QBs pace top Clemson offense pros in NFL

Trevor Lawrence is regarded as the No. 8 QB in the NFL by Pro Football Focus. Tiger teammate Travis Etienne is ranked as the No. 15 RB. (Photo: Justin Lewis / USATODAY)

by TigerNet Staff - Tue May 30 10:30:19 GMT-04:00 2023

Pro Football Focus recently ranked the top starters on the offensive side of the ball and several Clemson pros made the list.

At quarterback, that's paced by third-year, former No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence at No. 8 in Jacksonville.

"Lawrence arrived last season. It took him half the year to get the Urban Meyer residue off, but from Week 9 onward, only Burrow and Mahomes earned a higher PFF grade. Billed as a truly generational talent when he was drafted, Lawrence showed that ability in 2022, and the Jaguars have continued to surround him with talent this offseason," said PFF's Sam Monson.

Ahead of Lawrence are KC's Patrick Mahomes, Buffalo's Josh Allen, Cincinnati's Joe Burrow, LA's Justin Herbert, NYJ's Aaron Rodgers, Baltimore's Lamar Jackson and Philadelphia's Jalen Hurts.

Going into what he hopes is his first full season since 2020, Deshaun Watson is No. 13 with Cleveland.

"Maybe the hardest player to rank on the list, Watson has one of the widest ranges of outcomes in the NFL. He finished 2022 with just a 55.3 overall PFF grade after returning from suspension and didn’t noticeably improve as one does if they are just shaking off the rust. In his last full season with Houston (2020), he earned a 92.5 PFF grade and was one of the best quarterbacks in the game. I have no earthly idea how good Watson will be in 2023, and neither does anybody else," said Monson.

Now-free agent DeAndre Hopkins paces the Clemson pros at receiver, at No. 12.

"One of the more difficult players to slot on this list, Hopkins was arguably the best receiver in the league at his peak, but injury and suspension have limited him over the past couple of seasons in Arizona, along with playing in a lackluster offense...He has shown there is still plenty of juice left if he lands in a good situation," said Monson.

Athlon listed the top destinations for Hopkins as being Kansas City, Buffalo, Philadelphia and Baltimore.

Cincy's Tee Higgins is ranked No. 19.

"2022 was a big year for Higgins because he was able to show that he could still look like a true No. 1 receiver without Ja'Marr Chase, who missed time due to injury, on the field drawing the attention of defenders. Higgins justified the narrative that he can be an elite receiver in any offense and caught 61.5% of his contested targets," said Monson.

Chargers receiver Mike Williams is in the Top 30 (29) as well.

"A contested-catch specialist who can win deep down the field and on the vertical route tree, first and foremost, Williams is another receiver who has been battling injuries in his career. The difference he makes to the Chargers' offense is obvious when he is on the field, and the kind of big-play ability he brings to the table is a vital component of their passing attack," said Monson.

Coming off his first season, Travis Etienne moved all the way to No. 15 on the running back starter list.

"Etienne didn’t play his true rookie season due to a Lisfranc injury, but the wait seemed worth it for the Jaguars, as their backfield speedster earned an 82.9 rushing grade thanks to 45 missed tackles forced (sixth in the NFL) and 26 explosive runs (13th in the NFL)," PFF's Trevor Sikkema said.