Florida State football did not have a wide receiver core that was something to ride home about with the offense struggling as much as it did. Head football coach Mike Norvell was known as someone who values the offensive side of football, which is why it was surprising that it struggled in 2024.
Nonetheless, there were some bright spots in 2024. One player that I was excited to see progress last year was wide receiver Lawayne McCoy. The coaching staff had enough trust to place McCoy as punt returner.
The former four-star prospect was one of the four wide receiver recruits that the Seminoles grabbed. Other wide receivers in that group include Elijah Moore, BJ Gibson, and Camdon Frier. Given that McCoy was a speedster from Miami, Florida, fans were excited about the acquisition.
McCoy did not have much burn on the receiving side of things where he recorded six receptions for 52 yards and zero touchdowns during the 2024 season. He only had ten punt returns for 30 yards.
Florida State picked up transfers such as Duce Robinson (USC) and Squirrel White (Tennessee) this offseason, which should be two starters at the position this year. However, it is reasonable to ask who will emerge as the third playmaker.
It was surprising to see Destyn Hill transfer to LSU, which the coaching staff was excited to utilize after his knee injury that kept him out of the entire 2024 season. I thought Hill could have been a starter this upcoming year.
However, you have to use the players that you have on your roster. I believe that it could come down to Hykeem Williams and Lawayne McCoy. While I am high on the former five-star prospect, I think McCoy would be a better fit to play in the slot and on the outside with his speed and ability to highpoint the football.
Let it be known that I think the Seminoles' offense will use a multitude of wide receiver options so this is not saying that McCoy will be taking a high volume of snaps. However, the talented player should get starting reps for the offense in 2025.