After Florida State’s receivers accounted for just eight touchdowns and had 26 drops in 2024, there was a need for change. But the revolving door was spinning this offseason, with six transfers exiting, three transfers incoming and three high school signees joining in.
Even Jordan Scott was part of the transaction process twice, signing in December out of junior college and departing in the spring for Maryland.
All eyes will be on FSU’s transfers: A 6-foot-6, deep-ball target in Duce Robinson and a slippery, a get-in-open-space option like Squirrel White and an often-injured, low-risk addition in Gavin Blackwell. But the group’s depth is one that will be shaped out this fall (and potentially 2026) by freshman Jayvan Boggs as well as second-year Seminoles like Elijah Moore, B.J. Gibson, Camdon Frier, Lawayne McCoy and running back-turned-receiver Micahi Danzy.
FSU returns just three receivers who have a combined 10 catches from 2024 (McCoy, Moore and Gibson accumulated those in limited reps as true freshmen). It’s essentially a fresh start for the Seminoles and a room that’s now led by first-year receivers coach Tim Harris Jr.
The Osceola's preseason position preview series continues with a look at the wide receivers.
Pre-camp depth chart
Junior Duce Robinson (6-foot-6, 222 pounds), redshirt freshman Elijah Moore (6-foot-4, 203 pounds)
Senior Squirrel White (5-10, 170 pounds), sophomore Lawayne McCoy (6-1, 184 pounds)
Freshman Jayvan Boggs (6-1, 204 pounds), redshirt senior Gavin Blackwell (5-11, 185 pounds)
2024 stats
Squirrel White (at Tennessee) — 34 catches, 381 yards, two touchdowns
Ja’Khi Douglas — 32 catches, 519 yards, 4 touchdowns
Malik Benson — 25 catches, 311 yards, 1 touchdown
Duce Robinson (at Southern Cal) — 23 catches, 396 yards, 5 touchdowns
Hykeem Williams — 16 catches, 187 yards, 1 touchdown
Kentron Poitier — 10 catches, 155 yards, 2 touchdowns
Jalen Brown — 8 catches, 75 yards
Lawayne McCoy — 6 catches, 52 yards
Darion Williamson — 5 catches, 71 yards
Gavin Blackwell (at North Carolina) — 4 catches, 43 yards
Elijah Moore — 2 catches, 17 yards
BJ Gibson — 2 catches, 14 yards
Deuce Spann — 1 catch, 5 yards
(Note that we’re listing only receivers and not Lawrance Toafili or tight ends)
Offseason transactions
Departures
Hykeem Williams (transferred to Colorado)
Jordan Scott (signed via JUCO, transferred to Maryland)
Malik Benson (transferred to Oregon)
Deuce Spann (transferred to Pittsburgh)
Darion Williamson (transferred to Miami, Ohio)
Jalen Brown (transferred to Arkansas)
Kentron Poitier (eligibility expired)
Ja’Khi Douglas (eligibility expired)
Arrivals
Duce Robinson (transferred from Southern Cal)
Squirrel White (transferred from Tennessee)
Gavin Blackwell (transferred from North Carolina)
Micahi Danzy (moved from running back to receiver)
Jayvan Boggs signed in December
Tae’Shaun Gelsey signed in December
Teriq Mallory signed in December
On the rise
The easy answer? Anyone in FSU’s room. We’ll set aside White (131 catches, 1,665 yards, six TDs in his career at Tennessee) and Robinson (39 catches, 396 yards, seven TDs in two seasons at USC) and look at other potential rising stars. Although let’s also admit the Seminoles would love to see White and Robinson have productive, healthy seasons that end in All-ACC recognition.
Boggs is a good bet to build off an impressive spring with what he does in camp. A three-time state champ, Boggs said he felt as prepared for college as he could be. And the early returns from teammates and coaches have been positive. Freshmen receivers haven’t typically been that productive at FSU in the last 15 years, with only Rashad Greene (38 catches, 596 yards, seven TDs in 2011) and Travis Rudolph (38 catches, 555 yards and four TDs in 2014) picking up significant totals. This isn’t to say Boggs can go for 30+ catches, but it would be more than a decade since anyone in an FSU uniform has done so as a freshman receiver.
The intrigue at receiver extends throughout the second-year options. Moore had moments in camp and last fall in practices. He often looked ready for more playing time. The same could be said for McCoy, who showed good footwork and was on the field for 123 offensive snaps.
It wouldn’t be a stunner if any of the second-year receivers, Danzy included, made a jump in year 2 and became a contributor.
One thing to watch: Who is a willing and consistent perimeter blocker, helping extend short runs or throws into chunk plays? That would seem to favor a bigger receiver like Robinson and Moore, but the conversation also shouldn’t be limited to just those two.
Biggest questions
A projected preseason depth chart will of course include Robinson and White, but who else will emerge when given August to impress coaches? Among the questions: How quickly can Blackwell catch up considering he arrived after the spring? Can he learn the offense and avoid the bumps, bruises and injuries that often sidetracked his career?
When FSU goes to a three-receiver set, who is in the mix? Is that Boggs, McCoy, Moore or Frier?
How much will Gibson (baseball) and Danzy (track) grow now that their complete focus in August and this fall is on football?
With so many new pieces and so few established receivers returning from 2024, we have so many questions and few (if any) concrete answers about the group beyond what we think White and Robinson bring to the team.
We’ll go out on a limb and pick Boggs, McCoy and Moore to have the biggest impact among the younger receivers. But how strong is that limb? We’ll find out in August.
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