Four of Clemson’s top six receivers from the 2015 football season will be practicing this spring, and that is not including the return of the team’s best receiver from 2014 – Mike Williams.

Overall, the Tigers’ depth at wide receiver appears to be okay, especially with the editions of signees Cornell Powell, T.J. Chase and Diondre Overton this coming fall. Clemson will also have the services of redshirt freshman Shadell Bell as well. So in the grand scheme of things, losing Germone Hopper to a transfer should not hurt.

But do the dynamics of this unit change if Deon Cain, for some reason, doesn’t return? Cain is currently suspended from the team after failing a drug test two days before the Tigers’ Orange Bowl win over Oklahoma.

From what we have heard, Cain is fulfilling all of his requirements to get out of head coach Dabo Swinney’s doghouse, but for now the coaches have to use this spring to prepare  as if Cain will not be available.

So who can be Deon Cain this spring? Well that is pretty obvious…the guy who was Deon Cain before there was a Deon Cain. Mike Williams’ return after suffering a small fracture in his neck in the season-opener last fall will be a welcome addition to an offense that will be extremely explosive in 2016.

Though Cain came on and averaged 17.1 yards per reception in 2015, Williams averaged 18.1 yards per catch in 2014. The former All-ACC wideout grabbed 57 passes for 1,030 yards in 2014, while scoring six touchdowns.

By the way, should Cain return, and we expect him to, Clemson will have two receivers on the team this fall averaging more than 17 yards per catch for their careers.

How much will Scott and Williams be used in the spring? Williams said before the Orange Bowl he would participate in spring drills, but he would not be involved in any tackling drills. Considering what he is returning from, it is understandable why his doctors want him to gradually get back into the process of playing the game and being tackled.

Scott said he was feeling 100 percent prior to the Orange Bowl and the National Championship Game. Considering the way he played in those two games, I feel like he was telling the truth. But the fact of the matter is this. Does he really need to play much in the spring?

Scott suffered a knee injury during the season and spent the last six weeks of the regular season and the ACC Championship Game playing injured. He had it scoped prior to the Orange Bowl.

Clemson’s wide receivers coach and co-offensive coordinator Jeff Scott knows what Scott can do. He knows how hard the young man works. Do you really need to see him practice or do you give a guy like Bell a shot to show what he can do. It also would not hurt to have McCloud getting all of the reps Scott would normally get either.

Speaking of McCloud, how much development will we see from guys like McCloud and Trevion Thompson this spring?

McCloud’s knee injury set the freshman back a little bit last season, just when it seemed as if he was starting to come along. It will be interesting to see how much improvement or strides he makes as well as Thompson, who I thought made a big jump by the end of the season.

Thompson’s third-down catch against South Carolina was one of the biggest of the season. The redshirt sophomore finished 2015 with 10 catches for 115 yards, including a long of 33 yards.

2015 Receiving stats

If you haven’t already order your copy today of Guts & Glory – Tales of Clemson’s Historic 2015 Football Season to help you celebrate and remember this special season.