Clemson Football: Tigers snubbed on ESPN’s way-too-early All-American list
The Clemson football program had just two selections in ESPN’s way-too-early All-American team for the 2020 season.
ESPN released its way-too-early All-American team for the 2020 season and Clemson football had just two selections on the first-team.
ESPN Writer Chris Lowe made the selections, naming QB Trevor Lawrence and RB Travis Etienne as first-team All-Americans. Both Lawrence and Etienne will enter the 2020 season as favorites for the Heisman Trophy and consensus first-rounders, according to every major draft analyst.
Though it’s nice to see Lawrence and Etienne receive the recognition they deserve, it’s clear that ESPN forgot at least two major names: OT Jackson Carman and WR Justyn Ross.
It’s fine to put Ja’Marr Chase and DeVonta Smith ahead of Ross, but he certainly should’ve at least had a ‘honorable mentions’ list as every team All-American team has three wide receiver spots and he only had two.
The major snub, though, was Jackson Carman.
Carman has the potential to be the first offensive lineman taken in the 2021 NFL Draft and he was left out in favor of Alabama’s Alex Leatherwood and Oregon’s Penei Sewell. I can see Sewell getting the honor, but there’s no way you should be arguing Leatherwood over Carman, especially after we saw how Carman handled Chase Young in the Fiesta Bowl.
Defensively, the only guy that likely should’ve received some notoriety is James Skalski.
Skalski was an integral part of the defense last season and was continuously overlooked by the national media.
Overall, it’s clear that Clemson football has talent all over the field but that the Tigers aren’t going to get a lot of love on preseason lists due to some of the returning talent across the nation and the narrative placed by media members.
Next. CFB fans still jealous of Clemson. dark
Make sure you check back here on Rubbing the Rock for more updates and analysis as we head into the spring.