Clemson Football: 5 most underrated ACC players Tigers will face in 2017

No. 1 – Jessie Bates III (FS) Wake Forest

Jessie Bates III may be the best safety prospect in the ACC behind Derwin James. There are practically no holes in his game.

As a redshirt freshman, Bates III finished second on the team in tackles with 100 (70 solo) while also leading the team in interceptions with five. While Wake Forest has hovered around average as a team, Bates III is elite in every sense of the word.

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At 6-foot-3, 195 pounds, Bates III has the length that defensive coordinators covet in the secondary, paired with elite ball skills. He is more than just a coverage guy as he is not shy about coming down in the box and laying the wood. Bates III also serves as Wake Forest’s primary punt returner, which speaks to his ability to create with the ball in his hands.

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With him on the back-end of the Demon Deacons defense, opposing quarterbacks must be especially careful with the football. His instincts and anticipatory skills, any ill-advised throws are likely coming back the other way.