Swinney says for Deon Cain it's 'time to go to work' with the Indianapolis Colts

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CLEMSON – When Deon Cain left Clemson to forego his senior season and enter the NFL Draft, there were some murmurs out there that he maybe should have stayed one more season to improve his stock.

As we touched on two weeks ago, Cain’s numbers his junior season wasn’t nearly as staggering as his sophomore season – a year where he was a hungry, young star on the rise.

Cain caught 20 more passes his junior season than his sophomore campaign, but saw a bit of a drop-off in yards per catch.  Hauling in 20 fewer receptions his sophomore year, he totaled just ten fewer yards than his junior season and caught nine touchdowns with Deshaun Watson at the helm.

He was projected a second to third-round pick in this year’s NFL Draft, according to NFL.com. But Cain fell all the way to the sixth round and was the 21st wide receiver taken off the board.

To consistently get passed on by NFL squads could light a fire under any Draft prospect. Not for Cain, however.

Dabo Swinney said Wednesday afternoon at Clemson’s Prowl and Growl event in Greenville that Cain was just happy he got to hear his name get called over the weekend. Swinney took some time after the Draft concluded to call each of the players who got picked up and congratulate them.

“To hear your name called – the three guys that got drafted – for them to hear their name was special,” Swinney said. “It was good to see those guys land and get some opportunities and I don’t have any doubt that they will take full advantage of it.”

Swinney said Cain, in particular, is excited about the opportunity he has as a member of the Indianapolis Colts and not upset about how far he fell. When Cain made his decision to leave Clemson, Swinney made it very clear to Cain that he could get picked up anywhere from the third round or later.

Clemson Sports Talk

Deon Cain looks to climb the depth chart in Indianapolis after being selected 185th in the NFL Draft.

The possibility of Cain being an undrafted free agent also came up in conversation. Cain was “at peace” with the possible outcomes when the meeting took place.

Swinney was quick to point out that former Clemson defensive tackle Grady Jarrett was projected to get picked in the second round before falling to the fifth round.

Now as a member of the Atlanta Falcons, Jarrett is playing a significant role on the defensive line and tied the individual sack record in Super Bowl LI against the New England Patriots.

“(Cain) was hoping to go higher, but he went where he went,” Swinney said. “When you step back, to have your name called on Draft Day is unbelievable. There’s a lot that goes into it.”

Swinney reiterated what he said on the ACC Spring Coaches Teleconference two weeks ago where he said Cain and Ray-Ray McCloud would be better professional players than college players. Cain has only played receiver for two-and-a-half years after playing quarterback throughout high school in Tampa, Florida.

Now Swinney believes that Cain has the foundation in place to be a tremendous receiver at the next level.

“He’s learned a lot, he’s developed a lot technically and fundamentally, but he still has some ways to go,” Swinney added. “I think it’s a great fit for him. He’s going to be fast on that turf. He’s just ready to get to work and make the best of his opportunity.

“The fact that he was drafted as a junior and a guy that has played two-and-a-half years at receiver to a place like Indianapolis with a great quarterback and facility, I think he’ll do fine.”

When Swinney reached out to Dorian O’Daniel, McCloud, and Cain after they were drafted, he left them with one message.

“It’s time to go to work. When you show up on the practice field, no one is saying, ‘oh, you got drafted on this day,’ – you got to go play.”