 Way Too Early Preseason Polls
SI's "way too early" preseason top 5...
1 CLEMSON TIGERS
It likely comes as little solace after losing the national championship Monday night, but the Tigers are in the best position to return to the title game next season—and win. Quarterback Deshaun Watson should be the early Heisman Trophy favorite, and he’ll have a loaded group of receivers in Artavis Scott and Mike Williams, who missed nearly the entire season with a neck fracture. Tight end Jordan Leggett could be back, too. If tailback Wayne Gallman departs for the NFL, that’d leave a big hole to fill in the ground game, but Tavien Feaster, the No. 1 running back in the recruiting class of 2016, according to Scout.com, could make an instant impact.
Clemson’s defense will have some major production to replace. Star defensive end Shaq Lawson and linebacker Travis Blank have already declared for the draft, and cornerback Mackensie Alexander and safety Jayron Kearse likely will, as well. Leading tackler B.J. Goodson graduates, leaving key playmakers to replace at each level of the defense. However, this is the same unit that seemed destined to be decimated when just three starters returned for the 2015 season. Coordinator Brent Venables has earned the benefit of the doubt, and Kevin Dodd—if he opts to return despite his sensational championship game performance—Ben Boulware and T.J. Green leave plenty of star power.
2 OKLAHOMA SOONERS
3 ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE
4 OHIO STATE BUCKEYES
5 FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLES
With a record 29 players selected over the past three drafts, the Seminoles finally had to take a year off from national championship contention in 2015. Of course that still entailed a 10-win season and a berth in a New Year’s Six bowl, proof of just how high the program has risen that such a season can be
considering a rebuilding year. Several more key Florida State players will depart to the NFL this spring both via graduation (defensive tackle Nile Lawrence-Stample, linebackers Reggie Northrup and Terrance Smith, safety Lamarcus Brutus) and early-entry (cornerback Jalen Ramsey, kicker Roberto Aguayo). Still, those losses are less damaging than what coach Jimbo Fisher has had to manage in the past few years, and he has the talent in place to make a run at an ACC title in ’16.
Running back Dalvin Cook, whose 7.4 yards-per-carry average ranked second in the country this season, will be a Heisman frontrunner, and he gets an experienced line blocking for him, anchored by left tackle Roderick Johnson. Quarterback Sean Maguire showed notable improvement over the season but could also lose the job to Deondre Francois if the freshman developed in his redshirt year. The Seminoles’ defense could be the best in the ACC even with Ramsey’s departure, as Derwin James, DeMarcus Walker and Josh Sweat all appear poised to become stars.
(This post was last modified: 01-13-2016 01:14 PM by Hokie Mark.)
|
