MIDWEEK CAMP INSIDER
By: Larry Williams & Paul Strelow
We need to talk.
You've got August camp questions, we've got answers or opinions.
In the latest edition of this mail call-based feature, Tigerillustrated.com digs into topics broached by our subscribers.
Off we go ...
atiger81: Has Barrett Carter continued to impress or hit the proverbial freshman wall? After seeing him up close do you still think Jalon Walker is the better overall prospect?
PAUL: This always requires careful extrapolation for a couple of reasons.
Fans are logically defensive about their guy. Moreover, many don't want to read how wonderful their team's rivals are.
So we dust off the line used quite often during the great Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields debates, although the script is flipped in this case.
I really like them both. To give one an objective nod is not a criticism or putdown of the other.
Freshman linebacker and former five-star recruit Barrett Carter has steadily improved this off-season. (Tigerillustrated.com)
I would still tab Walker the better prospect as far as how I would order them if ranked within the same class. Here's my reasoning:
Walker is a bigger body and an ideal inside linebacker prototype physically. The kind you plug in at Clemson, Alabama or in this instance UGA, and it's not hard to envision him coming out as an NFL first-rounder down the road. He translates through college to the pros.
Both Walker and Carter are good kids, check the intangibles boxes you want, and are productive players already.
I give Carter an edge on being the more natural, or better, playmaker out of the box.
Just very low odds that Carter won't be a really good college player.
While we've seen the NFL adjust to modern offenses by placing more of a premium on coverage linebackers of Carter's potential ilk, I don't know that he has quite the specs or testing measurables that give him a first-round ceiling.
That's the differentiator for me, and reasonable minds can disagree.
For me, it comes down to Carter being a slightly safer bet to thrive in college, but Walker profiling as the more attractive NFL material.
As for the freshman wall, all indications remain that Carter has shown advanced mental capacities in that regard.
Doesn't mean he has mastered processing and executing everything quite yet, or won't have a period where his performance dips because he's tentative or confused.
But Carter has picked up on everything at an accelerated rate and continues showing a maturity in his approach to preparation and work.
Clemson's staff knew it was getting the latter, and it's why Carter appears on the fast track to a role this season.
Fleetwood Sac: What should we expect from Xavier Thomas this year, or is it a complete toss-up?
Two years ago, he was pegged by you observers as a top-three player on the team in terms of potential. Is it possible that the light turns on and everything clicks for him to have a breakout season like Gaines Adams and Da'Quan Bowers? I would imagine having Bryan Bresee, Tyler Davis and Myles Murphy should help. I have a feeling we will see the best version of him this year. In your opinion, what would that look like?
LARRY: Great question, and first a bit of clarification to your statement that we as a staff rated him a top-three player on the 2019 team.
That was actually me and only me, as I think Paul had some skepticism that he was really that good even after some truly dazzling moments as a freshman.
So I overshot on that one, for sure.
Now to the topic of what the best version of XT looks like this season in terms of impact.
I don't really see an All-America-type season largely because of how crowded that room is. Just feels like it's going to be more of a constant rotation as these guys come at you in waves with Murphy, Justin Foster, Justin Mascoll and Thomas.
But hey, the 2014 ends were pretty darned deep and talented too and that didn't keep Vic Beasley from having a monster year (21.5 tackles for loss in 13 games)
I find myself a bit stumped in trying to formulate an educated guess on what Thomas' ceiling is this year. And I think that's a product of some remaining doubts about him inside the building also.
Not that he hasn't had a fantastic offseason, and not that folks aren't excited about the possibility of him finally putting it all together. But there are just some "I'll believe it when I see it" sentiments that are a natural residue of the last two years when the consistent buy-in just wasn't there.
So just consider me still a bit gun-shy from the premature exuberance about Thomas two years ago. For now I'll go with "damn good complementary piece/situational menace" as the expectations of a fully committed and driven XT moving forward -- or at least more that than "2014 Beasley-style takeover."
WilkinsHat: What’s the deal with Etinosa Reuben? He’s a guy we hardly hear anything about, especially considering he’s a third-year now. Is he a guy that will be a late-bloomer starter, or a guy that was a bad evaluation and will get swallowed by the depth chart?
PAUL: Well, you hardly hear about him because he hasn't been available much.
Redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Etinosa Reuben has worked in 10 career games. (Tigerillustrated.com)
Reuben played defensive end in high school and, similar to Ruke Orhorhoro, arrived relatively raw with plenty of work to do fundamentally to learn to play defensive tackle.
Our read early on was that, like many, some maturity needed to take place to achieve the desired level of work ethic and investment.
It's then fair to suggest that health and the inability to stay on the practice field for long has stunted his development. He had scaphoid surgery before August camp last year. Missed this past spring entirely because of an undisclosed surgery, and then has been in a green (non-contact) jersey for the duration of the drills we've observed this month.
Here's where we might reference what Tyler Grisham talked about recently as far as the difference in being injured and pushing through discomfort.
I'd put highest odds on redshirt freshman Tre Williams snatching the No. 4 tackle spot behind starters Bryan Bresee and Tyler Davis, with Orhorhoro having clearly claimed the No. 3 spot.
Darnell Jefferies will also be in the conversation as a veteran who has stuck with it, demonstrated some improvement during the spring and has experience.
Reuben arguably possesses greater physical talent and upside. But he'll have De'Monte Capehart in the rear view mirror in a minute, too.
So I haven't seen or heard enough to project him as a starter down the line. The ball is in his court, though, as to whether he rises into a rotation contender.
metalman82: What is your realistic prediction for how this offense will perform over the course of the season? I am concerned about turnovers, especially when DJ Uiagalelei has a tendency to be erratic with his throws. How much should we worry?
LARRY: As we've noted recently, it seems that most of the urgency/concern about the offense this season is rooted in the fact that Clemson faces a heavyweight team (and heavyweight defensive front, for sure) in the opener.
If this challenge were in, say, the second game I think there'd be more comfort about getting things ironed out in an opener against a 40-point underdog.
So I have a two-part take on this reconstituted offense at the moment: 1) Scoring points in the opener could be a chore; 2) This offense is going to achieve its vast upside over the course of the season (with the obvious disclaimer about the starting quarterback staying healthy, avoiding injuries at some other key spots, etc.)
While I do think DJ can tighten up some of his throwing mechanics and footwork, it also has to be noted that he didn't throw any interceptions last year on 117 attempts. That is impressive.
And beyond that, by my recollection there were very few times he put the ball in danger. So at least he missed the right way when he did throw errantly (insert joke here about some of his misfires being three feet over the head of receivers and DBs).
Contrasting that with JT Daniels, for example, if you're a Georgia fan right now you're justifiably concerned about his tendency to throw picks. He threw a lot of them when he was at USC, and even during his run of high-level play late last season he put the ball in danger quite a bit (he was extremely lucky on a few missed interceptions by Cincinnati in the bowl game).
To me the bigger turnover-related worry would probably shift more to a new stable of running backs. They have put the ball on the ground at times during camp, and the fact that beyond Lyn-D Dixon there's not much experience makes you think ball security is probably getting some extra attention from C.J. Spiller.
I do think it's going to be interesting to watch this offensive line take shape. But ultimately this offense has the talent and star power to light up the scoreboard.
Of course who knows how long it'll be post-UGA before the offense receives another stern test, but my advice is to just sit back and enjoy yet another season of extremely gifted offensive players playing football.
daviddurant: Health aside, you have to choose two receivers to pair with Justyn Ross for this season out of E.J. Williams, Joseph Ngata, Frank Ladson and Ajou Ajou. Who are you taking?
PAUL: I get where you're going in removing injuries from the hypothetical, as you're wanting a gauge for Ngata's talent. But it's also hard for my selections not to be colored by consistency and how these receivers complement each other, both of which would be influenced by health as well.
Former five-star wideout Joe Ngata still has a lot to prove, including staying healthy. (Tigerillustrated.com)
This choice might be more heart than head, but I'm starting with Ladson.
He's got to be tougher and stronger in bringing in contested catches. But he's the one who can run himself open. I value the upside in his size/speed combo and feel he's a variable in taking Clemson's offense to another level this season as a deep threat and weapon at the "5" position.
The logical follow-up would be to marry Ladson with Williams, whom I consider the steadiest and most versatile of the bunch. Williams can play any of the three receiver positions, allowing you to mix and match how you use Ross. Plus hands and ball skills. The safe choice.
Ajou flashed more than any of the candidates during the media observation windows earlier this month, and a case could be made for rolling the dice on his potential.
But for this year, I'd probably still go Ngata.
Absolutely, he's reached the point where believing will require seeing. And that appears it will require resolve and fortitude on his part.
You can acquire and develop that in college, too, and I choose to think there's still a good receiver there to tap into if he can.
He's a more refined route-runner and blocker, and while certain Clemson coaches can be prone to hyperbole on certain players, here's believing the longstanding Ngata hype is grounded on evidence they've seen. Put another way, so many coaches don't go to that extent without reasonable basis.
That trio doesn't afford me much schematic range. But they're the three highest-ceiling receivers for this season, in my estimation.
NOTE: Please do not copy/paste or summarize this article on other message boards or websites, as it is a direct violation of copyright laws. Thank you.
By: Larry Williams & Paul Strelow
We need to talk.
You've got August camp questions, we've got answers or opinions.
In the latest edition of this mail call-based feature, Tigerillustrated.com digs into topics broached by our subscribers.
Off we go ...
atiger81: Has Barrett Carter continued to impress or hit the proverbial freshman wall? After seeing him up close do you still think Jalon Walker is the better overall prospect?
PAUL: This always requires careful extrapolation for a couple of reasons.
Fans are logically defensive about their guy. Moreover, many don't want to read how wonderful their team's rivals are.
So we dust off the line used quite often during the great Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields debates, although the script is flipped in this case.
I really like them both. To give one an objective nod is not a criticism or putdown of the other.
Freshman linebacker and former five-star recruit Barrett Carter has steadily improved this off-season. (Tigerillustrated.com)
I would still tab Walker the better prospect as far as how I would order them if ranked within the same class. Here's my reasoning:
Walker is a bigger body and an ideal inside linebacker prototype physically. The kind you plug in at Clemson, Alabama or in this instance UGA, and it's not hard to envision him coming out as an NFL first-rounder down the road. He translates through college to the pros.
Both Walker and Carter are good kids, check the intangibles boxes you want, and are productive players already.
I give Carter an edge on being the more natural, or better, playmaker out of the box.
Just very low odds that Carter won't be a really good college player.
While we've seen the NFL adjust to modern offenses by placing more of a premium on coverage linebackers of Carter's potential ilk, I don't know that he has quite the specs or testing measurables that give him a first-round ceiling.
That's the differentiator for me, and reasonable minds can disagree.
For me, it comes down to Carter being a slightly safer bet to thrive in college, but Walker profiling as the more attractive NFL material.
As for the freshman wall, all indications remain that Carter has shown advanced mental capacities in that regard.
Doesn't mean he has mastered processing and executing everything quite yet, or won't have a period where his performance dips because he's tentative or confused.
But Carter has picked up on everything at an accelerated rate and continues showing a maturity in his approach to preparation and work.
Clemson's staff knew it was getting the latter, and it's why Carter appears on the fast track to a role this season.
Fleetwood Sac: What should we expect from Xavier Thomas this year, or is it a complete toss-up?
Two years ago, he was pegged by you observers as a top-three player on the team in terms of potential. Is it possible that the light turns on and everything clicks for him to have a breakout season like Gaines Adams and Da'Quan Bowers? I would imagine having Bryan Bresee, Tyler Davis and Myles Murphy should help. I have a feeling we will see the best version of him this year. In your opinion, what would that look like?
LARRY: Great question, and first a bit of clarification to your statement that we as a staff rated him a top-three player on the 2019 team.
That was actually me and only me, as I think Paul had some skepticism that he was really that good even after some truly dazzling moments as a freshman.
So I overshot on that one, for sure.
Now to the topic of what the best version of XT looks like this season in terms of impact.
I don't really see an All-America-type season largely because of how crowded that room is. Just feels like it's going to be more of a constant rotation as these guys come at you in waves with Murphy, Justin Foster, Justin Mascoll and Thomas.
But hey, the 2014 ends were pretty darned deep and talented too and that didn't keep Vic Beasley from having a monster year (21.5 tackles for loss in 13 games)
I find myself a bit stumped in trying to formulate an educated guess on what Thomas' ceiling is this year. And I think that's a product of some remaining doubts about him inside the building also.
Not that he hasn't had a fantastic offseason, and not that folks aren't excited about the possibility of him finally putting it all together. But there are just some "I'll believe it when I see it" sentiments that are a natural residue of the last two years when the consistent buy-in just wasn't there.
So just consider me still a bit gun-shy from the premature exuberance about Thomas two years ago. For now I'll go with "damn good complementary piece/situational menace" as the expectations of a fully committed and driven XT moving forward -- or at least more that than "2014 Beasley-style takeover."
WilkinsHat: What’s the deal with Etinosa Reuben? He’s a guy we hardly hear anything about, especially considering he’s a third-year now. Is he a guy that will be a late-bloomer starter, or a guy that was a bad evaluation and will get swallowed by the depth chart?
PAUL: Well, you hardly hear about him because he hasn't been available much.
Redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Etinosa Reuben has worked in 10 career games. (Tigerillustrated.com)
Reuben played defensive end in high school and, similar to Ruke Orhorhoro, arrived relatively raw with plenty of work to do fundamentally to learn to play defensive tackle.
Our read early on was that, like many, some maturity needed to take place to achieve the desired level of work ethic and investment.
It's then fair to suggest that health and the inability to stay on the practice field for long has stunted his development. He had scaphoid surgery before August camp last year. Missed this past spring entirely because of an undisclosed surgery, and then has been in a green (non-contact) jersey for the duration of the drills we've observed this month.
Here's where we might reference what Tyler Grisham talked about recently as far as the difference in being injured and pushing through discomfort.
I'd put highest odds on redshirt freshman Tre Williams snatching the No. 4 tackle spot behind starters Bryan Bresee and Tyler Davis, with Orhorhoro having clearly claimed the No. 3 spot.
Darnell Jefferies will also be in the conversation as a veteran who has stuck with it, demonstrated some improvement during the spring and has experience.
Reuben arguably possesses greater physical talent and upside. But he'll have De'Monte Capehart in the rear view mirror in a minute, too.
So I haven't seen or heard enough to project him as a starter down the line. The ball is in his court, though, as to whether he rises into a rotation contender.
metalman82: What is your realistic prediction for how this offense will perform over the course of the season? I am concerned about turnovers, especially when DJ Uiagalelei has a tendency to be erratic with his throws. How much should we worry?
LARRY: As we've noted recently, it seems that most of the urgency/concern about the offense this season is rooted in the fact that Clemson faces a heavyweight team (and heavyweight defensive front, for sure) in the opener.
If this challenge were in, say, the second game I think there'd be more comfort about getting things ironed out in an opener against a 40-point underdog.
So I have a two-part take on this reconstituted offense at the moment: 1) Scoring points in the opener could be a chore; 2) This offense is going to achieve its vast upside over the course of the season (with the obvious disclaimer about the starting quarterback staying healthy, avoiding injuries at some other key spots, etc.)
While I do think DJ can tighten up some of his throwing mechanics and footwork, it also has to be noted that he didn't throw any interceptions last year on 117 attempts. That is impressive.
And beyond that, by my recollection there were very few times he put the ball in danger. So at least he missed the right way when he did throw errantly (insert joke here about some of his misfires being three feet over the head of receivers and DBs).
Contrasting that with JT Daniels, for example, if you're a Georgia fan right now you're justifiably concerned about his tendency to throw picks. He threw a lot of them when he was at USC, and even during his run of high-level play late last season he put the ball in danger quite a bit (he was extremely lucky on a few missed interceptions by Cincinnati in the bowl game).
To me the bigger turnover-related worry would probably shift more to a new stable of running backs. They have put the ball on the ground at times during camp, and the fact that beyond Lyn-D Dixon there's not much experience makes you think ball security is probably getting some extra attention from C.J. Spiller.
I do think it's going to be interesting to watch this offensive line take shape. But ultimately this offense has the talent and star power to light up the scoreboard.
Of course who knows how long it'll be post-UGA before the offense receives another stern test, but my advice is to just sit back and enjoy yet another season of extremely gifted offensive players playing football.
daviddurant: Health aside, you have to choose two receivers to pair with Justyn Ross for this season out of E.J. Williams, Joseph Ngata, Frank Ladson and Ajou Ajou. Who are you taking?
PAUL: I get where you're going in removing injuries from the hypothetical, as you're wanting a gauge for Ngata's talent. But it's also hard for my selections not to be colored by consistency and how these receivers complement each other, both of which would be influenced by health as well.
Former five-star wideout Joe Ngata still has a lot to prove, including staying healthy. (Tigerillustrated.com)
This choice might be more heart than head, but I'm starting with Ladson.
He's got to be tougher and stronger in bringing in contested catches. But he's the one who can run himself open. I value the upside in his size/speed combo and feel he's a variable in taking Clemson's offense to another level this season as a deep threat and weapon at the "5" position.
The logical follow-up would be to marry Ladson with Williams, whom I consider the steadiest and most versatile of the bunch. Williams can play any of the three receiver positions, allowing you to mix and match how you use Ross. Plus hands and ball skills. The safe choice.
Ajou flashed more than any of the candidates during the media observation windows earlier this month, and a case could be made for rolling the dice on his potential.
But for this year, I'd probably still go Ngata.
Absolutely, he's reached the point where believing will require seeing. And that appears it will require resolve and fortitude on his part.
You can acquire and develop that in college, too, and I choose to think there's still a good receiver there to tap into if he can.
He's a more refined route-runner and blocker, and while certain Clemson coaches can be prone to hyperbole on certain players, here's believing the longstanding Ngata hype is grounded on evidence they've seen. Put another way, so many coaches don't go to that extent without reasonable basis.
That trio doesn't afford me much schematic range. But they're the three highest-ceiling receivers for this season, in my estimation.
NOTE: Please do not copy/paste or summarize this article on other message boards or websites, as it is a direct violation of copyright laws. Thank you.
