2015 Player Projection: A healthy Charone Peake could shine

Charone Peake (right) and Artavis Scott last month

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Sun Jul 05 09:02:21 GMT-04:00 2015

Clemson’s offense returns a bevy of playmakers from last season, including Artavis Scott Artavis Scott
So. Wide Receiver
#3 5-10, 190
Oldsmar, FL
View Full Profile , Mike Williams Mike Williams
Jr. Wide Receiver
#7 6-4, 210
Vance, SC
View Full Profile , Wayne Gallman Wayne Gallman
RS So. Running Back
#9 6-1, 205
Loganville, GA
View Full Profile and Deshaun Watson Deshaun Watson
So. Quarterback
#4 6-2, 205
Gainesville, GA
View Full Profile . Don’t forget about Charone Peake Charone Peake
Gr. Wide Receiver
#19 6-2, 205
Moore, SC
View Full Profile , who might be ready to have the type of season Clemson fans have been waiting to see. Finally healthy and looking the best during his time at Clemson, Peake could give the Tigers a true threat on the outside.

CHARONE PEAKE

SIZE: 6-3, 205

CLASS/ELIGIBILITY: Senior

HOMETOWN: Moore, SC

SCHOOL: Dorman

CAREER STATS: Peake has 49 receptions for 456 yards and five touchdowns along with two kickoff returns for 22 yards in 972 snaps over 36 games (eight starts) in his career.

IN HIGH SCHOOL: Rated among the top-100 players in the nation by every service ... played in the U.S. Army All-American game and Shrine Bowl ... USA Today Second-Team All-American ... No. 14 player in the nation by ESPN ... No. 50 player in the nation by 247Sports.com ... No. 63 player in the nation by MaxPreps.com ... No. 66 player in the nation by Sporting News ... No. 73 player in the nation by Scout.com ... No. 83 player in the nation by Rivals.com ... No. 2 wide receiver in the nation by ESPN ... No. 4 wide receiver in the nation by Scout.com ... No. 9 wide receiver in the nation by 247Sports.com ... No. 11 wide receiver in the nation by Rivals.com ... No. 3 player in South Carolina by Rivals.com ... No. 8 wide receiver in the nation and No. 4 player in South Carolina by SuperPrep ... finalist for Mr. Football in South Carolina ... helped Dorman High School to the state championship game ... had 65 receptions for 1,053 yards and nine touchdowns as a senior ... had 18 carries for 120 yards as a senior ... region Male Student-Athlete-of-the-Year as a senior ... had 52 catches for 881 yards and nine scores as a junior ... had 41 carries for 319 yards and three scores as a junior ... had 19 catches for 300 yards as a sophomore, but was used extensively as a running back that season and had 582 yards on 36 carries with five touchdowns ... had 24 catches for 530 yards and seven touchdowns as a freshman ... had 160 catches for 2,764 yards and 28 receiving touchdowns in his career ... had 95 carries for 1,021 yards and eight rushing touchdowns in his career ... helped his team to a 41-3 record over his last three years (13-1 as a sophomore, 14-1 as a junior, 14-1 as a senior) ... won two prestigious summer camp awards; was the MVP of the 2009 Nashville 7-on-7 competition and MVP of the 2010 Hoover Select 7-on-7 camp ... starter on the Dorman High basketball team .

2014 RECAP: Had 12 receptions for 129 yards and two touchdowns in 221 snaps over seven games (four starts). Peake looked healthy early and had a 30-yard receiving touchdown at No. 12 Georgia on Aug. 30 (a beautiful throw from Watson), and then followed that up with four receptions for 22 yards and a touchdown against SC State on Sept. 6. In the third game, he had three receptions for 28 yards at No. 1 Florida State on Sept. 20. Peake then missed the next six games with inflammation in his knee, and returned to haul in an 11-yard reception at No. 23 Georgia Tech on Nov. 15. He then had two receptions for 40 yards against No. 24 Oklahoma in the Russell Athletic Bowl on Dec. 29.

Charone talks about the spring and his health here:

2015 EXPECTATIONS: Swinney said during the spring that Peake had been cross-training with Mike Williams at the different receiver positions. One thing that Clemson missed last season was a true downfield threat – Germone HopperGermone Hopper
RS Jr. Wide Receiver
#5 5-11, 175
Charlotte, NC
View Full Profile was inconsistent, Scott made plays around the line of scrimmage and Williams doesn’t have Peake’s top-end speed. With a healthy Watson, this could be Peake’s breakout season, even though we’ve said that for a few years.

Peake was timed at 4.2 seconds in the 40-yard dash at a recent workout session, and when we saw him at Swinney’s camp in June he just looked different. In fact, he looked the best I’ve seen a receiver look at Clemson since Nuk Hopkins and Watkins. He has the height, the size and the speed to be dominant.

If he stays healthy, the expectation is that Peake could get in the 40-catch range.

Just saw Clemson WR, @CharonePeake, run a consistent 4.2 40 yd dash. He'll be ready for the 2015 season-no doubt!
— Tyler Grisham Tyler Grisham
Wide Receiver (2008)
# 5-11, 185
Birmingham, AL
View Full Profile (@WTylerGrisham) June 16, 2015

A GOOD SEASON FOR PEAKE WOULD BE… Staying healthy. If he is on the field he will put up the numbers, especially with a healthy Watson. If he can manage to trot out there for all 12 or 13 or more games and provide leadership for the young group, everything else will take care of itself.