Clemson Football: WR Frank Ladson Jr.’s elite speed will be on display

The Clemson football team will be looking for wide receivers to step up and sophomore Frank Ladson Jr. will certainly be one of the answers.

The 2020 Clemson football team has plenty of talent at wide receiver, but not as much experience or depth as years past.

The Tigers will need young players to step up and become viable options in the passing game and that all will begin with sophomores Joseph Ngata and Frank Ladson Jr.

While the coaches have raved about the overall improvement on Ngata, they’ve also consistently spoken on the speed, athleticism and play-making ability of Ladson.

Clemson football WR Amari Rodgers told the media after practice earlier this week that Ladson was the fastest wide receiver on the team.

Ladson’s speed and athleticism are going to be on display over the course of this 2020 season. He has the ability to step into a starter role- perhaps at the ‘field’ position- and would certainly be able to make a major impact for the Tigers as they look for players to step up in the receiving core.

If you can get boundary physicality and a vertical game from some of the other receivers and you can get play-making elite-level speed from Rodgers and Ladson Jr., you could be talking about one of the most complete WR groups to ever play at Clemson- and that’s saying something.

This unit has the talent and skill to be special, but it will all begin with those two sophomores- Ngata and Ladson Jr.- filling their roles and taking that next step. Through the first few sessions of spring practice, there’s no reason to believe they won’t do just that.

Ladson has a chance to be one of the next great WRs for Clemson football, but it will take a solid spring and a continued effort to use that elite-level speed to his advantage in crisp route-running and ability to create separation.