Ray Ray McCloud helps fill gap at WR after loss of Mike Williams

Ray Ray McCloud tried and failed to digitally clone Deshaun Watson for his video football game.

A gifted and confident freshman receiver from Tampa, Fla., McCloud delivered perhaps the ultimate compliment to his Clemson teammate.

“I never played with a quarterback like that,” McCloud said. “My Madden quarterback isn’t as good as him.”

McCloud’s debut with Watson on the trigger eased some of the anxiety in the wake of the neck fracture that might sideline Mike Williams for at least six weeks, if not the season. Watson completed 18 of 22 passes for 194 yards and two touchdowns. McCloud caught a game-high 8 for 80 yards.

However, losing Williams was costly beyond the obvious numbers – 57 receptions in 2014 for a team-high 1,030 yards and 6 touchdowns. Williams is a walking mismatch for most defenses because at 6-foot-4 he’s taller than most players assigned to cover him, and with a serious vertical, he plays larger.

Clemson coaches don’t talk about “replacing” Williams because there’s not another like him. Veteran Charone Peake is closest physically at 6-foot-3 and moves into Williams’ role, but because of an injury-marred career there’s no assurance he’ll fulfill the expectations that came as a nationally prominent recruit in a class that included Sammy Watkins and Martavis Bryant.

Artavis Scott was Clemson’s leading receiver as a freshman last season with 76 catches for 965 yards and eight touchdowns, and with McCloud, Germone Hopper, Trevion Thompson, Hunter Renfrow and Deon Cain comprises a richly talented group. In addition, 6-foot-5 tight end Jordan Leggett could become a viable option in stretching the field vertically.

McCloud’s remarks about Watson provided a look inside the relationship between quarterbacks and receivers. In college football great quarterbacks make receivers, and great receivers can make a great quarterback a Heisman candidate.

“I’ve always felt like I was made for this type of moment in my life,” McCloud said this week. “I was prepared for it. I didn’t have the mindset wondering if I would be good in college. I have goals and standards to be great.”

On the depth chart he’ll be behind Scott, which doesn’t challenge McCloud’s ego or erode his confidence.

“It took time,” he said. “Now it’s time to show it. I could have been a bust. I still can be a bust.”

A running back in high school, McCloud said the transition to receiver wasn’t particularly challenging, nor was adjusting to the quickness and the breadth of talent.

“Football is football. It’s going to be the same in little league, college, NFL; it’s just knowing the game,” said McCloud. “I love football that much, like in school when you study for a test.

“When players are faster than you or just as fast, you need to use fundamentals,” he said. “Blocking is effort. I think anybody can block anybody. It takes effort and the will to block for your teammate.”

Two events marked his transition from high school to college. A hit during a scrimmage by teammates B.J. Goodson and Christian Wilkins was his “this is college” moment. The bus ride from the locker room to the top of the hill last week was a slap of reality.

“Me and Christian were at the back of the line,” he said. “I was little nervous about going down the hill, and even more nervous seeing all those people.

“Once I got down, it was relief,” he said, “It was go time.”

McCloud said playing with Watson forces receivers to keep their heads in the game – whenever and wherever.

“Deshaun’s not a quarterback that looks at one player. He’s looking at the whole field,” McCloud said. “Coach tells us all the time don’t loaf on a play because Deshaun may come your way.

“He has some great eyes, and Deshaun puts all the receivers in a great place to make plays. Having him is a blessing.”