When he came to Clemson in 2011, it was Charone Peake that was the highly touted guy not Sammy Watkins. Peake was rated as the No. 15 player in the country coming out of Dorman High School in nearby by Spartanburg, S.C. But as Watkins became a household name their freshman season, Peake was held up by a guy named DeAndre Hopkins, who became a first-round pick by the Houston Texans in 2013.

But Peake tore his ACL that following fall, which slowed him down for much of 2014 as well. Finally healthy again in 2015, the 6-foot-2, 205-pound wide receiver had the year everyone knew he was capable of having.

Peake, who is Clemson’s only offensive representative at this weekend’s NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, started every game for the Tigers on their run to the National Championship Game last year. He finished second on the team with 50 receptions. His 716 yards also ranked second as did his five touchdowns.

Though Peake’s 2015 campaign got him noticed by NFL scouts, what got him on their radars was what he did at the Senior Bowl practices last month.

The former Tiger impressed everyone with his speed as cornerbacks were unable to cover him downfield. His physicality, as it had been all year, stood out in his running blocking, while he also flashed brilliance by making eye-popping catches and running crisp routes. One scout said he was the best route runner at either practice.

“I like his size and speed but hands are dicey. Will work out well and get people excited,” one scout told the NFL.com.

After a brilliant final year at Clemson and an even better showing during Senior Bowl week, Peake heads into the scouting combine with an opportunity to move up the draft boards even more. The Clemson standout did his measurables and testing on Thursday before participating in interviews and with the bench press on Friday. On Saturday he will participate in the on-field drills at Lucas Oil Stadium.

“(He has a) rare combination of size and speed that can often be found in number one wide receivers,” writes NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein.

Peake’s measurables should be good enough given his rangy body and long arms, and his speed should have him up near the top in the wide receiver group. If he is able to show good burst during the cone drills and an ability to lean in and stay low while making his cuts then they could make up for his shortcomings, which at this point are becoming less and less worrisome for scouts and NFL executives.

“Peake was highly regarded coming out of high school but failed to post eye-­popping production thanks, in part, to two knee injuries. While his small hands are a concern, his athleticism and ability to operate on all levels of the field warrant consideration inside the first three rounds if his medicals check out,” Zierlein wrote.

Photo Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

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