1 week ago 4

Post-spring depth chart analysis: Wide receiver

As we work our way toward fall camp, I’m going to start taking a look at how I think the Missouri Tiger depth chart stands at each position.

I’ve already covered the running backs, so let’s stick with a look at the offensive skill positions and look at the wide receivers. I’ll split my explanations into slot receivers and outside receivers.

Kevin Coleman

After the departure of Luther Burden for the NFL Draft, the Tigers were in need of a new face in the slot.

And like with Burden, Kevin Coleman will be not just the top slot option, but the best player in the room.

Coleman knows what SEC competition looks like after posting nearly 1,000 yards last season with Mississippi State, but he shouldn’t be asked to do quite as much this year because the Tigers will have more pass-catching options and a better run game than the Bulldogs had last season.

Coleman is currently regarded as a draftable prospect next year, but I think he has the chance to really raise his stock through his senior season back in his home state.

Marquis Johnson

Now we look to the No. 1 option on the outside.

Marquise Johnson has been part of the offense since his true freshman season because of his pure speed, but after losing Theo Wease early in the Music City Bowl, Johnson shined in a more complicated role. One that had him running more routes than just beating his defender down the field.

He posted seven catches for 122 yards in that matchup, add on the five catches for 52 yards he had against Buffalo early in the season and I think you can see what Johnson’s role will look like this year.

His speed played as just a deep threat his freshman year, he developed more as an underneath option last year.

Now, he’s just a playmaker to get the ball to.

Joshua Manning

Going into his junior season, I expect Josh Manning to step up and take over the other outside spot for the Tigers.

Manning had a couple of good moments for the Tigers last season, three catches when he got in against Murray State, two more against Buffalo and UMass, including a 63-yard touchdown against the Minutemen, but he didn’t get looked at much in the bowl game, which surprised me.

I thought that would be a good opportunity for him once Wease was out, though Johnson soaked up almost all the oxygen of the offense.

From the bits we saw of Manning last season, I liked him best of the younger group, and as a former four-star recruit, it’s his turn to grab hold of a prominent role in the offense.

The question here becomes how many receiving options will the Tigers truly go to? There was a big drop off after option No. 2 (Wease) last season.

Daniel Blood

I think Daniel Blood is the likely No. 2 in the slot this season.

He lined up in the slot on 73-of-83 snaps last season, so having him learn under another great slot receiver should set him up to be the top guy in the slot next season.

Blood will get his opportunities, Coleman won’t play every single snap, but I would be surprised if his role expands significantly from last season.

James "Prez" Madison

After coming in as a four-star freshman, we didn’t see much of James Madison last season, just two handfuls of snaps if you don’t count your thumbs.

Of his eight snaps, he played all eight out wide, which is where he was spending time this spring from what I could see during camp.

So I expect him to be the third option out wide going into the season and getting opportunities that went to Mookie Cooper before his injury last season.

Donovan Olugbode

We’ve made it into the true freshman, but from what I’ve heard, Donovan Olugbode didn’t look like a freshman during spring camp. He earned his number fast and impressed throughout.

It sounds like he’s expected to make an impact early, but whether that’s strictly limited to special teams or includes regular time in the receiving rotation is still to be determined.

If he does work into the receiving mix, I think he’s the fourth option outside at this point. If you’re looking for who took up the sixth most targets from Tiger receivers last year, it was Blood, who ended with eight catches for 81 yards.

I don’t think a direct comparison is fair, but i would expect the majority we see Olugbode in the offensive mix is during blowouts, unless he impresses even more in fall camp.

Shaun Terry

I could see Shaun Terry working in as the third guy in the slot, which was Mekhi Miller last year, or the fifth guy outside, if he works into the receiver rotation at all as a true freshman.

He’s the smallest guy in the group by weight and only an inch taller than DeMarion Fowlkes for smallest by height (though tied with Coleman and Blood).

So slot seems like a good fit for him size wise, but I do expect him to work in a good bit on special teams this year.

He was regularly working on punt returns during spring ball, though the fact that he was the final guy in camp to earn his number worries me a little.

We’ll see. From the way people have talked about him, I think he’s the type of player coaches end up loving, hard-working, gritty, willing to do whatever.

And that’s the type of work ethic that earns you a bigger role, but there’s already a lot of mouths to feed here, so having a true freshman who’s willing to be a special teams guy focus that way his first year makes a lot of sense to me.

DeMarion Fowlkes

Some video came out of DeMarion Fowlkes this week running a 10.59 in the 100-yard dash and a 10.05 split to anchor a 4x100-meter relay, which is speed that will play for sure.

But not early enrolling is going to be an issue at the start.

At best, I could see the Tigers using Fowlkes as a deep-ball merchant a time or two, and maybe if he plays well enough, bringing him in from time to time to spell Johnson in that role.

But he’s got a long way to go and a lot of people to jump if he wants a role. And he’ll have the least time in front of the coaching staff by the time the season begins.