Teams at the top of the draft who don’t get the quarterback of their choosing can still help their passing game.
According to Pete Iacobelli of the Associated Press, Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins is leaving school a year early to enter the draft.
He’ll be joined by wide receiver Martavis Bryant and cornerback Bashaud Breeland in leaving Clemson early, but Watkins will be of the most interest.
The 6-foot-1, 205-pound junior is expected to go in the top half of the first round (at least). He caught a school record 101 passes for 1,464 yards this season. He did have a drug-related suspension as a sophomore, but he stayed out of trouble and produced at a high level this year.
He left NFL scouts with a good final impression, with 16 catches for 227 yards and two touchdowns in Clemson’s Orange Bowl win over Ohio State.