When the Georgia State Panthers run out of the tunnel at the Georgia Dome on Aug. 27 to face Abilene Christian, they will be doing so in search of a new number one wide receiver.
The previous player to take that role—Albert Wilson—is now off to the NFL attempting to make the Kansas City Chiefs’ final roster. Wilson led the Panthers last season with 71 receptions and 1177 yards receiving last season. He is Georgia State’s all-time leading receiver in catches with 175 and yards with 3,190.
Wilson is also the all-time leading kick returner in the short history of the program. He amassed 2,338 yards with two touchdown returns on 95 kickoffs in his four seasons at Georgia State and also owns the longest run in school history which was 80 yards. Wilson also has the longest reception in school history at 93 yards along with the longest kick return with a return of 100 yards—both of which occurred in 2012 in a home game against Old Dominion.
Wilson also owns the all-time mark for longest punt return in Georgia State history with a return of 62 yards.
Despite the remarkable numbers and eye-popping electricity that Wilson brought with the ball in his hands to the Panthers, Wilson went undrafted and signed a free agent contract with the Kansas City Chiefs.
What does this mean for the 2014 incarnation of Georgia State? It means they have to find someone to make those plays and eat up that production left by the departure of Wilson. A new number one receiver has to step out of the shadows.
The new number one may come in the familiar form of the 6-foot-3 inch sophomore Robert Davis who returns from last season after putting up 44 catches and 711 yards receiving along with four touchdowns as a freshman. Davis is an imposing wide receiver with very good hands and good size and speed. His attitude is that it is his job to shoulder the load as wide receiver.
“I see myself being the number option. We have a lot of great receivers, so of course everybody’s going to get the ball and contribute, but I see myself as a big part of the offense,” Davis said.
Wide receiver coach Tim Lappano sees Davis as being the team’s go-to man for big plays through the air this season.
“He’s got to be a big play guy for us,” Lappano said.
Davis is listed at 6 foot 3 inches and at nearly 200 pounds. He also can run a 4.5 flat and has a vertical leap of at least 40 inches. With his size and talents, Lappano thinks Davis has all the tools it takes to take a huge leap and become a breakout star this season.
“So his measurables are the same that I’ve observed from guys for five years while in the National Football League,” Lappano said. “I would be very disappointed if he does not have a breakout year and is that guy that you go to.”
Coach Lappano has definitely seen the cream of the crop for wide receivers as he coached with the Detroit Lions for five seasons and worked with elite talent Calvin Johnson.
But even with the very crafty tool kit that Davis possesses, there is still room for improvement. Davis is only a sophomore and may only be scraping the surface of his potential.
Davis is the lead candidate to replace Wilson, but the rest of the receiving corps is chomping to prove themselves as well. There is depth within the 2014 group and this only makes life easier for Davis to make that leap in 2014.
“You can’t just give one receiver on our team a whole bunch of attention because all of them are so good and can make plays,” Davis said.
The group of receivers with experience include juniors Donovan Harden and Avery Sweeting.
And as the days dwindle into single digits, the Panthers are finding out who their new play-makers are. Kickoff is Aug. 27.
