The Clemson Insider staff members Robert MacRae, Gavin Oliver, Kaila Burns-Heffner, Will Vandervort and Gabby Bates go Around the Horn to answer some of the questions surrounding Clemson athletics and college football.
Which player impressed you the most this week?
Robert MacRae – There were plenty of players that impressed me this week. The 2016 class is amazing. Since we have to name one player I will go with Trayvon Mullen.
Trayvon impressed me right off the bat when I first saw him on the practice field. He is the tall, physical corner that coach Venables likes. Mullen looked great when I watched him in the one-on-one drills going against Mike Williams. He had no issue matching up with the top receiver in the nation.
It wasn’t just the way he played on the field, but also the way he carried himself. He oozes confidence which is needed badly for a corner. As I wrote in one of the From the Sidelines I expect to see Mullen starting at corner at some point this season.
Gavin Oliver: Trayvon Mullen looks every bit of the 6-foot-3 and 175 pounds he is listed at on Clemson’s roster. He stood out among the cornerbacks physically, and he is smooth. In the one-on-one period of Clemson’s practice that we were able to watch Wednesday, Mullen was matched up with Mike Williams and stayed attached to his hip the whole time. That Mullen, in his second day of practice, consistently hung with what was one of the best receivers in the country two years ago really shows the potential Mullen has to make an impact in Clemson’s secondary sooner than later. Marcus Edmond, who is projected to be the starter opposite Cordrea Tankersley, had a yellow jersey with him Wednesday and did not participate in the drills or one-on-ones we saw. Mullen stepped in with the first team and made the most of his opportunity.
William Qualkinbush: I’ve been most impressed with Deon Cain so far. Maybe my expectations were too low, but after sitting out of practice all spring and being limited to individual off-the-books time with Deshaun Watson, I thought the talented sophomore would suffer from a combination of nerves and rust. Neither has been the case. Cain looks like the most talented receiver on campus, mostly because Mike Williams’ height is the trump card Cain doesn’t have. He needs to be clicking on all cylinders to perform at a high level, and so far, he has done that. As long as the off-the-field stuff won’t trip him up, Cain might be the reliable option the Tigers can count on alongside Williams and Artavis Scott in 2016.
Will Vandervort: So far I have been impressed with Deon Cain. He gained 14 pounds since last season. Physically, he is bigger and stronger and when I saw him throw Cordrea Tankersley to the ground, it told me this kid is serious about making amends to his transgressions at the end of last season. I agree with what Jeff Scott said earlier in the week, by coming into camp after that much layoff, and to be able to just jump right back in, it proved to me that he is not taking the game of football for granted anymore. He now knows it is a privilege to play the game and not a right. You can tell he worked hard to stay in football shape as well as stay in tune with what was expected from him on the first day of practice. So far so good, Mr. Cain.
Kaila Burns-Heffner: I debated long and hard when trying to decide if Trayvon Mullen or Tavien Feaster impressed me the most in the two days we were allowed to watch practice, but I came to the conclusion that these will both soon be household names for Clemson fans, if Feaster is not one already. Both of these freshmen have generated a lot of conversation from both the players and the coaches, and after watching them, it is not hard to see why. Feaster is huge. He’s as developed as most of the backs on the roster, and he has incredible speed. He has the type of speed that makes you just say “wow,” especially for his size. Even Venables noted the back’s natural ability. He has been working a lot at returns, and e was even taking reps with Deshaun Watson. Mullen is not as developed as some of the corners, which is expected from an incoming freshman that arrived to campus in the summer, but he is tall and has a great frame. Watching him in one-on-one drills, he spent a lot of time guarding Mike Williams, and he really held his own against a veteran receiver who is regarded as one of the best in the nation. Mullen has drawn a lot of attention in a short amount of time, and the veterans are taking note. Jadar Johnson pin-pointed him as the best young defensive back on the roster. From what I have seen so far, he has all the potential to be great at Clemson.
Gabby Bates: Not coming off as much of a surprise, the player that has impressed me the most during fall camp is Mike Williams. After missing all of last season due to a fractured bone in his neck during Clemson’s season-opener, Williams is back and practicing like he never missed a beat.
At 220 pounds, the wide receiver looks stronger and bigger than ever. Williams mades some outstanding catches during drills from quarterback Deshaun Watson, including a touchdown pass the first day of camp, that reminded us of his inhuman capabilities at the wide receiver position.
Coach Jeff Scott commented on his touchdown catch at the end of practice.
“The very first play in the pass scale, the very first rep, he made a one-handed catch. The last time I saw a catch like that was DeAndre Hopkins in fall camp before his junior year. It brought back good memories,” Scott said.
During the one-on-one drills, the wide receiver presented a difficult challenge to the guys covering him. There is no doubt that No. 7 is going to be the guy to answer to this season.