NFL Draft prospects to watch in National Championship Game
By Brad Weiss
Deshaun Watson
QB, Clemson
What can you say about Deshaun Watson? Throughout his career at Clemson, Watson has established himself as one of the best quarterbacks in college football, and many believe he will continue to get better at the next level. He has led the Tigers to back-to-back National Championship Games, and on Monday night, he will get the opportunity to close out his college career with a major upset over the Crimson Tide.
While this NFL draft class does not scream franchise quarterback, there are scouts who believe that is exactly what Watson will become. The scouts have been very undecided as to where he falls, as some have placed him as low as the fourth round. That is not going to happen, as there are at least ten teams in the NFL who need to make a change at quarterback for the 2017 NFL season.
Watson can do it all, and while his decision-making has come under fire this season, he has all the tools to be a solid quarterback at the next level. He has shown the ability to play big in big games, and if can get into the right system, he should be able to flourish in the NFL. Watson may not be ready to step in and start an NFL game his rookie season, but any team looking to draft their future signal-caller has to be looking long and hard at Watson.
Clemson is not the program they are now without Watson, and in the last two years, he has been a Heisman finalist. He will go down as one of the more decorated college quarterbacks in recent memory, and Clemson is going to have a hard time finding someone to duplicate his production once he goes to the NFL. Watson is going to be drafted in the first round, and whether that is in the top-five, or in the middle of the round, some team is going to be getting a fantastic player, and an even better person.