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CU Guru [1446]
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Sammy Watkins freshman season
Jun 21, 2019, 3:41 PM
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Deptula is having this poll of Watkins vs Hopkins. Don’t get me wrong I love Nuk and he had a huge Junior year and roasted LSU db’s in the bowl game. But Sammy Watkins as a freshman is one of the best seasons from a wideout in college football history. He absolutely roasted Auburn and saved us at Maryland that year. Without him this ten win streak doesn’t get started. That 2011 season played a huge role in changing the fortune of Clemson football first and he was one of the sole reasons
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Oculus Spirit [82958]
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Sammy wins in college careers for sure. His last game
Jun 21, 2019, 3:53 PM
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like Nuk’s was unbelievable.
Nuk vs. LSU 2012 chickfila: 13 catches 191 yards, 2 TDS.
Sammy vs. Ohio St. 2013 Orange Bowl: 16 catches 227 yards 2 TDS
I hate neither player ever beat the coots.
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All-Conference [439]
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Re: Sammy wins in college careers for sure. His last game
Jun 21, 2019, 4:08 PM
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Hopkins was always the better receiver. Watkins was the better college playmaker. A significant chunk of Watkins's production came off of what were essentially extended handoffs because he was so fast and elusive with the ball. You just needed to get it in his hands and let him run by guys. Hopkins never had game-breaking speed, but if I was throwing on 3rd and long and I had to have the catch, I'd be comfortable throwing to Hopkins no matter how covered he is because his strengths were route running, anticipation, and making contested catches. Never had that same comfort with Watkins.
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CU Guru [1313]
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Re: Sammy wins in college careers for sure. His last game
Jun 23, 2019, 5:17 PM
[ in reply to Sammy wins in college careers for sure. His last game ] |
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Let's NOT forget that in the history of college FB, only three players have been named first team All Americans:
1) Herschel Walker
2) Adrian Peterson
3) SAMMY WATKINS
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Orange Blooded [3639]
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Re: Sammy Watkins freshman season
Jun 21, 2019, 4:20 PM
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Sammy was far and away the best freshman receiver I've ever seen. He played with a seasoning that shouldn't have been possible.
Too bad he didn't grow from it. Never quite got the same magic back.
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Oculus Spirit [82958]
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His junior year was better as a receiver by 19
Jun 21, 2019, 5:11 PM
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catches and over 200 yards.
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Hall of Famer [22965]
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After Sammy's first game as a Tiger
Jun 21, 2019, 4:23 PM
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my oldest friend in the world (and a lifelong Clemson fan) asked me my impression of Sammy.....without hesitation, I replied: "He's the best receiver we've ever had." and at the time that was true....today, there could be energetic discussion on the point
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All-TigerNet [12801]
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Re: After Sammy's first game as a Tiger
Jun 22, 2019, 9:54 AM
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Plus Sammy excelled in the kick return department!
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Orange Blooded [3348]
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Re: Sammy Watkins freshman season
Jun 21, 2019, 5:37 PM
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Sammy is one of the few football players I've ever seen who was ready to step straight from a high school field onto an NFL field.
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CU Medallion [51520]
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The 2011 season is a big deal for a lot of reasons.
Jun 21, 2019, 5:46 PM
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One of those reasons is Dabo learning the importance of depth. Playing young guys early and often. Playing 80+ players a game to keep guys fresh so we aren't out of gas playing an average NC State team in early November.
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All-TigerNet [13031]
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Definitely one of the best FR seasons for a WR
Jun 22, 2019, 10:01 AM
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Michael Crabtree would be up there too.
In terms of best WR seasons ever maybe 2003 Larry Fitzgerald.
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Orange Blooded [2723]
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Re: Sammy Watkins freshman season
Jun 22, 2019, 10:27 AM
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Don’t get me wrong, Sammy’s freshman season was freakin amazing, but it was nowhere close to one of the best seasons by a wr in college football history. Let’s not get carried away here. One of the best in Clemson history, absolutely. But not all of college football.
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Orange Blooded [2723]
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Orange Blooded [3612]
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Re: Sammy Watkins freshman season
Jun 22, 2019, 10:46 AM
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I think #78 is still "one of the best" ever....
Ok, you made your point. Thanks for posting.
I think that one of the incredible features of that list is that Tulsa has 3 guys in the top 43...and they are from totally different eras.
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All-In [48078]
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Re: Sammy Watkins freshman season
Jun 22, 2019, 10:49 AM
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Kind of off topic, but I think Sammy has a huge year in the NFL this season.
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All-Conference [439]
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Re: Sammy Watkins freshman season
Jun 23, 2019, 10:38 AM
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Definitely set up for it especially since Hill may be suspended for some amount of time. At worst, he'll probably start out as the #2 WR on the most dynamic offense in the league.
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110%er [9045]
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I definitely feel that so far he's the...
Jun 23, 2019, 12:17 PM
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best receiver we've ever had. Think about the fact that he was 1st team AP All-American as a freshman! That was unbelievable!
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All-Conference [414]
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Watkins had a unique skill set
Jun 23, 2019, 1:28 PM
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that translated well to college. He came in well developed physically, and had that unique acceleration coupled with the "violent" catching style. In college Watkins wasn't the fastest WR, but he had the ability to accelerate unlike any player I've ever seen before. He seemed to use this ability to gain separation from the DBs at the right moment in the route. There are numerous plays were he is basically covered until the ball is released, and then he takes a step...that I can only explain by using the analogy of a deer taking off from a standstill...where he would literally gain 1 - 2 yards of separation from the DB and the DB was already running full speed. It was an art form, and beautiful to watch. Then adding on to this acceleration ability he would literally rip the ball out of the air, rather than waiting for it to land in his hands.
I really think this is why he hasn't been as successful in the NFL. All the DBs are so fast that it negates his freakish acceleration.
In comparison Nuk developed into an all around phenomenal WR. He was great in college, but he developed even further in the NFL to become one of, if not the premier WR in the league. So not to take anything away from Watkins, but Nuk is hands down the better WR.
In college I think it was closer due to Watkins advanced development and freakish athletic skills, so one could make an argument that he was better than Nuk in college...it's a tough argument though as Nuk put up 1405 yards and 18 TDs in his junior season.
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