With Clemson’s wide receivers group full of potential, who will emerge in 2021?
Clemson wide receivers coach Tyler Grisham made it a point to clarify redshirt junior Justyn Ross’ role for the Tigers.
Yes, he’ll play the slot position once he’s medically cleared, but that’s not all he can do.
“He’s going to have to play the boundary,” Grisham said of the Alabama native. “He’s going to have to play the field or the 2-man, or the ‘Z’ is typically what you call that position. Because he’s so versatile, it would be crazy not to move him around some.”
The Tigers have the good fortune of having multiple receivers who have the ability to and are willing to play at any spot assigned. Knowing what happened last year with the group, health will be the first step in bringing everything to fruition.
Ross sat out of the 2020 season after having surgery due to a congenital spine fusion. In 2019, the last time he was on the field competitively, he started every game and totaled 865 yards and eight scores on a team-best 66 receptions. As a freshman, the Phenix City, Alabama native also reached 1,000 receiving yards, making him one of only four Tigers wide receivers to achieve the feat in the past five years.
Ross was eager to get reps during the spring, but Grisham, going into his second season as the Tigers’ full-time wide receivers coach, adhered to the rules of waiting for medical clearance.
“He was like, ‘Coach, man, let me compete in the spring,’ ” Grisham said of Ross, who has built back up a good portion of muscle that he lost last year. “I’m like, ‘I will lose my job if I let you get a rep of one-on-ones and I love my job and my family too much to do that.’ ”
Instead, the redshirt junior completed RVA (routes versus air) and worked on perfecting the timing of his routes. That wasn’t just limited to reps in the slot, either. Ross possesses the ability to make an impact everywhere.
“He’s a big-body guy, but he can get in and out of his breaks like he’s a 6-footer,” Grisham said, “so that’s what excites you is that he’s so dynamic that you can do a lot of things with him.”
The talent alongside Justyn Ross
Junior Joseph Ngata is considered to have NFL Draft first-round talent and showed glimpses last year. He was, at some points, limited due to an abdominal injury but still managed seven catches for 83 yards in three starts over seven total games played.
Because of that potential still to be discovered, Ngata will be expected to be that versatile player the Tigers need and help make up for some of the production lost in Amari Rodgers and Cornell Powell. The Green Bay Packers picked Rodgers in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft, while Powell was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fifth round.
Grisham pointed to Clemson’s April spring game as an example of what’s to come for Ngata despite the junior still not being at full strength. Ngata finished with six catches for 83 yards for the Orange team.
“He’s such a physically dominant guy, for him, I’m really hoping the light comes on,” Grisham said. “I’m hoping that he stays healthy and is who we think he can be.”
Health is also a point of concern for junior Frank Ladson, who battled the injury bug last season and was out at the end of the spring season with an undisclosed injury. Still, he’s the second-leading returning wide receiver after managing 281 yards and three touchdowns on 18 catches in 2020.
The season is long and injuries do happen, but the Tigers have sophomore roommates Ajou Ajou and EJ Williams, who have proven they can help carry the load. Williams, who played at the same high school as Ross (Central High School) is the leading returning receiver after recording 24 catches for 306 yards and two scores in his collegiate debut. With injuries plaguing Clemson last season, he stepped up and carried himself like an upperclassman, Grisham said.
Ajou, who has “God-given ability and talent,” has been working on fine tuning the technical parts of his skill set and learning more of the playbook.
“We just kind of stuck him at one position, but now he’s been able to play another position there in the boundary and the field,” Grisham said. “That’s created confidence and then off the field, he’s done well.”
Clemson also adds in newcomers Beaux Collins, Dacari Collins and Troy Stellato, all of whom were top 300 signees in the Class of 2021. Beaux Collins and Dacari Collins had a chance to get college reps early during the spring game. Beaux caught a 14-yard touchdown pass from D.J. Uiagalelei for the first score of the contest. Uiagalelei and Beaux were high school teammates at St. John Bosco. Dacari caught two passes for 48 yards that day as well.
What impressed Grisham the most was not just the two incoming freshmen’s grasping the concept of their positions quickly, but their willingness and ability to play both the at boundary and field spots.
“As a coach, if you have a player that’s that confident, man, you feel free to just roll guys in,” Grisham said. “That’s what I want to have is just confident playmakers that are just chomping at the bit to get in there and dominate. I expect us to have that confidence, each and every one of us, have confidence to go out there and be who you are and make plays for the Tigers on Saturdays.”
