Former Clemson offensive lineman and current ACC Network analyst Eric Mac Lain has very high expectations for Justyn Ross and the rest of the Tigers’ receiving corps heading into the 2021 season.
Mac Lain expects Ross, who missed last season due to a congenital spinal issue which required surgery in June of 2020, to make a splash in his return to the field this season while setting himself up to make a lot of money in the NFL following his redshirt junior season with the Tigers.
“I think first-round draft pick,” Mac Lain said on the ACC Network when asked about his legitimate expectations for Ross in 2021. “This guy looks like Julio Jones when he walks out. He’s big, he’s from Alabama, a scary sight to see. Of course, wearing No. 8. He’s that good. He’s that dominant of a player.”
Mac Lain’s fellow ACCN analyst, EJ Manuel, pointed out that Ross is certainly not the only Clemson wideout to watch out for this season.
“You’ve also got E.J. Williams. You’ve got Frank Ladson, Jr. You’ve got Joseph Ngata,” Manuel said. “These guys are loaded, man. They might’ve actually got better at receiver, to be completely honest, as far as size, top to bottom. So, it’s pretty crazy.”
Mac Lain believes this year’s Clemson receiving corps has the potential to be as good as the group of receivers he played with that featured several guys who went on to play in the NFL.
“I was in a room with Deandre Hopkins, Sammy Watkins, Martavis Bryant, Charone Peake,” Mac Lain said. “These guys I think can rival that, which is crazy to say. It’s a little unproven. I’s going to be proven early and often this year.”
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