gimmick plays.
With Deaver back, a major offensive option is back in play for the Blue Devils and with more of a spread offensive look, having a good tightend will be key. Expect Deaver to be a major target for starting quarterback Anthony Boone. Redshirt freshman Dan Beilinson and redshirt junior, Nick Sink could split time as reserves at the position.
The rest of the receiving corp is very much an unknown commodity. Aside from returning junior and All-ACC candidate and a member of the 2013 College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) All-Purpose Performer of the Year Watch List, Jamison Crowder, the receivers are an untested group.
Max McCaffrey, son of former NFL receiver, Ed McCaffrey, looks like the one receiver to be poised for a breakout year along side Crowder. McCaffrey is coming off a solid spring and is likely to start at one receiving spot. At 6-foot-2, McCaffrey is slightly taller than Vernon was, but like Vernon he is likely to be a primary target.
Who lines up at the slot receiver or splits times with McCaffrey and Crowder is still a question mark. You could have Blakeney, who has the athleticism to make plays and he does have experience. You also have Brandon Braxton who move back to receiver after spending an injury laden season last year at safety. Braxton has some experience but missed the spring due to injury and could be further down on the depth chart.
Duke also has redshirt freshman Anthony Nash who never did develop into a viable option in his true freshman season and sat out the entire year. At 6-foot-5, and more than 200 pounds, Nash has the size but he also has the speed to stretch a defense. He made a highlight real catch in the spring game and many hope he could have a breakout season this year.
The Blue Devils could also go really big with converted receiver Erich Schneider, who at 6-foot-7, 225 pounds is the tallest player on Duke’s roster. Schneider came in as a tightend but was moved after last season to receiver.
And while it is a long shot, imagine having Schneider and Nash on the field at the same time. It is hard to believe that there would be a taller receiving duo in the country.
Still most likely experience will rule the day. It will be impossible to match the production and leadership of last year’s trio of receivers in Crowder, Vernon and Scott, but the Blue Devils offense is going to need the group to be very productive as the receiving corp is perhaps the most important unit in David Cutlcliffe’s offense.
Projected starters: Jamison Crowder, Max McCaffrey, Issac Blakeney, Braxton Deaver (tightend)
Key Reserves : Brandon Braxton, Anthony Nash, Erich Schneider, David Reeves (tightend), Dan Beilinson (tightend), Nick Sink (tightend)
More Position Breakdowns:
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