Adam Randall didn’t take part in all of Clemson’s practices this spring, but his coaches and teammates saw enough of the Tigers’ freshman wideout to start making some lofty comparisons.
At 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, Randall’s advanced physique for a first-year player was hard not to notice. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said the former Myrtle Beach High standout could currently blend in with an NFL locker room from a physical standpoint. Quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei threw out a couple of physical comparisons for Randall, including Seattle Seahawks star wideout D.K. Metcalf, who famously ran a 4.3-second 40-yard dash at the NFL scouting combine at 6-4 and 235 pounds.
In a recent interview with The Clemson Insider, Randall said he’s been preparing his body for the demands of college football since his freshman year of high school. He credited his trainer, Terrance Butler, for helping him with his body composition while working out three to four times a week back home before arriving on Clemson’s campus in January.
“All throughout high school, I was always training for the next level. So when I came in, it was kind of just a good fit at the time,” Randall said. “Being prepared was one of my main goals when I was coming out of high school.”
That includes the technical and mental aspects of the game, other areas in which Swinney heaped praise on the newcomer during the spring. Swinney lumped Randall in with Sammy Watkins, Justyn Ross and Beaux Collins as the most complete first-year receivers he’s seen in his 19 years at Clemson.
Collins is entering his sophomore season with the Tigers while Ross is embarking on his rookie season in the NFL. Meanwhile, Watkins, who’s entering his ninth year in the NFL after being drafted fourth overall in 2014, holds the school record for career receiving yards (3,391), a feat he pulled off in just three seasons.
“Just hopefully being able to bring some of the same elements to the game as some of those greats,” Randall said. “A guy like Sammy Watkins, he has pretty much all the records in the receiver room we look at every day. Hopefully being able to put my name on that wall eventually.”
Randall will have to wait longer than anticipated to get his collegiate career started after tearing his ACL late during the spring, though he’s expected to return to the field at some point this fall. While he said he appreciates the fact that some in the program think highly enough of him to make those lofty comparisons, Randall added, “I know all of that doesn’t mean anything if I don’t perform on the field. So that’s my main goal, keeping my eye on the prize and being able to perform at the highest level.”
