Tony Elliott isn’t quite ready to call Ajou Ajou the second coming of DeAndre Hopkins at Clemson.
But there is one facet to the young wideout’s game that reminds Elliott of the former Tiger All-American.
“If I had to say a person he reminds me of, his movements remind me of Nuke,” Clemson’s offensive coordinator said. “But he’s bigger. Might be a little bit faster. He’s not there yet from a mental aspect. Nuke, if you threw it in his zip code, it was being caught, which I think Ajou has that potential.”
Word of that comparison got back to Ajou, who was flattered.
“Wow. Nuke? C’mon. He was like the greatest,” Ajou said with a smile. “But if he compares me to that, that only pushes me to be better.”
Ajou certainly looks like a prototypical receiver from a physical standpoint. Part of a wideout room that includes Justyn Ross (6-foot-4), Joseph Ngata (6-3) and Frank Ladson Jr. (6-3) among others, Ajou stands 6-3 and is listed on the team’s roster at 215 pounds, though Elliott said Ajou currently tips the scales at north of 220 pounds.
Of course, there’s a long way for Ajou to go before reaching the level of production Hopkins had in college. Hopkins had 206 catches and 27 touchdown receptions in just three seasons at Clemson. Eighteen of those scores came in his final season with the Tigers in 2012 before leaving for the NFL, where he’s now a member of the Arizona Cardinals.
Elliott said he wants to see how Ajou handles being able to stay locked in mentally as camp wears on, adding that’s how the sophomore will earn the full trust of the coaching staff.
But Ajou is expected to take on a larger role in the Tigers’ offense this fall. The Canadian played in 10 games last season and caught two passes for 41 yards. One of those was a 35-yard catch-and-run touchdown against Georgia Tech.
Ajou has been getting most of his reps with the second-team offense early in camp, and Elliott said he’s trending in the right direction. Ajou certainly has the physical tools.
“He’s a freak of nature,” Elliott said. “Now it’s just our job as coaches to just help polish that diamond in the rough. We’ve got to cut it, and we’ve got to polish it. Just so when the light hits it, it shines. And it shines bright.”