OT: Clemson DT Christian Wilkins to return for senior season
Pretty big implications for the college football landscape since Clemson will now officially be returning all 4 starters on a D-Line that led the nation in sacks:
- DE Clelin Ferrell (RsJr.): 66 tlks, 18 TFLs, 9.5 sacks
- DT Christian Wilkins (Sr.): 60 tlks, 8.5 TFLs, 4.5 sacks
- DT Dexter Lawerence (Jr.): 34 tlks, 3 TFLs, 2.5 sacks
- DE Austin Byrant (Sr.): 50tlks, 15.5 TFLs, 8.5 sacks
Plus, in an embarassment of riches on the D-Line, the Dabo/Venables also have two 5-star DEs in the Class of 2018 in Xavier Thomas (#3 overall; #1 SDE), and KJ Henry (#8 overall; #3 WDE).
January 15th, 2018 at 6:01 PM ^
Those who stay
January 15th, 2018 at 6:04 PM ^
His defenses have been elite for a couple of years now, his players rave about him, and he is considered a good recruiter.
He seems to have all the checkmarks on his CV but I haven’t even heard his name in rumors.
January 15th, 2018 at 7:57 PM ^
I believe he doesn't want to be a head coach...
January 15th, 2018 at 8:09 PM ^
There's always rumors that float around that Brent Venables is hoping to get the KSU job after Bill Snyder to retire. Same rumor exists for Oregon DC Jim Leavitt who actually has a clause in his contract that allows him to leaving for the Kansas State job at any point.
However this is complicated by Bill Snyder wanting his son, Sean Snyder to succeed him. Bill is apparently willing to continue coaching until the Kansas State AD agrees/feels comfortable naming his son as the Head-Coach-in-waiting.
January 15th, 2018 at 6:06 PM ^
Clemson is going to run train through the ACC next year. If they can find a half decent QB then watch out.
Georgia also has had a few guys announce their intentions to return, although they did lose their All-Everything LB Roquan Smith (former M target).
OSU has had a few of guys announce recently their intentions to return. Mike Weber, DT Dre'Mont Jones, and WRs Paris Campbell and Johnnie Dixon have all said they're returning. DE Sam Hubbard, CB Denzel Ward and LB Jerome Booker have all announced they're going to the draft. WRs Terry McLaurin and KJ Hill, along with OL Isaiah Prince have yet to announce. Although with Weber, all 4 of the WRs and Prince, I don't understand the debate. Weber is a backup RB, OSU's WRs are notoriously bad, and although Prince improved a good amount this year he's not near NFL ready. The deadline for declarations is today, so expect all of them back.
Also former OT target Jalen Goss committed to Frey at FSU.
January 15th, 2018 at 6:10 PM ^
And two quality backups, both of whom were freshmen last year. They're set at QB for the foreseeable future. Must be nice.
January 15th, 2018 at 6:13 PM ^
Regarding wide receivers, Michael Thomas is doing pretty darn well in the NFL.
January 15th, 2018 at 6:36 PM ^
Thomas also had 800 yards and 9 TDs in back to back seasons at OSU and was a 2nd round draft pick. None of these current OSU WRs have even cracked 600 yards in a season, nor would any of them received a 2nd round or higher draft grade.
January 15th, 2018 at 6:58 PM ^
That may be true, but it’s tangential. I’m not saying they should leave. I’m saying there’s a darn good OSU receiver in the NFL right now, which contradicts your statement that they’re notoriously bad.
January 15th, 2018 at 7:01 PM ^
My statement was about the current crop of OSU WRs on their roster. The ones that have drawn ire from OSU fans for the past 2 years. It had nothing to do with OSU WRs in the NFL.
January 15th, 2018 at 8:03 PM ^
You are right about Buckeye fans because upset at the WRs play for the 2016 season, but not so much for this past season.
There wasn't a singular WR that stood out as a clear #1 option, but there was improvement in the group as a whole. The recieving corp went from catching 2781 yards and 26 TDs in 2016 to 3679 yards and 39 TDs in 2017. A lot of fans have actually coorelated this perceived improvement with the hiring of former Buckeye, and 6-year NFL WR Brian Hartline as a grad assistant. It could also be natural maturation as WR coach Zach Smith had mostly freshmen and sophomores to replace Jalin Marshall, Braxton Miller, and Michael Thomas in 2016.
January 15th, 2018 at 11:39 PM ^
Do you guys blame him at all for the lack of a down field passing game? Or is it all on the 6-8 receivers?
January 15th, 2018 at 7:40 PM ^
there's also a darn good Michigan qb in the NFL.....
January 15th, 2018 at 11:37 PM ^
It's unfortunate that he wasn't that good when he was in AA. I'd feel better about the whole thing if he would have led a National title run or something. That just our luck - the GOAT QB played for us and was mediocre while doing it. I would rather have a guy who flames out in the NFL but was able to lead the wolverine to multiple championships. That's just my opinion
January 15th, 2018 at 11:22 PM ^
If they can find a half-decent QB? Kelly Bryant did a pretty swell job leading them back to the CFPt this year as a junior.
January 15th, 2018 at 11:34 PM ^
That OSU's receiver's weren't the problem. Seems to me that JT Barrett could make Randy Moss and Calvin Johnson look mediocre. There's no way that they just missed on all of those 4 and 5 star receivers. I honestly wish Barrett had 10 more years of eligibility. I don't want to see a competent passer playing for them
January 15th, 2018 at 6:07 PM ^
We can probably expect to see Rashan Gary bolt without hesitation after year 3.
January 15th, 2018 at 8:22 PM ^
And no one should blame him.
January 15th, 2018 at 11:30 PM ^
Especially if he has a good season.
When M pulls 5 star talent, we should expect those guys to only be here for 3 years (4 at the most and that's if they take a redshirt). If a 5 star player is here after 3 seasons of playing - something went wrong with his development.
January 15th, 2018 at 6:17 PM ^
Defense should be top 2-3. Bryant or Lawrence will fix the QB issues and their loss of 2 space guys (Cain and McCloud) shouldn’t be an issue with their recruiting/development of WRs.
ACC will be top heavy with Miami, FSU and Clemson, but Clemson has to be the favorite.
January 15th, 2018 at 11:26 PM ^
What makes you so certain that they'll automatically fix those issues? D. Watson was a generational talent and they rode him to a title. I don't expect them to win another anytime soon
January 15th, 2018 at 6:46 PM ^
The 2019 NFL Draft is going to have a crazy amount of super talented defensive linemen in it.
January 15th, 2018 at 6:55 PM ^
So maybe the deep DL draft class helps make it an easy decision.
January 15th, 2018 at 6:46 PM ^
really wanted the Lions to draft him
January 15th, 2018 at 7:23 PM ^
Sweet. Could you give me a run down of the rest of their roster too and the rest of their conference?
January 15th, 2018 at 11:24 PM ^
Clemson is fortune that they play in the second worst conference in college football. They're not scary and Dabo is a tremendous douchebag
January 16th, 2018 at 2:51 AM ^
How much are they making in college?
"I believe Rashan Gary was offered incentives during his recruitment," Jim Hackett
January 16th, 2018 at 3:43 AM ^
are known, why isn't this information turned over to the NCAA, FBI, IRS, etc? If we and others don't, then we have no right to bitch about the bagmen. This stuff could be stopped fairly easily (unless we all are doing it also)