The Terps have had a talented wide receiver corp over the last two seasons, led by current Minnesota Vikings rookie Stefon Diggs. With Diggs’ departure to the NFL, the Terps now need to find a new star receiver, but he’s not the only one they need to replace at the position. Deon Long graduated and was signed by the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent. Marcus Leak left the program and Jacquille Veii has decided to transfer from Maryland.

Mike Locksley’s offense has lost its four leading wide receivers from last season, but there will be plenty of options to step in and fill the open voids. Caleb Rowe is currently the projected starting quarterback for next season, which is good news for the emerging wide receiving group. With a quarterback under center that has a strong arm and can find his receivers, the group will be relied on more than in years past.

Several receivers still on the roster have gotten some game experience in recent seasons, but were not primary options. This season they will have the opportunity to step up and become major factors in the Terps offense.

(Discuss on the BSL board here)

Amba Etta-Tawo – Junior

2014:10 receptions, 222 yards, 17.1 yards per game and one touchdown

2013: 31 receptions, 500 yards, 41.7 yards per game and two touchdowns

Etta-Tawo played in all 13 games as a sophomore in 2014, making starts in the final six games including the Foster Farms Bowl. Early in the season, he played in games, but was never a real factor until around mid-season. Etta-Tawo cracked the starting lineup against Wisconsin on Oct. 25 following an injury to Leak.

To help get him into the starting lineup, Etta-Tawo caught three passes for 46 yards against Iowa.  In the regular-season finale against Rutgers, he caught a 71-yard touchdown pass from C.J. Brown.

As a redshirt freshman in 2013, Etta-Tawo appeared in 12 games and made seven starts. He had career-highs in receptions and receiving yards against Syracuse, catching six passes for 109 yards. He also helped the Terps end the regular-season with a win 101 yards on four catches against NC State.

When Diggs and Long were lost midway through the season in 2013, Etta-Tawo emerged as a receiving threat for the Terps. Those guys are now permanently gone and he has a real chance to become the leading receiver for the Terps. He is a real speed threat for the Terps and will be used to stretch opposing defenses downfield. His 22.2 yards per catch average led the team last season.

Levern Jacobs – Senior

2013: 47 receptions (led team), 640 yards (led team), 53.3 yards per game and three touchdowns

2012: Seven receptions, 50 yards and 4.5 yards per game

Jacobs was suspended by the university for the 2014 season after being charged with second-degree assault. He was later found not guilty and will back back with the Terps in 2015. He was projected to be the No. 3 receiver in 2014, so he is a leading candidate to be the No. 1 option in 2015.

Following injuries to Diggs and Long in 2013, Jacobs became the primary receiving target for Brown. He went on to lead the team in receptions and receiving yards after appearing in 12 games and making four starts.  Jacobs had a career game against Clemson, totaling 158 yards on eight receptions, both career highs. He also caught and ran for a 71-yard touchdown, the longest reception of his career. In the Terps’ Military Bowl loss to Marshall, he caught seven passes for 100 yards and a touchdown.

While out last season, Jacobs still served on the scout team and practiced with the team. He will not be completely rusty heading into a new season, but could take him some extra time to get up to game speed.  It would not be a surprise if Jacobs ends the season like he did in 2013, leading the team in receptions and receiving yards and the Terps offense will undoubtedly be glad to have him back on the field.

Juwann Winfree- Sophomore

2014: 11 receptions, 158 yards, 19.8 yards per game and two touchdowns

Winfree came on as a target in the middle parts of last season, but had his momentum slowed when he was suspended for the final two regular season games for violating the school’s student-athlete code of conduct.  When Diggs missed time for a lacerated spleen last season, Winfree made an impact on the Terps offense.

Winfree notched his first career touchdown reception in the Terps’ win at Indiana. He had the best game of his young career against Michigan State, racking up 80 yards on four receptions, both career highs. He also scored a 31-yard touchdown in the loss to the Spartans.

A former 4-star recruit out of high school, Winfree is likely to crack the Terps starting lineup as one of the top three wide receivers. At 6-foot-2, he is the tallest receiver on the Terps roster and could cause matchup problems for opposing Big Ten cornerbacks.

On June 8, Winfree was suspended indefinitely for violating the school’s student-athlete code of conduct. Needless to say, all of this possible production is based on if he returns to the program.

Malcolm Culmer- Junior

2014: one reception, five yards and 0.6 yards per game

2013: 12 receptions, 59 yards and 4.9 yards per game

Culmer will be one of the many wide receivers fighting for time on the field. In his limited time on the field, Culmer has not shown much, but his time has been very limited. As a three sport athlete in high school, his athleticism gives him upside and makes him a possible candidate to play his way into the receiving rotation 2015.

Culmer has yet to post a touchdown for the Terps, but made his first career start against West Virginia in 2013.

The biggest upside for Culmer in the 2015 season will moving into the top four wide receivers and seeing the field on a consistent basis. He was the No. 18 player in the state of New Jersey coming out of high school, so he has talent and could contribute for the Terps. More than anything, he is added depth to the wide receiver position for the Terps.

Taivon Jacobs- Sophomore

The younger brother of Levern, Taivon Jacobs is a promising young star for the Terps. Following a redshirt season in 2013, Taivon made his collegiate debut in the 2014 season-opener against James Madison. The game was also his first collegiate start, but it was cut short after a season-ending knee injury.

Knee injuries are a concern for Tavion, as this was the second in his playing career. If he can stay healthy, it is likely that he will make an impact for the team in 2015. He was a 4-star recruit coming out of high school and is one of the fastest receivers on the roster. The upside of Taivon is becoming a consistent starter for the team, possibly even passing his brother on the depth chart.

DeAndre Lane- Junior

Lane is entering his third year with the program and has yet to find a role with the team. He has yet to record a catch in his first two seasons and only made an appearance in one game in 2014. He has primarily been a practice squad player since joining the program.

The speed of Lane can be a great asset to the offense if he can continue to develop as a receiver. If used in the slot, he can cause matchup nightmares for opposing defenses. Lane is a possible dark horse to emerge as a heavy contributor for the Terps offense in 2015.

With Diggs out of the equation on special teams, Lane could find a role with the team as a kick returner and possible backup to Will Likely as a punt returner.

Q&A With Zack and Chris

Q: Who do you see emerging as the top wide receiver for the Terps in 2015?

Kiesel: This is a really tough question because now that Stefon Diggs is gone, there is no clear number one receiver. I think Levern Jacobs will be the number one guy in the slot, simply because Mike Locksley likes to feature his slot receivers in a lot of different ways. He’s got good agility and quickness while also possessing excellent speed. After Diggs went down with a broken fibula against Wake Forest in 2013, Jacobs stepped into a starting role and played very well. In fact, he was supposed to start in the slot last season, pushing Diggs outside, before he was suspended. He’s a very talented player and should thrive in a more pass-centric offense.

Garman: With the loss of so many top receivers, it’s hard to pinpoint who can take over as “the guy” in the Terps’ receiving group. Levern Jacobs is the guy I see who has to most upside and could emerge as the top receiver. He showed good things when Diggs and Long went down in 2013 and really has the talent to be a game changer in the wide receiving group. I expected him to have a breakout season last year before the suspension, so I can see him using his absence last season as fuel to the fire and breaking out this season. Now with a better passing quarterback, I can see him putting up big numbers and be one of the top receivers in the conference.

Q: Aside from Amba Etta-Tawo, Levern Jacobs, and Juwann Winfree, who do you see moving up the depth chart as a viable receiving threat?

Kiesel: Other than those, I really like Taivon Jacobs and DeAndre Lane. I expect Jacobs to get a good amount of playing time at the flanker position, where he started last season before his season-ending injury in the season opener against James Madison. While he is a bit undersized to play outside, his speed more than makes up for that. He is an excellent player who should be a great target for Caleb Rowe. Lane is slated to be the backup slot receiver, but will see plenty of the field. Mike Locksley likes to get his backup slot receiver on the field in 4-wide receiver sets, and Lane is perfect for that role. He has blazing speed, and ran a 4.3 second 40-yard dash out of Catonsville High School a few years ago. He played well in the Red-White Spring Game, and should play a big role in 2015.

Garman: Similar to his older brother, I see Taivon Jacobs rising up the depth chart and having a breakout season. He did things to impress last offseason and worked his way into the starting lineup for the season-opener and that was done with more talent around him at the position. His speed will be a weapon for the strong armed Caleb Rowe, so he could see a lot of balls in one-on-one coverage. The history of injuries is a concern moving forward, but I think he has a real shot to be one of the leading receivers for the team next season.

Q: How big are the losses of Leak and Veii for the receiving corps?

Kiesel: While both are big losses, I believe that the loss of Leak is a bit bigger than the loss of Veii. Leak showed some incredible ability in the Spring Game this year, and was slated to start at flanker in 2015. He showed strong hands and even stronger ability after the catch. Unfortunately, the Terps will have to try and do without him this season. Veii was a very versatile player for the Terps, playing both wide receiver and running back last season. He was slated to be the backup slot receiver to Levern Jacobs in 2015, but instead Lane will take that role. Veii showed good ability last season, and his versatility gave Locksley a lot of options when it came to play-calling. While losing Leak and Veii certainly isn’t ideal, the team has stocked up on wide receivers in the last few recruiting classes. Between young players like Juwann Winfree, DeAndre Lane, and Will Ulmer, the Terps should be just fine at wide receiver this season.

Garman: Both losses are pretty big in my book. With Leak, he would be the veteran presence in this group with a real chance to be Rowe’s primary target in the offense. He’s shown great things in the past with his ability to make tough catches and good breakaway speed in the open field. It was a significant blow to the offense when he decided to leave the program.

The loss of Veii is probably bigger to me than most people, because I loved what he brought to the team. He was a great player in special teams, but he also gave Locksley a versatile player to utilize in his offense. Whether it was at receiver or out of the backfield, Veii made plays and his potential really stood out to me last season. He made a tough catch for a touchdown against West Virginia and I really looked forward to what he would bring to the Terps offense in 2015.

Chris Garman
Chris Garman

Chris Garman attended Mount St. Mary’s University where he studied in Communications. He is a native of Steelton, Pa. and has covered Maryland Men’s Basketball and Football for PressBox since 2012. Chris previously covered High School Football for The Patriot News in Harrisburg, Pa. He can be reached by email at: [email protected].

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