A Flawed and Incorrect Preview: WR/TE

WR/TE Depth Chart
WR X	WR Z	TE
Jamayel Smith RJr.	Tony Burks Sr.	Eric Butler RSr.
Brandon McRae RSo.	Lance Long*** Sr.	Jason Husband RSr.
Co-Eric Riley Jr.	Aubrey Bell Jr.	Dezmond Sherrod RSr.
Ryan Mason RJr.	Tyler Threadgill RSr.	Brandon Henderson RFr.
Ben Shelton Sr.	Alex Carpenter RFr.

***Lance Long has turf toe. Thats one of those injuries where you never know how long it will take to heal. May or may not play against LSU.


I may have went a little overboard by listing the WR position 5 deep. It isn't very likely Ben Shelton (walk on) or Alex Carpenter will ever see the field. Just in case Burks, Smith, Long, and McRae all have season ending injuries though, you'll know who to be looking for.

Tony Burks is without a doubt the #1 guy in the WR corp. and was the only consistent threat at the position last year. He had 35 receptions for 850 yards, a whopping 24.3 ypc, to go along with 5 touchdowns. The second WR spot is more fluid. Jamayel Smith, a former walk on, came out of nowhere last year and provided an adequate second target for Henig. He caught 20 passes for 335 yards and 2 touchdowns. Smith being the incumbent gets the starting nod from me and probably the coaches, but he has stiff competition from Brandon McRae and Co-Eric Riley. McRae, a transfer from Morehead St., is a big target at 6-4 200 pounds and has looked very good in practices. There is a reason he went to Morehead St. in the first place though and until he proves otherwise I will assume he is another player who looks great in practice but can't put it together in the game. Co-Eric Riley was highly rated coming out of JUCO so I'm interested to see what he can do. If he puts it together I see him grabbing a starting position. Burks and Riley might actually provide a good WR tandem, as rare as that has been here at MSU. He has to prove himself first though. Lance Long, a former Tulane transfer, had 25 reception for 177 yards and a TD last year. He isn't even close to explosive and isn't dangerous after the catch, but he does have fairly good hands which is a rarity here in Starkville.

Tight end is probably the best position on the team and as you can see definitely the most experienced, with 3 fifth year seniors. Butler is the all around most talented but has been plagued by injuries almost every year. If he stays healthy he can be dangerous. Husband is a former WR and predictably is much more of a receiving TE than a blocker. That is balanced by Demond Sherrod who is more of a pure blocking TE and not much of a receiving threat.

My Rating: 7/10
TE is in really good shape and would be about an 8/10 by itself. The WRs look like they have promise, but at the moment Burks is the only proven threat. I'm leery of getting my hopes up to high about anyone else until they show it on the field. Especially given the fact that there is obviously something in the water in Starkville which turns all WRs hands to stone.