Clemson's WR Corps Loaded with Award-Worthy Players

Photo courtesy of Paul Arrington via Flickr.com

Howdy, football fans!

Today, I’m looking at Clemson’s offense, specifically. Outside of the offensive line and tight end position, Clemson is returning an experienced offense, and as a  salute to the first week of football, I give reason why a majority of Clemson’s wide receivers could be nominated for a postseason award, a spot on the All-ACC or All-American Team, or possibly a Heisman Trophy. I won’t go into the awards that I think they could win, but I’m sure that you’ll be able to figure it out for yourself.

Well, here we go!

Martavis Bryant: Martavis Bryant is a tower of power, standing at 6’5″. He didn’t receive many passes last year, but that was mainly due to his depth at wide receiver. He got even stronger in the off-season and will most likely see more action in a fast-paced Pistol offense with multiple WR sets. His height and speed create havoc for opposing defensive backs, and will put up big numbers if used to his full potential.

Jaron Brown: Jaron Brown is a perfect complement to a receiver like Sammy Watkins or Charone Peake, who both use a lot of speed. Jaron Brown is a receiver who isn’t afraid to take a hit or dish out punishment (my favorite Jaron Brown moment was the bone-crushing hit to provide a block for Tajh Boyd against South Carolina). He’s a workhorse wide receiver who will play a lot of snaps and have a lot of opportunities to make a name for himself.

Charone Peake: Charone Peake is going to play the starter spot due to the absence of Sammy Watkins in the first two games of the season. According to Dabo Swinney, he’s the fastest player on the team, and every catch he made last year was highlight reel-worthy. Expect to see him come in more than last year and make more wonderful plays.

Adam Humphries: Adam Humphries was another receiver who saw little action last year, and like Charone, he will be aided by Sammy Watkins’ suspension. Humphries has speed and is able to get around defensive backs. He’ll be a valuable asset as the Tigers move forward with a fast-paced offense, working as a fast substitution to give other receivers some rest.

DeAndre Hopkins: When he catches the ball, you know it by the resonating “NUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUK” through the stadium. And my guess is that you will hear it even more this season. Hopkins brings back a lot of experience, and has the power, size, and speed to become a household name along with receivers like Robert Woods, Marqise Lee, and Sammy Watkins. He may have gotten less receptions than Sammy last year, but it’s not because of a lack of talent. And once again, the suspension will play into Hopkins’s favor. Hopkins will definitely be turning heads during the entire season.

And, finally…

Sammy Watkins: Do I even need to write about Sammy? He’s a beast in every aspect of the word. He has NFL speed, NFL size, NFL talent, NFL dreads… the package deal. He did get suspended for two games, but what some people forget is that he was out for two and a half weeks due to injury.  He’ll probably be even more explosive this year than last, and that alone should strike fear into defensive coordinators everywhere. Even with the suspension, he will still put up Heisman-worthy numbers, and his return against Furman will be the “Sammy Watkins Show” with an amazing supporting cast.

As you will notice, Clemson is loaded at wide receiver. The WR corps is deep in talent, speed, and power. Any of our wide receivers could start at many FBS schools, with the exception of USC and a few others. But I didn’t write this to praise the wide receivers–well, not JUST to praise the wide receivers. I wrote this to show that Clemson’s offense is not based on one or two variables. Without Sammy, there are plenty of options to fill his position. Don’t worry, Clemson fans: We’ll survive for two weeks without Sammy. And then we’ll dominate with him leading our overloaded WR corps.

Until next time,  God Bless, and Go Tigers!