Following the team’s fifth spring practice, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney had high praise for his wide receiver room.
While he highlighted multiple receivers during Wednesday’s media availability, including Brannon Spector, Beaux Collins and Adam Randall, it was senior wideout Joseph Ngata, who Swinney couldn’t stop gushing over.
This has become a common occurrence for Ngata, who is arguably Clemson’s most complete receiver. The problem is, he hasn’t been able to stay healthy and that’s why his head coach almost holds his breath or knocks on wood, whenever he utters his name.
“I feel like I say this every year,” Swinney said, “but the guy — I’m almost afraid to say his name — Ngata, he’s been unbelievable. I mean, he looks like a pro. He’s practicing like a pro. He’s making plays like a pro. He just looks amazing.”
It’s not just Swinney who feels that way.
Clemson has opened three of its spring practices to the media and during individual and tempo drills, Ngata is the most physically imposing receiver on the field, but he’s also the most dynamic. That’s not a knock on his counterparts either.
Ngata is coming off a career season, in which he caught 23 passes for 438 yards and a touchdown over 425 snaps in nine games (eight starts). His season, of course, was cut short, after he suffered a foot injury against Louisville on Nov. 6, 2021.
He returned for Clemson’s bowl win over Iowa State over a month later but wasn’t the same dominant force he had been previously.
Now all healed up, Ngata is starting to look like his old self again.
Hopefully.it’ll be that way when we get there in the fall because he’s just so talented and these last two years have been really difficult,” Swinney said. “So, it’s a lot of fun to really see him. He’s got a smile on his face. He’s got a great energy to him. He’s got a sense of urgency to him that I love. He’s just outstanding.”
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