McShay ranks Deshaun Watson with a late 1st round grade |
ESPN draft expert Todd McShay released his
rankings of the top college football players for the 2017 NFL draft on Tuesday and two Clemson offensive players made the list.
Junior quarterback Deshaun Watson was #28 overall on the list with an evaluation grade of 87. "Watson hasn't been as consistent this season as you'd hope, including five TDs and three interceptions against Louisville last week, but he has the ability to throw from the pocket and extend plays with his mobility," McShay said. "If he's able to adjust to a pro-style system, Watson has the tools to develop into a good starter in the NFL." Watson won the Davey O'Brien quarterback award for the week for his performance and he was 20-for-31 (64.5%) for 306 yards with five passing touchdowns and three interceptions for a QBR of 82.7. He also had 14 rushes for 91 yards (6.5 YPC) against Louisville. He has passed for 1302 yards (60.8%) for 14 touchdowns with seven interceptions this season for a QBR of 66.8. He completed 333 of 491 passes (67.8%) for 4,104 yards and 35 touchdowns and also had 207 rushes for 1105 yards and 12 scores last season. His 5,209 yards of total offense and his 47 total touchdowns were ACC records, and his rushing total was a record for a Clemson quarterback. For his career, he has 6110 passing yards with 53 touchdowns and 18 interceptions.
Mike Williams was #14 overall on the list with an evaluation grade of 89.
"Williams has shown good versatility this season, winning across the middle for a TD against Louisville and climbing the ladder to snag a score vs. Georgia Tech," McShay said. "After suffering a scary, season-ending neck injury early last season, Williams (6-3) has again proved to be a terrific deep-ball threat. He averages nearly 17 yards per catch for his career."
He has 25 receptions for 373 yards and two touchdowns this season. For his career, he has 104 catches for 1739 yards and 12 touchdowns.
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