The game between Florida State and Clemson is the biggest in terms of ranked opponents this week and could potentially decide the ACC this year. Both teams bring an incredible amount of talent to this game and much of that talent is being considered for the NFL. Here is a quick glimpse at those prospects:
Sammy Watkins, WR Clemson – A tremendous combination of size and speed, Watkins is arguably the most physically talented wide receiver in college football and could be the top receiver picked in the upcoming draft.
Tajh Boyd, QB Clemson – Boyd is built like a tank and runs like a power back while possessing a huge arm with the ability to drive the football down the field and has a flare for the dramatic. The problem is he is short, his passes rarely go in the middle of the field and his accuracy can be inconsistent. There are some who believe he can be a first round pick and some who think he is closer to a third round pick.
Timmy Jernigan, DT Florida – Athletic 3-technique defensive tackle with a nice combination of power and quickness. Has shown the ability to put pressure on the quarterback and play the run, but he needs to add more moves to his arsenal and get less predictable.
Vic Beasley, DE Clemson – A slightly undersized but sleek pass rusher with a lot of explosive speed and agility. He might remind some of Barkevious Mingo though he is not quite that athletic or that big. Nevertheless, Beasley has become an impact player for the Tigers and could be a tremendous outside linebacker in the NFL.
Lamarcus Joyner, DB Florida State – Joyner has spent time at both safety and corner with the ability to play in coverage an lay a big hit on the opponent. He is extremely small and plays a style of football where he is aggressive and looking to play downhill in order to make plays, which is great when it works, but can have issues when he misses. Also has the ability to be a big player on special teams.
Christian Jones, OLB Florida State – Jones is a former strong side linebacker who moved to the weak side and has a ton of athleticism and pure speed. He has the ability to be a great coverage linebacker but needs to get better at making plays on the football and while he has a great deal of range against the run, needs to do a better job of working through traffic and fighting through blocks to get to the ball carrier.
Telvin Smith, OLB Florida State – Smith is an undersized linebacker who has shown the ability to blitz and find holes in the line to attack in the backfield. He has a lot of ability in coverage and while he is a tweener, his ability to man up on tight ends could make him a valuable player in the NFL as well as what he can do on special teams and potentially as an extra blitz option.
Cameron Erving, OT Florida State – Erving is an athletic blind side protector who can get to the edge. His power should only get better with time and he needs to continue to improve his angles and how he takes on blocks, but there is a lot of ability and potential there.
Karlos Williams, RB Florida State – A former linebacker/safety, Williams moved to the offensive side of the ball and has his hit the ground running. He has an enormous amount of physical talent.
James Wilder Jr., RB Florida State – Son of a former NFL back, James Jr. has freakish physical ability and has a ton of power on a lean looking frame that looks like it can continue to add weight. Wilder has shown speed and some natural running ability but he has some off field questions and needs to clean up some technical flaws going forward.
Roderick McDowell, RB Clemson – McDowell is another in the long line of speedy Clemson backs that have shown have explosive ability.