WR corps could be tallest in FSU history
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Florida State's next starting quarterback probably won't be named for months. However, one thing is certain - whoever wins that job will be surrounded by a wide receiver corps unlike any other in Florida State history.
While stacking together No. 1 receiver classes in back-to-back years, head coach Jimbo Fisher and receivers coach Lawrence Dawsey have begun stockpiling a new breed of wideouts that could add a different dimension to the Seminoles' passing game.
For perhaps the first time in school history, Florida State will be able to spread the ball to seven scholarship wide receivers who stand 6-foot-1 or taller. And four of those seven stand 6-foot-3 or taller.
During his press conference on National Signing Day, Fisher explained that the trend of signing bigger wide receivers was no accident.
"Size matters," he said. "Those little guys can play, but you can't have a lot of them."
Indeed, FSU will have three smaller receivers on the roster this fall, and at least two of them - 5-9 Jesus Wilson and 5-7 Kermit Whitfield - should be significant contributors.
But in this day and age, Fisher said, shorter wideouts must have extraordinary speed, quickness and ball skills to enjoy success at the highest levels of college football.
"You have to have special guys," Fisher said. "Our guys Kermit and Bobo are both very special in certain ways."
The only other sub-6-foot receiver on FSU's roster this fall will be 5-11 freshman Nyqwan Murray. The rest of the wideouts will look like this:6-5 freshman Auden Tate, 6-4 sophomore Isaiah Jones, 6-3 sophomore Ermon Lane, 6-3 freshman George Campbell, 6-2 sophomore Travis Rudolph, 6-2 sophomore Ja'Vonn Harrison and 6-1 freshman Da'Vante Phillips.
Only once in the past 25 years has FSU had that many receivers in the 6-1 range, and that was in 2002. But one of those seven, Lorne Sam, was sitting out that season while taking a redshirt, so only six were actually available to help the offense. That team also only had one receiver in the 6-3 category, as opposed to four this fall.
It is extremely rare for FSU to have this many wideouts standing 6-3 or taller. Last season, the then-freshman Lane was the only one, following the early departure of current Carolina Panthers star Kelvin Benjamin and the late announcement that Jones was academically ineligible.
It's no mystery as to why Fisher and Dawsey desire the larger receivers. Not only do they offer bigger targets for quarterbacks, but they typically can be more physical in the ground game as well.
"That catch radius of Auden Tate, and George Campbell's speed and size, and Da'Vante Phillips' size and range makes a big difference, no doubt," Fisher said. "And also not just in catching, but blocking. When you're running the football and getting in bunch formations … and you ask them to block safeties and linebackers at times, like we did with KB a lot. That was a big advantage we had with him. I think those body types are very critical."
Fisher's and Dawsey's desire to bring in tall receivers was apparent as soon as they joined former head coach Bobby Bowden's staff in 2007. During the next recruiting cycle, they signed three in the same class -- 6-4 prospect Avis Commack, 6-5 junior college transfer Corey Surrency and 6-3 Josh Gehres.
Of course, none of those players had the credentials of the current group. Gehres and Commack were two- and three-star recruits, respectively, and Surrency was a former high school dropout who was recruited to junior college after excelling in flag football tournaments.
Between them, the three combined to catch 15 passes during their Florida State careers.
This group would appear to be destined for much more success. During these past two recruiting cycles, FSU has signed three five-star receivers (Rudolph, Lane and Campbell) and three four-stars (Harrison, Tate and Phillips). All six of them are 6-1 or taller.
And Fisher expects more to come in the future, as FSU continues to offer one of the nation's most dynamic and diverse passing attacks.
"A year ago, you had three receivers all with 1,000 yards," Fisher said, when asked how the Seminoles have been able to attract so many elite receivers. "The guys getting to play are getting touches, and even backups are getting 30-40 catches. You're playing in a pro system. You're getting ready for pro football. You're doing things pro guys do with route combinations and reads … and I think Dawsey and our staff do an excellent job.
"And they know we've always had quarterbacks. The number one thing you've got to have is someone to get you the ball."