With Montana State beginning its first fall camp under Jeff Choate this week, Skyline Sports will break down MSU’s roster by highlighting prominent battles for playing time in each position group.
Today’s position: “Z” wide receiver
[restrict paid=”true”]The players: Justin Paige (a 5-foot-11, 166-pound junior) and Cameron Sutton (a 6-foot-5, 200-pound redshirt freshman).
What’s at stake: Paige has a load of game experience after breaking into the starting lineup as a true freshman two seasons ago. He has proven to be one of the best deep threats in the Big Sky Conference but has largely been one-dimensional in his role at Montana State
Sutton has not played in a college game but was one of the prized recruits in Montana State’s 2015 recruiting class.
The Bobcats have an entirely new offense with dual-threat quarterback Dakota Prukop gone to Oregon and former offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey now at Nevada. It remains to be seen if the Bobcats will use Paige’s speed in spot situations or if he will be a full-time starter. Sutton on the other hand brings the frame of a possession receiver and the ball skills of a red-zone threat.
How they fared in 2015: Paige has ripped off arguably more big plays than any wide receiver in the league over the last two years. But it’s pretty much accounted for his entire statistical portfolio. As a freshman, Paige hauled in eight receptions of longer than 40 yards, including scores of 75, 48 and 44 yards. He averaged 31.7 yards per catch but only caught 12 passes.
Last season, Paige caught touchdowns of 64 and 40 yards against Northern Arizona and 41 yards against East Tennessee State. All told, he caught 14 passes for 453 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 34.8 yards per catch. In his career, he is averaging 32 yards per reception.
Sutton redshirted last season, showing flashes of his play-making ability on the Montana State scout team.
Paige and Sutton each received first-team repetitions during spring drills. During Montana State’s two scrimmages, Paige did not notch a reception. Sutton hauled in a first-down catch of more than 20 yards during the Sonny Holland spring game that wrapped up the session.
The case for Paige: Paige is one of the five fastest straight-line players in the Big Sky Conference. He has legitimate sub-4.4 speed in the 40-yard dash and his ridiculous yards per catch average in his career proves it. He will always find a place in the rotation when Montana State needs to take the top off a defense. If Paige can add versatility to his game, it will maximize his burning speed even more and, in turn, earn him a spot as an every-down player for Montana State.
The case for Sutton: Sutton is a physical marvel. In the huddle, he towers over almost every Bobcat and sees eye to eye with the likes of senior tight end Austin Barth and senior offensive lineman J.P. Flynn, two of MSU’s tallest players.
During the off-season, Sutton showed a newfound maturity and desire to earn playing time. He stayed late after most spring practices to do red-zone drills, working on catching fade balls at their highest point. Just like Paige will always have a place on the field when MSU needs a speedster to beat a safety over the top, Sutton will always be in the mix as a red-zone candidate. His ability to block on the edge and master the offense will determine if he can earn a starting spot this fall.
What they must accomplish during fall camp: Each candidate must establish more versatility and consistency. It is likely that Montana State will hang its hat on its ground game this fall behind an offensive line that averages 6-foot-5 and 303 pounds. The ability to block on the edge and the ability to provide consistent versatility will be the key to earning this starting position.
Also on the roster: Sophomore Hunter Mahlum is the No. 3 “Z” receiver. Senior Brandon Brown is in the hunt for the “H” (slot) receiver position but also played on the outside at “Z” last season. Montana State’s receivers add freshmen Kevin Kassis (El Dorado, California) and Karl Tucker (Great Falls CMR). Billings Central product Jacob Hadley was recruited as an athlete but was an all-state wide receiver for the Rams. Former Montana wide receiver Dalton Daum, a Butte product, transferred to MSU during the off-season and will sit this season out. It remains unknown what WR position Kassis, Tucker or Daum will play.
[/restrict]Photos by Brooks Nuanez. All Rights Reserved.
