Clemson Football: Deon Cain is a potential steal in the 2018 NFL Draft
The Clemson football program continues to churn out NFL caliber wide receivers. Junior, Deon Cain has a chance to be one of the top steals of the 2018 NFL draft this spring.
Cain joins Ray-Ray McCloud, Van Smith and Taylor Hearn on the Clemson’s list of early departures for the NFL draft. Star offensive tackle, Mitch Hyatt announced that he will be returning for his senior season.
At the moment, Clemson is waiting on the decisions of Austin Bryant, Clelin Ferrell and Christian Wilkins. There is quiet optimism that at least two of them will be staying in Death Valley for one more season.
Cain as a high school recruit
Coming out of Tampa Bay Tech high school, Deon Cain was rated as the No. 2 wide receiver prospect and No. 18 overall prospect in the country.
He was a part of Clemson’s historic 2015 recruiting class that has won three straight championships and appeared in three consecutive College Football Playoffs.
Strengths
Cain’s biggest strength is his speed and that’s not even debatable. Cain will most likely run in the low 4.4s, but, he’s much more than a combine freak. Cain is one of the rare players that posses both track speed and football speed.
His ability to take the top off of a defense is coveted by NFL scouts. This alone may get Cain drafted.
The Clemson standout is also dynamic after the catch. At 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, Cain’s speed paired with his open-field vision make him a threat to score every time he touches the ball
Areas of improvement
Although he has the speed to separate from nearly any defensive back, Cain was inconsistent catching the football this season.
I don’t care how fast you are, if you can’t catch the football, you are worthless as a receiver. Cain must improve his hands going into the combine.
Luckily for him, it appears that his drops this season boil down to concentration. Quite honestly Cain had relatively no issues catching the football during his freshman and sophomore seasons.
Next: Who will replace Ray-Ray McCloud's production in 2018?
While Cain didn’t have the year he was expected to, he is still in good position to get drafted this spring. He may not go in the first round like many were projecting him to earlier in the year, but, he will make an impact wherever he lands.