Clemson football has found huge answers for a past position of weakness, and it’s only getting better from here
It seemed like for years the wide receiver position has been underwhelming for the Clemson Tigers. There were some good players, but finding a higher level of impact talent was of the utmost importance this past offseason. Heading into the 2024 college football season, it was unclear just how good it was going to be. […]
It seemed like for years the wide receiver position has been underwhelming for the Clemson Tigers. There were some good players, but finding a higher level of impact talent was of the utmost importance this past offseason. Heading into the 2024 college football season, it was unclear just how good it was going to be.
That group had had a couple of defections this past offseason as well with Beaux Collins transferring to Notre Dame, and Dacari Collins ending up with NC State. Despite those losses, the wide receiver group has taken a massive leap this fall. They are playing on a level we haven’t seen in several years, and carry outstanding depth as well.
The leader of that group is junior Antonio Williams, who is healthy and is playing tremendous football. We have seen Williams be very impressive in the past, but durability issues had impacted his consistency. On the year, he leads the Tigers with 66 receptions for 788 yards and ten touchdowns.
His ability after the catch is massive for Clemson. He has had a propensity to make a ton of big plays, and quarterback Cade Klubnik has been trusting him all season.
Most knew that if Williams remained healthy, he had a chance to be very good in 2024. The unknowns coming into the season were true freshmen Bryant Wesco Jr. and TJ Moore, and what type of impacts they could have in their first years. Both were highly regarded, and we can already see why both were considered five-star players by various recruiting platforms.
As a duo, they have hauled in 63 receptions for 1,038 yards and seven touchdowns on the season. Each has dazzled at times, showcasing rare athleticism and impact size we haven’t seen since Justyn Ross and Tre Higgins suited up with the Tigers.
With that trio of Williams, Moore and Wesco, the present and future of this Clemson wide receiver corp is very high. Each of them also have eligibility remaining after this season, meaning that the 2025 season could be special if Klubnik returns.
For now, Clemson has a chance to punch their ticket to the College Football Playoffs this week against the SMU Mustangs. Those wide receivers have a tremendous advantage on paper, and have a chance to propel them into the postseason. What was once a weakness of this team, has now become a strength that the Tigers need to depend on greatly down the stretch.
