Clemson already has a deep receiving corps, but that is not going to stop Naeem Burroughs from making some noise during his true freshman season.
ESPN's Billy Tucker named him as one of the 51 freshmen who will make a positive impact this year. He may have highlighted his blazing speed, but there is so much more at play with Burroughs.
Not only can he absolutely fly, but Burroughs "made a strong first impression on Clemson's coaching staff this spring, and that is often a precursor to a fall breakout," Tucker wrote.
So what we've got here is a speedy, but slender wide receiver who did everything Dabo Swinney's coaching staff asked for of him, and then some, back in spring practice.
Essentially, Burroughs is flawless athlete on paper with track-star speed and an incredibly high upside. By enrolling early, he afforded himself plenty of time to leave an indelible impression on his head coach and this Clemson staff.
As a senior at The Bolles School in Jacksonville, the four-star receiver had 58 catches for 1,275 yards and 18 touchdowns. Once he had the ball in his hands, nobody in North Florida was bringing him down.
Upon coming to Clemson, Burroughs will have to share the field with Bryant Wesco Jr., TJ Moore, and others. However, Tucker may have forgotten the most important thing Burroughs has working for him here at Clemson. Swinney is an elite evaluator of talent and a gifted wide receivers coach.
Don't be surprised to see Burroughs prominently featured in the slot within Clemson's passing attack early on in the season.
Naeem Burroughs has an opportunity to become Clemson's next star WR
When Clemson is at its best offensively, the Tigers make every opponent defend the entire length of the field. While quarterback play and the ground game serve critical roles as well, the receiving corps has long been what has stirred the drink for this offense.
Again, this is the position group Swinney knows best. Clemson became the program it did under him because it had one star wide receiver after another. From Sammy Watkins to DeAndre Hopkins to Mike Williams to Justyn Ross, they just kept coming...
While Clemson does need to redefine itself across the board, it should get back to what it does best. On defense, it is making life difficult for the opposition in the trenches. On offense, it is about having more high-end wide receivers than most ACC defensive backfields could ever know how to handle.
So how does Burroughs fit into the equation? He has a chance to play an incredibly important role for this team. With Wesco and Moore being known commodities outside the numbers, look for Burroughs to get his own in and around the slot.
This is all about Christopher Vizzina, Tait Reynolds, or whoever ends up starting at quarterback getting the ball into his hands. Whether that is in the screen game, on end-arounds, or in the short-to-medium passing game, Burroughs has the foot speed to keep opposing defenses on their heels.
However, we do have to recognize that he is only a freshman. More importantly, he may not have the physique to take the beating that comes along with playing Power Four football on every given offensive snap.
Fortunately, Swinney and offensive coordinator Chad Morris will surely have a plan in place for him. His talent is too good to be kept on the sidelines for much longer. Clemson needs a dynamic presence to emerge in the passing game.
We know what Wesco and Moore can do as vertical threats, but what about the space in between the second level of the defense and the line of scrimmage? That is where Burroughs can thrive, for the time being.
If Burroughs takes advantage of his early opportunities, Clemson could have itself another star wide receiver in the making.
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