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YOUR BALANCE
Wide receiver
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Wide receiver


May 22, 2022, 1:17 AM

Been thinking a lot about the success of Clemson football since 2016, and I keep going back to WRs. I think Saban learned this when we thrashed him, and he came back with some of the shiftiest WRs to ever play the game, with one even winning the Heisman.

Of course, defense is king but the QB - WR combo is killer in college football. I think we struck gold with two 5 - stars with Trevor and a miracle Renfrow.

DJ is not the 5-star QB we thought, but neither are the WRs we have recruited lately.

Here is the breakdown of WR recruiting at Clemson over the years for discussion; please let me know if I've made any mistakes. The rankings come from Rivals:

2010:
Martavis Bryant - 4 star (drafted NFL)
Nuke Hopkins - 4 star - (NFL all-star)

2011:
Sammy Watkins - 5 star - (drafted NFL)
Charone Peake - 4 star - (drafted NFL)

2012:
Germone Hopper - 4 star - (bust)

2013:
Kyrin Priester - 3 star - (non-contributer)
Mike Williams - 4 star - (drafted NFL)

2014:
Trevion Thomson - 4 star - (bust)
Artavis Scott - 4 star - (NFL)
Demarre Kitt - 4 star - (bust)

2015:
Denzel Johnson - 2 star - (non-contributor)
Deon Cain - 5 star - (drafted NFL)
Shadell Bell - 3 star - (non-contributor)

2016:
Diondre Overton - 4 star - (CFL drafted)
Cornell Powell - 4 star - (NFL free agent)
T.J. Chase - 4 star - (bust)

2017:
Tee Higgins - 5 star - (NFL *top pick)
Amari Rodgers - 4 star - (drafted NFL)

2018:
Justyn Ross - 5 star - (undrafted * injury)

2019:
Joe Ngata - 5 star - (bust?)
Frank Ladson - 4 star - (transferred)
Brannon Spector - 3 star - (TBD)

2020:
EJ Williams - 4 star - (hurt/bust?)
Ajou Ajou - 3 star - (transferred/bust?)

2021:
Will Taylor - 3 star - (hurt)
Troy Stellato - 4 star - (hurt)
Beaux Collins - 4 star - (solid if not great?)
Dacari Collins - 4 star - (solid if not good?)

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Re: Wide receiver


May 22, 2022, 1:28 AM

I'd say Ngata got hurt too much, but isn't a bust. Played solid when he was healthy, hopefully he'll put up good numbers this season. Ladson however, is a bust. Never really stayed healthy and didn't perform that well when healthy either.

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Yeah, I would argue that it's been 2017 since we recruited


May 22, 2022, 9:38 AM

a true stud WR.

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I have/had high hopes for Troy. He was injured his Freshman


May 22, 2022, 8:03 AM

Year and has a lot of time still to develop. However, I keep seeing him drop balls he has to catch. I hope he can zone in and be a good one for us.

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Re: I have/had high hopes for Troy. He was injured his Freshman


May 22, 2022, 9:39 AM

We will see what he does this year...

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Re: Wide receiver


May 22, 2022, 9:53 AM

Our QB - WR combination was pretty much a total failure last year.

With so many injuries, it is hard to tell where the problem actually is. It’s hard to deny that last season we were absolutely snake bit with injuries. It was pretty much unprecedented in Clemson football history.

If we are as healthy this year as we were un-healthy last year, we just might see marked improvement if not a complete 180 degree turn around.

That’s my glass half full assessment.

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I hope you're right. Be nice to see EJ emerge


May 22, 2022, 11:44 AM

along with Ngata, huh?

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Re: Wide receiver


May 22, 2022, 1:47 PM [ in reply to Re: Wide receiver ]

Serve me a glass of that too!

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Yep. 2017 was the last year that we got receivers that were


May 22, 2022, 11:54 AM

not primarily either bust, injured, or transferred. The current crop has the potential to reverse that trend, but the injury bug has already struck that group, as well.

:(

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Re: Wide receiver


May 22, 2022, 11:56 AM

I agree with much of your post but would you really consider them a bust if they were a 3 or 4 star prospect?

Or we just going off coach speak vs on field results?

Maybe a high 4 star can be considered busts but IMO 5 stars are the true boom or bust players because the expectations are definitely there for them vs a 3 or 4 star.

Personally, I don't think we should be labeling busts until after their Junior year at the minimum.

For example: Cornell Powell really became that top dog as a RS SR that we were expecting earlier so he'd been considered a bust had he not gotten more playing time as a RS SR but he was fun to watch once he caught that groove in 2020.

I see a similar projection for EJ Williams. He was a contributor as a Frosh and was just beat up last year so I don't think he's a bust player as of now. I see the flashes when he's healthy of being a great possession oriented receiver who can make the tough catches and move the chains.

This leads to something I think we all can agree on too -- Idk who's idea it was to load up on tall possession WRs and ignore the shiftier guys but hope that's a lesson learned moving forward.

JRoss should have never had to play in the slot on a regular basis this past year (outside of special packages)

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I think you can label a 4 star a bust but I agree...


May 22, 2022, 1:42 PM

jury is still out on EJ and several others.

I think this season tells us a lot.

Ross in the slot was a huge mistake!

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Re: Wide receiver


May 22, 2022, 2:02 PM

Agree 100%. DJ was disappointing last year but our receiver play has fallen off a cliff. I keep hearing about what great talent we have at wr and I see a lot of unproven potential that may or may not pan out.

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Re: Wide receiver


May 22, 2022, 2:11 PM

You are dead on imo PBT. Lots of drops last year on the catchable balls and then you have the uncatchables and it was just bad all the way around. Thank goodness we had a running game.

Hope DJ and the WR’s are doing extra together this summer to help the situation.

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MEG


Re: Wide receiver


May 22, 2022, 2:14 PM

We need a Sammy or Amari which is what we were missing last year and not sure who the WR might be this year. Hopefully someone steps up.

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Replies: 13
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