Florida State's depth at wide receiver took another hit Wednesday when it was announced that senior Jarred "Scooter" Haggins would miss the season with a stress fracture in his knee.
Haggins (6 feet, 193 pounds) played in 13 games last season as a backup and had eight receptions for 103 yards. He started twice in 2011 but played in just six games because he suffered a fractured wrist early in the season; he returned late in the year.
He is the third senior wide receiver to be lost in the past two months. Greg Dent was suspended indefinitely following an arrest in June on second-degree sexual assault charges, and it was announced last week that Willie Haulstead was academically ineligible. Dent is the biggest loss; he started three times last season and would've been one of FSU's top four receivers this fall. But the cumulative effect of losing all three is big.
FSU's top receiver is junior Rashad Greene, who should vie for All-ACC honors. He has 13 TD receptions in the past two seasons and will be the go-to guy for new starting quarterback Jameis Winston.
The Seminoles need some other holdovers to increase their production. Sophomore Kelvin Benjamin is 6-6, and he should be a big weapon in the red zone. Senior Kenny Shaw is a solid complementary receiver who has 67 catches combined in the past two seasons; he should join Greene in the starting lineup. Junior Christian Green was seen as a recruiting coup when he signed in 2010, but he has just 29 career catches and seemed to regress last season. That's it for established veterans.
FSU signed three wide receivers in February, and all three will get ample opportunity to show their wares in the final two weeks of fall camp. Levonte "Kermit" Whitfield can fly -- he was one of the fastest high school sprinters in the nation -- but he is just 5-7 and 176 pounds. Jesus Wilson reportedly looked good in summer drills. Isaiah Jones (6-4, 200) looks to be the most physically ready to play.
Junior tight end Nick O'Leary should see more passes come his way this season, but FSU lacks depth there, too, to the point where talented defensive end Giorgio Newberry was moved to tight end earlier this month.
Mike Huguenin can be reached at mike.huguenin@nfl.com. You also can follow him on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.
