Leading up the kickoff of college football, Hoosier State of Mind is previewing IU’s key players. Time to take a look at wide receiver Shane Wynn.

The spotlight will shine bright on senior wide receiver Shane Wynn this season. With Cody Latimer, Kofi Hughes and Ted Bolser no longer in Bloomington, Wynn is quarterback Nate Sudfeld’s top returning option. The pressure on him to produce is immense. So, can he be effective as Indiana’s No. 1 receiving threat?

Hoosier fans shouldn’t be too worried about Wynn as he has proven to be reliable. Last season, he caught 46 passes for 633 yards (13.8 average) and 11 touchdowns. Those 11 TDs ranked second in the Big Ten and tied for 19th nationally.

And while it’s common to look at the 5’7″ receiver and doubt his capabilities, what he lacks in size, he makes up for in speed and quickness. He can make defenders miss and gain extra yards because of it.

As you can see, all he needs is a little bit of space to do major damage.

The big concern about the pint-sized Wynn is that he’s switching from the comfort of the slot to the outside, where there will be no more hiding. Like Latimer a season ago, he will see the opposition’s top defensive back. Consider him at the forefront of every defense’s mind. Obviously, this a different situation than what he’s used to and could take Wynn some time to adjust.

In the season’s early stages, the key for Wynn is to not get discouraged if he is struggling. With him receiving most of the attention, other receivers are bound to catch Sudfeld’s eye. Wynn needs to remain patient. His opportunities will come once defenses realize they can’t focus solely on him.

Still, even after the change in position, I think Wynn will be productive. With an improved Sudfeld under center and other weapons on offense, Wynn will be the primary, but not complete focus of the defense. As much as the Hoosiers pass, he should have the ball in his hands plenty. And, as we saw by his catch-to-touchdown ratio last year, Wynn makes the most of his chances.

Prediction

62 receptions, 895 yards, 10 touchdowns