Maryland has 4 redshirt freshman wideouts. Which ones can make an impact in 2018?

It’s Receivers Week here at Testudo Times. It’s a group with one known quantity in Taivon Jacobs and only a couple of veterans alongside him. The vast majority of Maryland’s wideouts are young and haven’t produced at the college level yet.

Let’s talk about those young guys.

The Terps brought in six wide receivers in the Class of 2017. One of them (Jalen Browder) left in camp, but the other five stuck around. Tahj Capehart, the highest-rated recruit of the bunch, was the only one to see the field in 2017, appearing in seven games and recording his first career catch against Penn State in the finale. He was a prime breakout candidate for 2018, but tore his ACL in spring practice and will miss the season.

That leaves the other four in pretty much the same spot: they’re all redshirt freshmen looking to break through and secure a significant role in Maryland’s passing game. All four of these players are from the southeast—three from Georgia, one from Florida—and all are among Maryland’s tallest wideouts. Still, they’re all different players who bring unique skills to the table. Here’s what to know.

Carlos Carriere, No. 83

Height: 6’4
Weight: 180 lbs
Hometown: Alpharetta, Georgia
High School: Alpharetta HS

At 6’4, Carriere is easily Maryland’s tallest wide receiver, which almost automatically makes him a valuable red-zone threat. He’ll be able to go up against any Big Ten defender for jump balls, and Carriere has the speed to get down the field as well. Assuming new offensive coordinator Matt Canada plans to more consistently stretch the field vertically than Walt Bell’s scheme did, there will be more demand for a deep threat in 2018.

Jayden Comma, No. 86

Height: 6’2
Weight: 208 lbs.
Hometown: Roswell, Georgia
High School: Roswell HS

Comma came in with a college-ready body, and he’s as physical as any of Maryland’s current wideouts. As Jared noted last summer, is blocking is arguably his biggest plus, which if nothing else could merit a role similar to that of Jacquille Veii last season. While Canada might not vocally stress receiver blocking , but there’s room for a receiver with Comma’s size and skill set in any offense.

MJ Jarrell, No. 19

Height: 6’1
Weight: 183 lbs
Hometown: Orlando, Florida
High School: Timber Creek

When we’ve seen Jarrell, he’s primarily been lining up in the slot. With Capehart sidelined, there’s playing time up for grabs there. Junior DJ Turner is probably the frontrunner at the moment, and Rayshad Lewis fits the bill provided he plays receiver instead of cornerback this season. But Jarrell might be the fastest player in this position group, and he’s got more size than either of those two, so the two-time Orlando All-Metro selection has perhaps the best chance of this foursome to play his way into a starting role.

Sean Nelson, No. 85

Height: 6’0
Weight: 181 lbs.
Hometown: Fairburn, Georgia
High School: Langston Hughes

Nelson can do a little bit of everything. His leaping ability makes him a potential deep threat despite average size for the position, and it’s possible he has the speed to outrun college defensive backs. The best fit for Nelson might be on the outside, where he can become a playmaker in open space.

In addition to producing on offense, any or all of these players have a chance to carve out roles on special teams. Maryland probably won’t rely on any of them for kick or punt returning duties, but speed always helps when running down opposing specialists, and receiver blocking translates well to the return game.

These guys are facing competition from true freshmen, veterans and each other. But there are plenty of roles up for grabs, and any combination of the four redshirt freshmen can take advantage.