Three Clemson pros land on ESPN potential breakout NFL stars list

Trevor Lawrence is among a group of Tigers who could have a big 2023 season. (Photo: Jay Biggerstaff / USATODAY)

by TigerNet Staff - Mon Aug 14 09:45:17 GMT-04:00 2023

ESPN+ did a four-tiered ranking of the potential breakout stars for the 2023 NFL season and three former Clemson players made the list.

In the "Pro Bowlers to superstars" tier, Trevor Lawrence leads the way going into Year 3 in Jacksonville.

"After the trip over the pond, Lawrence morphed into a superstar," said ESPN's Bill Barnwell. "He completed 69.7% of his passes over the remainder of the season while averaging 7.4 yards per attempt. He threw 15 touchdown passes against two picks while leading the Jaguars to a division title, including comeback victories over the Cowboys and Ravens. From Week 9 on, his adjusted completion percentage (75.5%) ranked first in the league.

"Lawrence's first postseason trip wasn't exactly smooth -- he threw five interceptions in games against the Chargers and Chiefs -- but he did coax another dramatic comeback out of his offense in the home wild-card win. Now, with wide receiver Calvin Ridley added to the mix and another full offseason away from the Meyer era, he has the ability to improve on the player we saw in the second half of 2022. Lawrence is currently eighth in the MVP odds at Caesars Sportsbook and seems capable of something special in Year 3."

Trevor Lawrence took a big leap in year two but honestly feels like he’s on the verge of superstardom in year three with an even better supporting cast
pic.twitter.com/qQatLJmg6s
— Joe O’Leary (@TheHQNerd) August 9, 2023

Also in that tier is Atlanta Falcons cornerback AJ Terrell.

"To close observers, Terrell already had his breakout season in 2021. The 2020 first-round pick looked spectacular on tape and by the numbers, as he allowed a passer rating of just 61.0 in coverage, per Pro Football Reference, despite playing behind the league's worst pass rush. I was convinced by what I saw and named him a first-team All-Pro on my year-end list, placing him ahead of stars Jalen Ramsey and Marshon Lattimore," Barnwell said. "If Terrell and Grady Jarrett don't have to put the defense solely on their backs in 2023, it might unlock a new level from the fourth-year pro. I wouldn't be surprised if Terrell were the best cornerback in the NFC in 2023."

Perfect coverage by AJ Terrell pic.twitter.com/2HhZuyXJcs
— 🎡 (@ATLSportStan) August 8, 2023

In the "Post-hype candidates" tier, now 49ers D-end Clelin Ferrell made an appearance.

"A promising defensive end with prototypical size at Clemson, Ferrell was expected to be drafted somewhere toward the bottom half of Round 1 in 2019. The Raiders, who had three first-round picks, took him with the first of them at No. 4 overall. As with so many of their other young players, they failed to develop him into anything beyond the player who they overdrafted," Barnwell said. "Enter 49ers defensive line coach Kris Kocurek, who has a gaudy track record of turning other teams' disappointments into valuable rotation players. He already pulled this trick with pass-rusher in Arden Key, who had three sacks in three seasons with the Raiders. Kocurek coaxed a 6.5-sack season out of Key, who then had a solid 2022 with the Jags before earning a deal with the Titans. Maurice Hurst came down the same pipeline in 2021, only to miss most of the past two seasons with injuries."

Ferrell posted a sack in his two tackles in San Francisco's NFL preseason debut on Sunday.