Adams: Gators' receivers unproven : govolsxtra.com

You couldn’t have seen this coming.

Not at Florida. Not under Urban Meyer.

Isn’t Florida famous for producing skill players? Isn’t Meyer famous for producing offensive extravaganzas with skill players?

Yet here we are in Year 5 of the Meyer-Florida dynasty, and it wouldn’t be out of line to suggest that the receiver position is a work in progress.

That assessment follows the loss of Percy Harvin and Louis Murphy, who have taken their skills to the NFL and left question marks in their place.

Deonte Thompson has the speed. But does he have the hands?

David Nelson has the hands. But can he get open?

Riley Cooper has the speed and hands. But can he keep his helmet on long enough to protect himself?

Brandon James is a marvel in the open field. But is he dependent on the ball being punted, rather than passed?

Am I being nitpicky? Sure. But there’s hardly anything else of Florida persuasion to pick on in advance of Saturday’s Tennessee-Florida game in The Swamp.

The defense is at least two deep in proven players at every position. The quarterback is a Heisman Trophy winner. The starting running back is averaging 14.7 yards per carry and his backup is averaging 12.4. The tight end belongs in the NFL right now.

As for the offensive line that lost two starters from last year’s national championship team, how bad could it be if the top three running backs are averaging 12 yards per carry?

So that brings us back to the wide receivers. How good are they?

“If we stay healthy, we will be fine,” Meyer said.

Maybe.

The Gators already have lost senior Carl Moore and freshman Andre Debose to injuries. Before his hamstring injury, Debose was being billed as the “next Harvin.”

In fact, there’s no “next Harvin” on this team. There might not be a “next Murphy,” either.

Thompson dropped what should have been a touchdown pass against Charleston Southern and what should have been a third-down conversion pass against Troy State. He also caught two touchdown passes after the drop against Troy.

James dropped a pass in the end zone against Charleston Southern and made an over-the-shoulder catch in the end zone against Troy.

Nelson, who finished strong last season, has only two catches for 13 yards. Reshirt freshman Omarius Hines has been more productive than that, catching seven passes for 98 yards.

“He’s a big, strong receiver who’s young and maybe a little bit raw,” quarterback Tim Tebow said of Hines. “But he’s going to be a good one by the time it’s all said and done here.”

Perhaps you could say as much for Florida’s entire receiving corps. But that’s not UT’s concern. The Vols only have to worry about this Saturday.

The secondary is UT’s strength. If it can cover Florida’s wide receivers — and maybe get a few drops when it doesn’t — it could prevent the four-touchdown runaway odds-makers are predicting

Cooper could be its greatest challenge.

He’s tough enough to room with Tebow. He’s also tough enough to keep blocking even when he loses his helmet, as the Troy video will attest.

Cooper spent his first three seasons establishing himself as the SEC’s best blocking wide receiver while occasionally flashing the kind of speed that can stretch a defense. In the process, he has overcome an arthritic foot condition that causes him to miss practice time.

He hasn’t missed anything the first two games, catching 10 passes for 187 yards. Or, as Meyer put it, “He has separated himself (from the other receivers).”

Meyer expanded on that Monday when asked about Cooper’s potential.

“He could be an NFL receiver in a heartbeat,” he said. “No question about it.”

But there are questions about the receiving corps. And in a best-case scenario for UT, the answers won’t come until after Saturday.

Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knoxnews.com