Sammy Watkins, DeAndre Hopkins, Martavis Bryant, and now, Mike Williams. Under Dabo Swinney, the Clemson Tigers have become a factory for big, fast, NFL-ready wide receivers.
With a Heisman finalist under center to throw him the ball in Deshaun Watson, Williams first emerged as the Tigers' top receiving target in 2014, reminding many of his predecessors at the position. After catching 84 passes for over 1,100 yards and 10 touchdowns this fall, the redshirt junior is almost certainly destined for the NFL draft this spring.
But when watching the tape of Clemson's most important games in 2016, another big-bodied pass catcher seems to jump off the screen: the 6'5," 260 lb tight end, Jordan Leggett. The senior first introduced himself to Buckeye fans in the 2014 Orange Bowl, taking a wheel route 43 yards and helping to ensure the hiring of new defensive coordinator Chris Ash a few weeks later.
Throughout his four seasons in Swinney's program, the Florida native has built a strong rapport with Watson and now finds himself as a Mackey Award finalist after hauling in 38 catches for 637 receiving yards and seven trips to the end zone. That production is the highest among all the Mackey finalists, making him one of the top NFL tight end prospects in an already talented field that features names like Jake Butt, Bucky Hodges, and O.J. Howard, all of whom Ohio State fans may recall.
Play-caller Tony Elliott has done an excellent job of finding ways to get Leggett the ball this fall, knowing that most opponents are focused on stopping Williams or the Tiger running game first. One such way has been to isolate him on slow middle linebackers that are much more interested in stuffing the run than carrying a faster receiver down the seams.
While the Buckeyes have played a great deal of man coverage this fall under new secondary coach Greg Schiano, that is likely to change in the Fiesta Bowl as they face the same opponent that forced them to adopt 'Quarters' coverage three years ago. But regardless of the coverage structure, Leggett becomes more dangerous the more inside he lines up, as the gap in athleticism widens the closer he gets to the ball.
As previously mentioned, Leggett's star shined brightest when facing three of the Tigers' most talented opponents: Louisville, Florida State, and Virginia Tech in the ACC Championship Game. Against these well-coached units that have produced countless NFL defenders, Elliott used the threat of Williams and the quickness of slot receivers Artavis Scott and Hunter Renfrow to occupy the defense's best athletes, manipulating their coverage structures and placing Leggett's speed and agility in the most advantageous positions.
That touchdown catch couldn't have come at a better time, as the Tigers rallied in the fourth quarter to take the lead on the road. Leggett was Watson's favorite target on the crucial drive, catching three straight passes and accounting for 70 of the 75 yards gained on the drive.
As we can see, Leggett isn't just a threat to separate from a linebacker in coverage or a big body that can box out a smaller safety. Once he has the ball in his hands, he's as dangerous as anyone in the open field.
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But while this skills are obviously so valuable to NFL scouts, what makes Leggett so dangerous in Clemson's offense is Elliott's ability to create opportunities for him. The Tigers' offense does an excellent job of constraining the defense, making different plays look the same and forcing defenders to cheat one way before going the other.
With so many weapons on the field, it can be easy to forget about Leggett. The Clemson running game is quite diverse in its approach, closely resembling that of Ohio State, leaving many to mark the tight end as a lesser priority. But that's just what Elliott and the Tigers want, saving numerous wrinkles for these big games and allowing Leggett to catch overwhelmed defenders off-guard.
While the Buckeyes have struggled to slow down athletic tight ends like Butt and Penn State's Mike Gesicki this season, many of those receivers' biggest gains came against the 'Cover-1' structure that placed strong safety Damon Webb against them in solo coverage. But with Clemson's 'power-spread' attack that stretches defenses vertically through the air and horizontally on the ground, the Buckeye linebackers may the key to slowing down Watson's security blanket.
In their recent win over their rivals up north, the Ohio State defensive front did an excellent job penetrating gaps and staying disciplined in their responsibilities to stuff the opposing run game. Clemson's opponents have often gotten themselves in the most trouble by playing more aggressively, as Elliott and Watson are savvy enough to catch defenses cheating, thanks to the multiple outlets at their disposal.
But, if they aren't forced to focus primarily on the run, the athletic duo of Buckeye outside linebackers Chris Worley and Jerome Baker have the speed to run with Leggett underneath, which may force Watson to look further downfield. Though Williams and Leggett are big targets, the biggest knock on Watson has been his inconsistency on deep balls, resulting in an ACC-high 15 interceptions.
Schiano and the Buckeyes will need every second of the next month to prepare, as although they've faced a number of explosive offenses this fall, including two of the nation's six most productive units, the sheer amount of talent at the skill positions makes Clemson the biggest challenge they'll have faced. But while much of the focus will be on the two veteran quarterbacks in this CFP semifinal, the efforts of a player as talented as Leggett may turn out to be the difference between two dominant programs in the desert.
