How do you replace losing you school’s all-time leading passer and receiver? It will be difficult, but a quartet of highly-rated recruits will do their best for the Clemson Tigers. The Tigers’ offense has been hit hard the past two seasons by the NFL Draft, as quarterback Tajh Boyd as well as top two receivers Sammy Watkins and Martavis Bryant were selected in the previous draft.
Clemson also saw running back Andre Ellington and wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins get selected (Jaron Brown went undrafted but played for the Arizona Cardinals as a rookie) the year before, so it is expected that their offense will take a step back slightly this upcoming year.
However, one of the best recruiting classes in the nation this past year brought in an elite quarterback and a trio of wide receivers that once they get acclimated to the collegiate level, could keep Clemson as one of the more prolific offenses in the nation.
DeShaun Watson leads the recruiting class, and is now the face of the future for the football program. The top rated dual-threat quarterback (and 2nd ranked quarterback overall) according to Rivals will hit the field immediately and be far more than a gimmick play-runner.
“He is going to play, and he will play whenever, I know that, he is not a guy that is going to be just a situational guy. When he plays, we can call anything. There is really nothing that we don’t feel like he can’t do.” – Head Coach Dabo Swinney.
Watson will have to beat out Cole Stoudt, who has patiently waited for this opportunity for three years and will not give up the starting job easily.
Over the past decade, Clemson has been able to churn out successful college receivers, and they have three new faces that will be able to continue the tradition.
Hopkins and Watkins get the most attention as former first-round picks, but Aaron Kelly is the school’s second leading receiver in terms of yards, Jacoby Ford was a fourth-round pick, and Chansi Stuckey caught over 100 passes at the NFL level. Plain and simple, Clemson has shown the ability to attract and churn out talent.
Artavis Scott was the 11th ranked receiver and 68th best player overall according to Rivals and has brought comparisons to the speedy Ford by Swinney,
Ford had 4,083 all-purpose yards and 21 total touchdowns in his time at Clemson by catching, running, and returning the ball. Put the ball in his hands and watch something special happen. Look at Scott’s high school numbers and he can certainly bring that kind of impact to the Tigers, as he totaled 5,330 all-purpose yards and 51 touchdowns at East Lake High School.
Kyrin Priester might be the most polished of the incoming players, as he spent a year at Fort Union Military Academy and was the number 1 ranked prep school receiver in the country. Priester reminds Swinney of the former Clemson receiver Jaron Brown, who caught 11 passes for the Arizona Cardinals last year as an undrafted free agent rookie, and could get an expanded role this upcoming year.
“I think he is a Jaron Brown with a little more speed and athleticism and Jaron Brown played as a rookie a lot. This guy can motor; he will be a versatile player. We can move him around and he has an ability to stretch the field.”
Fayetteville, Georgia native Damarre Kitt was likened to DeAndre ‘Nuk’ Hopkins by Swinney: “DeMarre is going to remind a lot of people of a Nuk type of guy. He’s slinky and smooth like Nuk, and he’s got a great knack for getting his body in position to make a play.” He certainly did a great job of getting open at Sandy Creek High School, averaging 17.9 yards per carry his senior year and just under 17 the last three years of his high school career.
All four players are currently listed as the primary backup at their respective position when Clemson released their depth chart heading into camp, and will see the playing field from the get-go. How quickly they adjust will go a long way in determining if Clemson will make it four straight years with at least 10 wins or if they will have to go through a quick ‘adjustment’ year.
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