The QB Competition
The QB battle has been the biggest competition of spring practice. The competition loses a little of its luster with Deshuan Watson out for the spring game but Cole Stoudt and Chad Kelly will take it to the field Saturday. It's a tight battle and while neither will come out of spring with the guaranteed starting job, one of the could develop some separation. If one plays well and the other doesn't then we could know who will likely be the starter against Georgia.
Mackensie Alexander and Adrian Baker
So many of us thought Alexander and Baker would contribute a lot as true freshmen but both were redshirted instead. So far this spring the redshirt year has paid dividends. Alexander is showing why he was a five star recruit and Baker is being consistent. Both will have plenty of playing time Saturday. If they can't rise up and play well the secondary could be horrible.
Who Will Rise at Receiver?
Clemson will need to find a new star at receiver to replace two NFL talents. Charone Peake was set for a big year last season but an ACL tear ended that. He will battle Mike Williams for the top receiver spot. If they can be options 1a and 1b that will be big for the Tigers. Williams hasn't matured much this spring and simulated game action could show the immaturity or force him to step up. Adam Humphries has been very reliable and will be get a lot of passes his way. Three true freshmen, Demarre Kitt, Travian Thompson, and Kyrin Priester have the talent to get significant time in the receiver rotation.
You can't forget about the tight ends either. Stanton Seckinger will be back but look for Jordan Leggett to get a more action. Leggett's combination of size and speed creates mismatches for opposing defenses. He's matured this spring. A good spring game could put him to the top of the depth chart.
Tony Steward Becoming a Star
Tony Steward has yet to blossom into the linebacker he was projected to be out of high school. The ACL injury in his freshmen year set him back and he just hasn't been able to fully bounce back. This is his last shot. The Spring Game could help solidify him as a starter and give him so momentum heading into offseason practice. Steward could do the equivalent of what Vic Beasley did last season in his rise to stardom.
Can Isaiah Battle Be Reliable?
Battle has the most upside of any of Clemson's offensive linemen. He is naturally gifted and has the talent to be a high profile player. He has a nastiness that all coaches like from their linemen. He has lacked good technique and maturity. If he puts those 2 things together you can bet on the QB to be protected from his side. If he can hold his on against a talented Tiger D-line Saturday it will be a prequel to a huge Junior season for him.
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