After Clemson’s second scrimmage of fall camp on Saturday, co-offensive coordinator and receivers coach Jeff Scott said Clemson’s three freshmen receivers looked like, well, freshmen.

Scott said freshmen wideouts T.J. Chase, Diondre Overton and Cornell Powell did not have a good day as far as lining up and doing basic things in the offense, and thus, they’re falling behind the veterans in Clemson’s receiving corps.

Head coach Dabo Swinney agreed with Scott after Clemson’s first of two practices Monday, saying that it’s inexperience, not talent, that separates the freshmen from the vets.

“It’s not talent, not athleticism, none of those things,” Swinney said of the freshmen. “It’s just the knowledge, because the talent, they’re all right there. But the understanding, there’s a big separation right now, and there should be.”

Swinney named Sammy Watkins and Tyler Grisham as two of the only Clemson receivers he remembers coming in with an advanced knowledge of the position.

“Sammy Watkins and maybe Tyler Grisham are two guys that jump out to me as far as freshmen who were technically ready to play from a technical standpoint,” Swinney said. “They all have to learn the system and all that, but as far as the fundamentals of the position, they were way ahead of everybody else.”

Chase, Overton and Powell are going through some growing pains early in their careers, like many receivers before them, such as Ray-Ray McCloud and Deon Cain recently.

Swinney pointed to Artavis Scott as another example, saying Scott caught a touchdown pass in the scrimmage Saturday that would have been an incompletion or interception two years ago.

“It’s because of coaching, seeing things on tape, correction and then him buying in, working on those things and understanding why we are doing this in drill work,” Swinney said. “It’s fun to see a guy improve like that, and he is really a complete player right now. He’s not just an athlete running around out there, he’s a complete receiver.”

Trevion Thompson, though, is the “perfect example” of a player who needed time to grow in his development and improve as a player.

“He was really very average when he got here as a freshman,” Swinney said. “He was a long way from playing, but now he’s as good as anybody out here. He’s a technically disciplined player, and when he makes a mistake, he understands what he did wrong.”

In time, the mental capabilities of Chase, Powell and Overton will catch up to their physical capabilities, and they’ll be in the position Clemson’s veteran receivers are now.

“They’re good athletes that don’t really understand the details of playing the position,” Swinney said, “the influence that you have to have with your body language, your eyes, your arms and technically how to run.

“Three years ago, those guys would probably be second team, but they’re behind (the veteran receivers) right now.”