College Football Morning Announcements: June 2, 2020

One of the best WRs in college football will miss 2020. What does it mean for his teams title hopes? And Notre Dame/Navy reschedule opener.

Happy Tuesday to each and all of you.  If you’re looking to escape the craziness of the world we live in for a few minutes then check out my podcast, the “College Football Morning Announcements”.

I don’t get an episode out quite every day (yet) but am looking to grow it in the not-so-distant future.

Today’s episode is short with two main topics:

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Clemson Star Wide Receiver Justyn Ross Out For The Season

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney announced that star WR Justyn Ross is out for the season with a spine issue.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney announced that star WR Justyn Ross is out for the season with a spine issue.


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One of college football’s best wide receiver talents and top pro prospects is out for the year.

On a conference call, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney announced that wide receiver Justyn Ross will miss the season with a concern over his neck and spine. 

Expected to be a first round pick in next year’s draft – after being Clemson’s No. 1 target and most dangerous receiver – Ross will undergo surgery with the hopes that he’ll be ready for the NFL Draft process in 2021. However, it’s a serious condition that puts his career in jeopardy.

Leading yardage receiver Tee Higgins left for the NFL, and Ross led the team with 66 catches for 865 yards and eight scores after exploding onto the scene as a freshman with 46 catches for 1,000 yards and nine scores.

Already great in the 2018 national championship season, he took his game up another level with 12 catches for 301 yards and three scores – averaging 25 yards per catch – in the two College Football Playoff games.

Last season, Ross only had one 100-yard game, but he was still steady, explosive, and showed off the talent and skills to potentially be a top target at the next level.

The Tigers still have a backfield of Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne, and Amari Rogers – who caught 55 passes for 575 yards and four scores – is back.

TJ Chase transferred to Florida Atlantic, but Joseph Ngata was a top recruit last year and caught 16 passes, Frank Ladson is another 6-3 target who’ll get more work, and in all, there’s enough talent in place to keep the offense going.

More importantly, surgery for Ross is on Friday with the hopeful expectation of a full recovery and a chance for his career to continue.

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Huge News – Clemson Star Receiver Justyn Ross Out for 2020

Clemson wide receiver Justyn Ross is as good as there is in the nation. Unfortunately he won’t be able to play in 2020 due to a scary issue.

Justyn Ross of Clemson might have been the best wide receiver in college football for the 2020 season.  Unfortunately news out Monday is that Ross will not be able to play in ’20 and possibly might not ever play football again.

The 6-4, 205 pound Ross was projected to be a first round NFL Draft pick but will undergo surgery for congenital fusion in his neck and spine.  He won’t play in 2020 and there is no guarantee that he will play football ever again.

Ross pulled down 46 receptions for 1000 yards and nine touchdowns his freshman year, with 148 of those yards and a pair of scores coming in Clemson’s Cotton Bowl win over Notre Dame.  Clemson and Notre Dame are scheduled to play in South Bend on November 7.

In two seasons Ross totaled 1865 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns.

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Sports are better when the best players are able to play and it sucks for him especially but for college football as a whole that he won’t be able to play in 2020.  All the best to Ross in a speedy recovery for one of the best in the nation at what he does and hopefully he’s able to still go on and make millions in professional football.

2021 NFL Draft could give the Eagles the ultimate chance to retool the WR position

Philadelphia Eagles could find a star at WR during 2021 NFL Draft

The Philadelphia Eagles will have some salary cap issues to resolve over the next few seasons and the team will need to draft well in hopes of not wasting Carson Wentz’s prime years.

The key to the retool will be continuing to solidify the offensive line while surrounding Carson Wentz with big-time playmakers on the outside.

Howie Roseman started the process in April, selecting three receivers, and trading for another during the 2020 NFL Draft. First-round pick Jalen Reagor is expected to make an immediate impact, while late-round selections John Hightower and Quez Watkins should add speed to the roster.

Marquise Goodwin acquired in a trade with the 49ers, will try to stay healthy and will only be a one-year rental.

For Roseman and the Eagles, the 2021 draft will provide an efficient opportunity to properly move on from DeSean Jackson, who turns 34 in December. Alshon Jeffery is recovering from foot surgery and may not be ready for the start of the season, which will probably be his final in Philadelphia.

J.J. Arcega-Whiteside failed to meet expectations as a rookie and could be battling for his Eagles career this season.

The Eagles could and should be in the market for a wide receiver heading into next year’s draft and the 2021 selection process could be more historic than the 2020 class that saw six receivers go in the first round.

With the Eagles being focused on the future, cutting costs while getting younger and cheaper, here are 10 wide receivers Philadelphia could have interest in during the next years 2021 NFL Draft.

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1. Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU (6-1, 200)

The best wide receiver in college football last season didn’t even enter the NFL Draft and he’ll return to Baton Rouge for one more impressive season.

Chase had a monster sophomore year, leading the LSU offense in receiving yards (1,780), receiving touchdowns (20) and yards per catch (21.2) and he’ll likely be gone before the Eagles pick.

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Several way-too-early 2021 NFL mock drafts slot Jags Trevor Lawrence No. 1 overall

Buckled up Jags fans, it appears the nation’s NFL analysts are projecting a bumpy season.

While the Jacksonville Jaguars had a solid 2020 NFL Draft and could have a solid nucleus after using all 12 of their picks this past weekend, many don’t believe they’ll be very good next year. In fact, the good folks at BetMGM feel as though the Jags have the slimmest chance to win Super Bowl LV, slotting them with odds of 150/1, which is tied with the Washington Redskins.

Of course, that has led many to believe the Jags will be picking first overall in the 2021 NFL Draft that will take place in Cleveland. Additionally, it has also connected them to the prospect who most draft pundits have down as their No. 1 prospect in Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

Upon searching the web, it didn’t take long to find a few way-too-early mocks with the Jags taking the young Tiger. In fact, one that came across the Jags Wire’s Twitter timeline Saturday was by The Draft Network’s Trevor Sikkema, who also had the Jags getting Lawrence’s teammate Justyn Ross with their other first-round selection (from the Los Angeles Rams).

Trevor Sikkema (The Draft Network)

1.) Jacksonville Jaguars – Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson

Gardner Minshew is the guy in Jacksonville for 2020. If the Jaguars are picking anywhere near the top, quarterback will be their biggest need; they’ll get the QB prospect NFL fans have been waiting for for years.

17.) Jacksonville Jaguars – Justyn Ross, WR, Clemson

Lawrence to Justyn Ross sounds so good on the broadcasts, why break that up?

Talk about a pairing. While I’m more of a Justin Fields type of guy, Lawrence and Ross have done some phenomenal things on the collegiate level and Jags fans should have their popcorn ready if this happens.

Sporting News was another publication that has posted their way-too-soon mock and it bared the same result with the No. 1 overall pick, however, the Jags were able to land some defensive help with their other first-round selection.

Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News)

1.) Jacksonville Jaguars – Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson

The Jaguars may be sticking with Gardner Minshew. And with more potential departures to shake up their offensive and defensive rebuild, there’s a fair chance they will have the clear shot at Lawrence. Lawrence (6-6, 220 pounds) has lived up to the hype of being the best college talent at the position since John Elway with his arm, athleticism, accuracy and winning qualities. Already a top passer, he found his groove as a runner last season.

15.) Jacksonville Jaguars LaBryan Ray, DT, Alabama

The Jaguars strongly consider linebacker, edge rusher and secondary in the 2020 draft, so it follows they would be more into this defensive position in 2021, looking to give third-round rookie Davon Hamilton a strong complement. Look for Ray to dominate during his final season with the Crimson Tide at 6-5, 292 pounds.

Just like the pairing of Lawrence and Ross, the pairing of LaBryan Ray and DaVon Hamilton sound pretty good two. After years of watching the pairing of John Henderson and Marcus Stroud, it would seem as though a lot of Jags fans could get behind this.

The crew over at CBS also have a 2021 way-too-soon mock up by Ryan Wilson. He spoke with analysts Barton Simmons and Pete Prisco (who knows the Jags very well). Prisco praised Lawrence as a very good quarterback and said he’s a better quarterback than 2020 first-round pick Joe Burrow, who Lawrence battled in the national championship.

CBS Sports (Ryan Wilson)

Of course, there is a lot of football to be played before we even try to start remotely predicting the Jags’ 2021 outlook but it does provide fans with a fun conversation to have.

This also doesn’t mean that Gardner Minshew II should be overlooked as he led the Jags to six wins in 2019. He’ll have some new weapons in draft selections Laviska Shenault and Collin Johnson and will also have a new veteran tight end in Tyler Eifert to target if he can stay healthy. Add that with some more growth from Leonard Fournette and D.J. Chark, with the return of Josh Oliver, and it appears the Mississippi Mustache could really improve.

If he takes a big enough step, awesome, the Jags have their quarterback of the future. If not, that may not necessarily be a bad thing either as it could lead them to a front-row seat for the Lawrence or Fields show.

Who will be picked No. 1 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft?

Looking ahead to the 2021 NFL Draft and the betting odds for who will be the first overall pick.

We’re just finishing up the 2020 NFL Draft, but we’ll take a look ahead to the 2021 NFL Draft and a few potential candidates for the first overall pick next April.

2021 NFL Draft: Who will go first overall?

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Saturday, April 25 at 10:30 a.m. ET.

The Cincinnati Bengals nabbed LSU QB Joe Burrow with the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. He is the third straight Heisman Trophy winner and third consecutive quarterback taken with the top overall selection. A signal-caller has been taken first overall in 15 of the past 20 drafts, too. Each of the past three No. 1 overall picks have also been transfer quarterbacks.

While that last tidbit is a bit interesting, that streak is likely to come to an end in 2021. It’s widely believed Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence (-250) will be the first player to hear his name called next April.

2021 NFL Draft bets: Trevor Lawrence (-250)

Lawrence, who already has a national championship under his belt from 2018, is also considered to be the favorite for the 2020 Heisman Trophy in college football. In just two seasons in the upstate, he has thrown for 6,945 yards with 66 touchdowns and just 12 interceptions while also running for 740 yards and 10 scores.

Lawrence will no longer have WR Tee Higgins to target downfield, as he will be playing on Sundays with Burrow and the Bengals. WR Justyn Ross (+10000) is expected to be the new No. 1 wideout for Lawrence and the Tigers, and he might also be a Top 5 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.


Looking to place a bet on the 2021 NFL Draft? Place your legal sports wagers online at BetMGM. Bet now!


2021 NFL Draft bets: Justin Fields (+350)

While Lawrence might be the favorite at this juncture, Ohio State QB Justin Fields (+350) is also a candidate for the top spot in the 2021 NFL Draft. And hey, he was a transfer from Georgia to Ohio State before last season, so he fits the trend we discussed above. Fields had a season to remember in 2019, throwing for 3,273 yards while completing 67.2% of his passes. He also tossed 41 touchdowns while being picked off just three times and he ran for 484 yards and 10 more scores.

Fields will be the trigger man in Ryan Day’s wide-open offense, and he has outstanding WR Chris Olave to reel in those big downfield passes.

2021 NFL Draft bets: Penei Sewell (+500)

If you want to think outside of the box, and believe the quarterback run at No. 1 overall will come to an end, Oregon OT Penei Sewell (+500) might be a potential candidate. Sewell protected QB Justin Herbert, now of the Los Angeles Chargers, and he even received one second-place vote for the Heisman in 2019.

2021 NFL Draft bets: Best of the rest

The Bengals, Chargers and Dolphins all picked quarterbacks early in 2020. If they end up back with the No. 1 pick in 2021, they will certainly not be taking a signal-caller again. That’s why Sewell and Ross could be top picks, and at great value.

In addition, watch LSU WR Ja’Marr Chase (+5000), Clemson RB Travis Etienne (+4000), Alabama OT Alex Leatherwood (+4000), Wake Forest QB Jamie Newman (+4000), Penn State LB Micah Parsons (+2000), and Miami QB D’Eriq King (+1400) and DE Gregory Rousseau (+4000) as potential candidates for the top overall selection.

Want action on the 2021 NFL Draft? Sign up and bet at BetMGM. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

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Ohio State vs. Clemson 2019 Fiesta Bowl Preview: Get to know the Tigers’ five best players

What players on Clemson could make life difficult on Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl CFP Semifinal? Here are the Tigers’ five best players.

We’re less than two weeks away from the College Football Semifinal matchup in the Fiesta Bowl between Ohio State and Clemson. As a Buckeye fan, we know you’ve been up at night thinking about this matchup and what to be aware of. So, we’ll be bringing you things leading up to the game, and first up is a cliff notes version of the best five players on this Tigers’ squad.

It’s not Clemson is the great unknown opponent. You don’t win a couple of national titles over the last three years and go under the radar, but still, with the schedule and lack of coverage of the ACC Champion’s year, you may not be completely up to speed on who has been the biggest playmakers for Dabo Swinney’s club.

Here’s the Clemson Tigers five best players of 2019 so far, and ones that the Ohio State coaching staff will no doubt have to have an answer for.

Next … No. 5