CLEMSON FOOTBALL

Mark Rebilas - USA Today Sports
Mark Rebilas - USA Today Sports

Two Tigers named to Mel Kiper's 2017 Big Board


by - Assoc. Editor -

ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. has released his latest 2017 Big Board and two Clemson offensive players were selected out of the top twenty-five players.

Clemson junior quarterback Deshaun Watson was picked #8 overall and the first signal-caller on the list.

"Watson is off to a funky start -- he's completing just 52.9 percent of his passes and has three interceptions in two games," Kiper Jr. said. "He apologized on Monday and said high expectations have weighed him down. Let's see if he can get back to his form from last season. At 6-2 and 210 pounds, he might not have ideal size, but he's not small. He combines arm strength and touch and has tremendous ability with the ball in his hands, which doesn't just mean running; he also throws well on the move. He needs to get stronger, but as the nation saw in January's national title game, while Alabama won, Nick Saban's defense couldn't stop Watson."

Clemson star wide receiver Mike Williams was listed at #13 overall and the second wide receiver behind only USC's JuJu Smith-Schuster.

"Williams has put behind him the scary neck injury that prematurely ended his 2015 season, and he's back to being Watson's go-to target in the Tigers' offense," Kiper Jr. said. "Williams has great burst and speed for his size (6-2, 225 pounds) and he put up more than 1,000 receiving yards as a sophomore in 2014, which he's on his way to matching. He could be the first wideout off the board in April."

The full list of players were DE Myles Garrett, RB Leonard Fournette, DT Malik McDowell, DE Jonathan Allen, OLB Tim Williams, S Jabrill Peppers, S Jamal Adams, QB Deshaun Watson, WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, RB Dalvin Cook, ILB Reuben Foster, OT Cam Robinson, WR Mike Williams, CB Teez Tabor, RB Nick Chubb, OT Mike McGlinchey, DE DeMarcus Walker, CB Marlon Humphrey, OG Quenton Nelson, TE O.J. Howard, DE Charles Harris, TE Jake Butt, OT Roderick Johnson, DE Dawuane Smoot, and QB Brad Kaaya.

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