10 most important Golden Eagles: No. 3 Allenzae Staggers

As Conference USA Media Days approaches, the Hattiesburg American will count down the 10 most important Golden Eagles for the 2017 season.

Today marks the eighth of the series which is less an evaluation of each player's talent and has more to do with which Golden Eagles are most important to the team given a wide array of circumstances.

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No. 3 Allenzae Staggers

Position: Wide receiver

Year: Senior

Height, weight: 6-foot-1, 190

In 2016: It seems odd that the player with the third-most receiving yards (1,165) in a single season at Southern Miss accomplished such a feat despite an up-and-down year. But that's exactly what Staggers did. 

The Woodville native had just two games with more than 100 yards receiving and only five where he eclipsed the 90-yard mark. 

But his big games were monstrous. His breakout performance came in Week 5 against Rice. Against the Owls, Staggers breezed past the school record with 292 yards on just six catches. Then, in the New Orleans Bowl against Louisiana-Lafayette, he caught 11 passes for 230 yards (both New Orleans Bowl records). 

Staggers was also the Golden Eagles' primary punt returner, notching 205 return yards (including a 75-yard touchdown against Savannah State) on 21 attempts. 

More: 10 most important Eagles: No. 10 Chase Whitehead
More: 10 most important Golden Eagles: No. 9 Cornell Armstrong
More: 10 most important Golden Eagles: No. 8 Devin Farrior
More: 10 most important Golden Eagles: No. 7 Draper Riley
More: 10 most important Golden Eagles: No. 6 Julian Allen
More: 10 most important Golden Eagles: No. 5 Tarvarius Moore
More:10 most important Golden Eagles: No. 4 Ty Pollard

In 2017: The former East Mississippi standout, who was named to the Paul Hornung Award and Biletnikoff Award watch lists as well as the preseason All-Conference USA First Team this week, will unquestionably be Southern Miss' No. 1 receiver this season.

While he's far from the only player capable of all-conference ability, Staggers will be the Golden Eagles' most effective and trusted deep threat. That's something Southern Miss will be able to exploit more often in 2017. 

Whether it's Keon Howard or Kwadra Griggs behind center for the Golden Eagles this season, both of them have better arm strength than former star quarterback Nick Mullens. 

Staggers' ability to stretch the field should also be more important this season as it will help keep opposing defenses from keying on Ito Smith.