Duke football 2015 position preview: Wide receivers and tight ends

With the 2015 season right around the corner, The Chronicle's football beat writers break down each of the 10 major position groups: running backs, quarterbacks, offensive line, receivers, defensive ends, defensive tackles, linebackers, defensive backs, kicker/punter and punt/kickoff returners to prepare you for the regular season.

Young, unknown talent that can spark game-changing plays.

That's what Duke head coach David Cutcliffe and his staff will be looking for this month ahead of his team's Sept. 3 season-opener at Tulane. It's not a secret that the graduation of wide receivers Jamison Crowder and Issac Blakeney left a huge void in the offense. Now a major question looms: who will emerge as the the go-to receivers for new starting quarterback Thomas Sirk?

Key Players Lost: Jamison Crowder and Issac Blakeney

Crowder and Blakeney were both veteran and speedy receivers who were involved in almost every one of the Blue Devils' big plays through the air last season. Crowder—who now plays for the NFL's Washington Redskins—had the ability to break a big gainer at any moment, whether it was catching the deep ball or turning a five-yard slant pass into much more. He was the only player to join former Duke great Clarkston Hines with more than 1,000 yards receiving in three straight seasons and received All-ACC accolades during his final two seasons at Duke. Crowder's production will be tough to replace and will require more than one receiver to step up and have a big year in 2015.

Although Blakeney did not have Crowder's flashy numbers, he was one of Anthony Boone's favorite targets in 2014, catching 47 passes for 559 yards and seven touchdowns. At 6-foot-6, he was an obvious red-zone target who could tower above defensive backs and make tough catches, but his speed also helped and coaches did not shy away from dialing-up slant routes and bubble screens for the Monroe, N.C., native.

Cutcliffe and teammates on the wide receivers and tight ends:

"I think there’s talent in every class [at wide receiver]. There’s one ball, we basically play three of them most of the time. If I were a wide receiver I’d not only be working to start but I’d be working to try to make us want to be a four-wide offense. But flip it over, let’s go to tight end. There’s competition at tight end. If I’m those guys, I’m trying to run those wide receivers off the field— [Braxton] Deaver, [David] Reeves, [Erich] Schneider—they want to be able to play." — head coach David Cutcliffe

Wide Receiver: The top returning wide receiver from last season's squad is senior Max McCaffrey, who hauled in 37 passes for 385 yards and three touchdowns in 2014. McCaffrey isn't a guy who is going to burn anyone with his speed, but he is a precise route-runner with good hands and a knack for finding the open spot on the field.

Junior Johnell Barnes will complement McCaffrey on the opposite side of the field or in the slot this season. Barnes had a decent first two seasons in Durham as an role player, but did not make a lasting impression until late last season with a solid game in the loss to North Carolina as well as a key fourth quarter touchdown in comeback effort at the Sun Bowl loss to Arizona State. Coaches and players have been high on Barnes and he might be one of the fastest wide receivers on the team, but how he reacts to becoming one of the team's top wideouts still remains to be seen.

After solid spring practices, redshirt freshman Chris Taylor could grab the third starting wide receiver spot heading into fall camp. At 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds, he has the perfect build to play the outside wide receiver spot and has great speed that could make him a deep threat. But unlike Barnes and McCaffrey, the Miramar, Fla., native has yet to see live game action—so don't expect him to come in and dominate defenses right away.

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Tight End: Before a season-ending ACL injury caused him to miss the 2014 season, Braxton Deaver was pegged as one of the top tight ends in the ACC and was on the radar of NFL teams. The good news for Deaver and Duke was that he was granted a sixth year of eligibility back in November and is back to 100 percent for fall camp and the upcoming season. Deaver is the undisputed starter at tight end and has already been named to a number of All-ACC teams in the preseason, including a first-team selection by Lindy's Sports. Deaver should be the most reliable target for Sirk this season and is the highlight of a strong tight end group in Durham.

Dark Horse

Wide Receiver: Although Taylor, McCaffrey and Barnes are charted to start as wide receivers, offensive coordinator Scottie Montgomery will shuffle his receivers in and out often. Look for veteran players—such as Anthony Nash and Ryan Smith—who have been around long enough to know the offense in and out to see some playing time along with redshirt freshman Trevon Lee, who was a top recruit coming out of high school.

But a player who has generated a lot of excitement is true freshman T.J. Rahming. The Powder Springs, Ga., native has impressed players and coaches during his time on campus this summer and will have a chance to prove that he is ready to play right away in fall camp. His physical traits are similar to those of Crowder and he has the type of speed that screams big play ability. Rahming is even wearing Crowder's No. 3 jersey this season and if he can evade a redshirt year, he will be a weapon for the Blue Devil offense right away.

Tight end: After starting all of last season, David Reeves will back up Deaver this season. But that doesn't mean the redshirt senior won't see the field. In fact, Reeves has played in every single game during his past three years at Duke and should be a frequent goal-line target for Sirk in 2015. Montgomery and his staff can also get very creative with two veteran tight ends at their disposal. Jump pass anyone?

Be sure to stay with the Blue Zone for our continuing 2015 position preview series. Take a look at how the Blue Devils expect Thomas Sirk to transition into his starting role or check in tomorrow to read how Duke will look to replace the losses of Laken Tomlinson and Takoby Cofield along the offensive line.