ACC Championship Game: Five key players for Miami, Clemson
Mark Pszonak contributed to this report.
With the Power Five title games approaching, we thought we’d take a look at five key players from each team. Today we look at the ACC championship, which will kick off Saturday at 9 .m. on ABC from Charlotte.
MIAMI
The skinny: Rosier picked up an offer from Miami during the spring, but it was his trip to Coral Gables for a summer camp that put the Canes over the top. After spending time on campus, he committed to Miami a few days later over offers from Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and Cincinnati. After seeing minimal playing time leading up to 2017, Rosier earned the starting job this summer. He responded by leading the Canes to a memorable 11-1 regular season, with him passing for 2,798 yards and 25 touchdowns, and rushing for 408 yards and five touchdowns.
Farrell’s take: Rosier was a lightly recruited dual-threat out of high school, but he was mobile enough and had enough of a ceiling to be a mid-level three-star for us. Aside from Miami, he had some SEC interest, but neither in-state school showed much attention at all. He had good size and a strong enough arm, but accuracy was an issue. It still is as we saw against Pitt, but he has handled himself well under pressure most of the season and led his team to the ACC title game by showing some of the poise under pressure we liked in high school.
The skinny: Berrios took official visits to Miami, Oregon, Tennessee and South Carolina before committing to the Canes in October. In Coral Gables, he was always seen as a threat with the ball in his hands, but he enjoyed his best overall collegiate season this fall. Currently with 44 receptions for 574 yards and nine touchdowns, while also being a threat as a punt returner, he has been one of the key offensive playmakers for the Canes.
Farrell’s take: We liked Berrios enough to make him a four-star, but his size kept us from ranking him in the Rivals250. He was a scrappy slot receiver with good skills to separate and reliable hands, but he was never a big target. He’s been much better than expected overall as the go-to guy for the ‘Canes but based on NFL potential and his overall career, his ranking might end up being spot on.
The skinny: Johnson committed to Miami over Florida State, Florida and South Carolina in August, which came as a surprise to some as the Seminoles were thought to be the leader at the time of his announcement. He also considered taking an official visit to Florida during the winter, but that never materialized. The Canes’ surprising season has been sparked by a fast and opportunistic defense that has been led by Johnson. With 81 tackles, three tackles for a loss, one sack, four interceptions and two forced fumbles, Johnson’s leadership and energy will be a key for the Canes against Clemson.
Farrell’s take: Johnson was a do-everything four-star for us projected to play safety before he had a rough week at the US Army All American Bowl week where he struggled badly in coverage. He slipped to a mid-range three-star with good potential but a lot of concerns about his on-field eye discipline. He’s played much better than that ranking and is one of the most dynamic defenders in college football and a terrific tackler.
The skinny: While Florida was considered the leader for Harris throughout his process, he committed to Miami in July, a few days after attending Friday Night Lights in Gainesville. Harris has had a productive collegiate career in Coral Gables, but has put together his best season to date this fall. Currently with 32 tackles, 10.5 tackles for a loss and 8.5 sacks, he has been a consistent threat in the opposition’s offensive backfield all season long.
Farrell’s take: Harris was a high three-star who had a great get-off, played with good pad level and used his hands well but wasn’t very strong or developed in his upper body. He also wasn’t very long and lacked quick twitch ability. Now all these years later, he’s developed into an elite pass rusher for the ‘Canes and has certainly filled out well.
The skinny: There was little drama in Jackson’s recruiting process as he committed to Miami a little over a year prior to his Signing Day. In Coral Gables, Jackson has already put together two impressive seasons. After totaling 32 tackles, 10.5 tackles for a loss and 7.5 sacks as a freshman, he currently has 46 tackles, 9.5 tackles for a loss and 5.5 sacks for the Canes this fall. If Miami is to pull the upset over Clemson, look for Jackson to have a big impact.
Farrell’s take: I remember the early years in high school when Jackson wanted to be a tight end and insisted on working out on that side of the ball at camps. However, he got a huge bump in our final rankings because of the ability he showed on defense and his overall versatility. He’s living up to his ranking and has just started to scratch the surface of his potential.
CLEMSON
The skinny: O’Daniel didn't drag his recruiting process out, as he committed to Clemson in April. He stayed firm with his word despite serious pushes from several elite programs. After redshirting in 2013, O’Daniel truly began to show his true potential during the 2016 season. Coming back in 2017 with increased expectations surrounding him, he has responded with 80 tackles, 10.5 tackles for a loss, five sacks and two interceptions to lead the linebacking corps for the Tigers.
Farrell’s take: O’Daniel was a big-time recruit. He was an undersized linebacker that covered a lot of ground and was effective in pass defense. O'Daniel's lack of length and size led to a slide outside the Rivals100 in our final rankings update, but he was still top 10 at his position. However, he hadn’t played up to some of the bigger names ahead of him in his class until this year, when he has emerged as the leader of the defense. I remember the first time I heard of him was as an eighth grade running back phenom so he’s come a long way. He was overshadowed at Good Counsel by names like Stefon Diggs and Kendall Fuller, but has finally found his groove.
The skinny: This was a recruiting battle between Clemson, South Carolina and Virginia Tech, but with the Tigers seen as the leader for months, it came as little surprise when he committed in June. After tearing his ACL during his senior season, Ferrell took a redshirt in 2015 before bursting onto the scene in 2016 with 44 tackles, 12.5 tackles for a loss and six sacks. He has continued his improvement in 2017 with 58 tackles, 16 tackles for a loss, 8.5 sacks and two forced fumbles for the dominant Tigers’ defensive line.
Farrell’s take: Many felt that this would be Ferrell’s breakout season at Clemson and in many ways it has been with his lofty numbers. I always liked his athletic upside, although he was a bit stiff at times. I questioned his aggressiveness, so it has been interesting watch him mature and come into his own in that area. His ceiling is very high for the NFL and keeps rising. He’s playing up to our high ranking.
The skinny: Wilkins took official visits to Clemson, Stanford, Penn State, Ohio State and Boston College before committing to the Tigers at the Under Armour All-American Game. In Death Valley, he has established himself as one of the top interior defensive linemen in the country. Currently with 45 tackles, 7.5 tackles for a loss and 4.5 sacks, Miami will have to find a way to deal with Wilkins in order to move their offense.
Farrell’s take: I remember the first time I saw Wilkins on film. It was after his freshman season and his athletic ability was off the charts. As a Connecticut prospect, he didn’t get the national attention of many until later in his career, but I knew how good he was from day one. Wilkins has already turned into one of the elite defensive tackles in the country and could still emerge as one of the top five picks in the NFL Draft. His dominance doesn’t show in the stat sheet as much as expected, but he’s one of the top two or three defenders in the country.
The skinny: Bryant trimmed his list down to a top 10 and then took several visits before Clemson and Notre Dame emerged as his two leaders. He took an additional visit to both schools before committing to the Tigers in July before his senior year. A foot injury slowed Bryant’s progress during his first two seasons, but now fully healthy he has flourished in 2017 with 47 tackles, 14.5 tackles for a loss, 7.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.
Farrell’s take: Bryant was an interesting recruit because he made the adjustment from a huge linebacker to a defensive end. As a result, I was worried a bit that his ranking was too high, which is the opposite of what you’d normally think because the athleticism to play in space as a linebacker would help any defensive end. Bottom line for me is that I wasn’t convinced he could be an elite pass rusher with the get off and pass rushing moves I saw. He’s was up and down his first two seasons, but this year he’s been amazing and is certainly helped by the additional talent on the Clemson defensive line.
The skinny: Etienne was initially committed to Texas A&M, but re-opened his recruitment after two months. There was a flurry of late recruiting activity surrounding Etienne, who eventually trimmed his list to Clemson, LSU and Tennessee, with official visits going to Clemson and Tennessee in January. However, it was Clemson that caught his interest the most and led to his commitment a week before National Signing Day. In Death Valley, Etienne quickly established himself as a game-breaking threat this fall. While he only has 97 carries on the season, he has totaled 720 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground for the Tigers.
Farrell’s take: This is a kid I thought might be underranked because he had size, speed and shiftiness. LSU really coveted him in the end and Clemson did a great job winning this battle. He’s faster than I expected and his burst has improved. As a guy just outside of that four-star ranking, he might make us look bad during his career based on early returns.
