Watkins says shoulder still not 100% healthy

---

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. – Clemson receiver Sammy Watkins Sammy Watkins
Fr. Wide Receiver
#2 6-1, 200
Fort Myers, FL
View Full Profile said Saturday that he will be as healthy as he has been since the Wake Forest game when the Tigers play West Virginia in the Orange Bowl next Wednesday.

However, the freshman standout said he is still not 100 percent and hasn’t been since spraining the AC joint in his shoulder against the Demon Deacons.

Watkins told the media during an interview session on Saturday that he is still hurting.

“They [team doctors] weren’t thinking that it was really that bad, but I know how I feel,” Watkins said. “My shoulder is still messed up right now. I’m going to have it checked out at the end of the season. I’m just going to play through it. Good players play through their injuries.”

Watkins said that missing the N.C. State game the next week really didn’t improve the shoulder, and he was still hurting when the Tigers played against arch-rival South Carolina. He said that was the reason he was one-handing the ball in pre-game warm-ups against the Gamecocks and struggled in the game.

“I stayed out the NC State game. I couldn’t play,” Watkins said. “It was a hype game against South Carolina, and I played hurt. I was at 50% or less than 50% against South Carolina. I just wanted to get out there and play. That was my first time playing against them. “

He is still feeling pain.

“It’s healing up and getting better, but even in practice if I do the wrong the thing or the wrong motion or try to swipe, it will lock up or go down,” he said. “I think I just have to get the strength up. It’s the right AC Joint. I can walk around. It’s when I do actual hitting hard or full motion, that’s when it starts hurting. I just have to get strength on it. Everything else is fine. It doesn’t hurt when I move it, just when I push a defensive back out of the way."

Watkins said he feels like he will be about “85%” for the Orange Bowl.

Send Feedback to David Hood: Email | Comment

Trending on TigerNet

Clemson women’s golf selected for eighth-straight NCAA Regional

Tigers fall to Notre Dame in ACC Tournament quarterfinals

Former Clemson football assistant named to SEC team's staff

4-star Peach State defender sets commitment date, Clemson in final visits