Will Beaux Collins become a FIRST ROUNDER?
Today, we're diving into the intriguing comparison between TCU's standout, Quentin Johnston, and Clemson's emerging talent, Beaux Collins. Stay tuned as we dissect their stats, playing styles, and Tigers’ potential this season.
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Now let's get into the actual substance of this video, which is TCU versus Clemson, or at least a comparison between Clemson's wide receiver group last year and this year. What does Garrett Riley have to work with, and what might he have lost since last season? I was curious, so I looked at it, and I want to get your thoughts as well, so don't forget to share them in the comments.
Reviewing the group of wide receivers that Garrett Riley worked with during 2022. First up is Quentin Johnston, who had an impressive 60 receptions, over 1,000 receiving yards, and six touchdowns. He's a tall and sturdy guy, standing at 6 feet 4 inches and weighing 215 pounds. The Los Angeles Chargers picked him in the first round with the 21st pick. Although he wasn't talked about much before his standout season with TCU, he certainly made a name for himself and had a great year.
Johnston was selected in the first round of April's draft, and he was TCU's big, athletic, fast receiver who struggled with dropped balls here and there. It's not surprising, as Clemson fans are familiar with similar struggles. However, he was heavily targeted, accounting for 24% of the offense's share.
So, who is the equivalent for Clemson this season in 2023?
Honestly, I think most Clemson fans would go back and forth between Beaux Collins and Adam Randall. They are the sure number one choices, with one playing on the far outside as a boundary and the other as a field player. I believe Collins will play the field, and Randall will play the boundary. Randall at the boundary means he'll be closer to the sideline and have to win one-on-one battles in tighter areas of the field. This suits his physical style, and I believe he can win those one-on-one situations.
On the other hand, I think Collins will need to use the field to his advantage because he has more space. This might work well for him in the upcoming season. Despite his limited appearances last year due to injury, he made an impact when he played.
For me, I'm going ahead and predicting that Collins will be this season's equivalent of Quentin Johnston for Clemson. Now, does that mean he'll have a thousand yards receiving? If he achieves that, it'll be huge for Clemson. Six touchdowns won't be that difficult to accomplish. When you consider that Collins had five touchdowns from only 22 receptions last year, compared to Johnston's 60 receptions, it's interesting. He had around three times more receptions than Collins.
If Collins plays an entire season and you multiply the stats from his limited work by three, he could have over 1,000 yards receiving, maybe even 1,100 yards, and over 10 touchdowns, perhaps even close to 15. I know it might sound crazy to say, but if Collins gets 60 catches and plays the role of this year's Quentin Johnston, he could honestly be a first-round draft pick with better stats than Johnston. It might sound wild, but it really depends on how good he is and the connection he's formed with quarterback Cade Klubnik.
Other fans have pointed out that Johnston had a 76-yard reception, and many other players on the team had long receptions as well. For instance, Tay Barber had a 77-yard reception, and Darius Davis had an 80-yard long reception.
Last season, Clemson didn't have anything close to that, especially not multiple players with significant plays like that. So, can the team produce those kinds of plays with this set of wide receivers? Well, I do believe they can.
Collins had a 60-yard reception against South Carolina, and he got separation in multiple games in 2022. Once again, injuries played a role in this. You can't sync up with the quarterback if you're not on the field. If Beaux isn't on the field, Cade must turn to players like Cole Turner, Randall, and Antonio Williams. Perhaps even true freshmen like Tyler Brown or Noble Johnson. But in my opinion, the best-case scenario is for Collins to become that number-one wide receiver, making significant plays and using the field to his advantage. Clemson desperately needs to become a team that poses a threat in big-play scenarios.
These are my quick thoughts on Beaux Collins compared to Quentin Johnston.
Can Collins match what Johnston achieved at TCU in 2023? Only time will tell, but I'd love to hear your opinion on it in the comments.
Feel free to share your perspective in the comments!
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