by Clemson is the favorite and rightly so. Trevor Lawrence is a difference maker and will undoubtedly be the number one pick in the upcoming NFL draft. His arm strength, accuracy, ability to read the defense, height and mobility is a lethal combination. There are only two sure-fire ways to slow him down.
- Generate pressure with the blitz. If Lawrence has time, he will pick apart a secondary easily. If he has to speed up, scramble and throw underneath routes, that’s a win for a defense.
- Keep him off the field. Any opponent needs to control time of possession against Clemson. Running the ball effectively and limiting the amount of times Lawrence can touch the ball is the best way to stop him.
Lawrence has some quick wide receivers. Amari Rodgers is not only shifty but can take the top off a defense. Rodgers leads the team with 69 receptions for 966 yards and 7 touchdowns. Cornell Powell serves as the second option, hauling in 45 catches for 743 yards and 5 TDs. Shaun Wade and Sevyn Banks will need to be locked in on both.
Travis Etienne might be the most well rounded back in the country. Etienne has good vision, cuts well and has speed in the open field. On 158 carries this season, Etienne has 882 yards and 13 TDs.
He used to struggle catching the ball with cement blocks for hands. This season has been totally different. He has increased his draft stock exponentially with his pass catching ability. Etienne has shown soft hands with 44 grabs for 524 yards and 2 TDs. He has firmly made himself the third favorite receiving target on offense.
Clemson’s defense looks slower to me this season. They are talented but young as well. The defensive line is composed of developing freshman and sophomores while the secondary is underwhelming.
The linebackers are the strength against the run and on the blitz. Baylon Spector leads the team in total tackles with 61 and has 3.5 sacks as well. James Skalski is the leader of the group and looks like a scary linebacker with his old-school neckroll. Jake Venables, Trenton Simpson and Mike Jones also add depth to the group. We all know Venables will be dialing up the blitz tonight.
