Purdue camp preview: Receivers

MORE CAMP PREVIEWS: Quarterbacks | Offensive line

Fall camp, the official start of practices, will begin soon.

Each day between now and then, we will get fans set for camp by breaking down the Purdue roster one position at a time as the Boilermakers march toward the season opener on Sept. 1 vs. Penn State.

Next up is a group that teems with potential: receivers.

Some big shoes to fill with David Bell off a year early to the NFL and Milton Wright an academic casualty. Bell left campus as an all-time great, picked in the third round of the NFL draft by the Browns. Wright was poised to be the No. 1 wideout in 2022.

Now what?

Purdue still has some nice options, led by Music City Bowl hero Broc Thompson and T.J. Sheffield. Each is coming off surgery, with Thompson having work done on his shins and Sheffield an ankle.

Iowa transfers Charlie Jones and Tyrone Tracy look primed to play big roles. Both former Hawkeyes are set to help in multiple ways, with Jones doubling as a return man and Tracy as a ballcarrier. Each has star potential.

There are a lot of options to sort through. If redshirt junior Mershawn Rice can finally stay healthy (foot), he could be a key factor. Same for redshirt sophomore Abdur-Rahmaan Yaseen (knee).

Auburn transfer Elijah Canion is the biggest target (6-4, 220) on the roster. And there are some intriguing young prospects like redshirt freshmen Deion Burks and Preston Terrell. Is redshirt junior Collin Sullivan ready for more? He and Burks flashed in the Music City Bowl when Bell and Wright were out.

Is there an alpha wideout, a true legit No. 1 receiver who can take the top off defenses?

Bell lacked top-end speed, but his dynamic ability to catch the ball made him the focus of defenses. And that often created opportunities for other wideouts in single-coverage. Will any Boilermaker wideout command special attention from defenses?

Purdue may not have an All-American talent like Bell, but it should be able to beat teams with its quality numbers.

Thompson, Sheffield, Tracy, Jones, Yaseen, Rice, Sullivan, Canion, Burks, Terrell ... new receivers coach Garrick McGee has some nice options to work with for a wideout unit that could become a strength even without an obvious No. 1 receiver.

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