While Deshaun Watson is viewed by many as one of the most polarizing prospects in the 2017 NFL Draft, there is one man who is firmly in Watson's corner: Clemson coach Dabo Swinney. Swinney made headlines a few weeks ago when he told reporters that if the Cleveland Browns (who own the No. 1 overall pick) don't pick Watson, it would be the equivalent of "passing on Michael Jordan."
(function(d, s, id) { if (d.getElementById(id)) return; var js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = '//cdn4.wibbitz.com/static.js'; d.getElementsByTagName('body')[0].appendChild(js);}(document, 'script', 'wibbitz-static-embed'));
That quote made the rounds for several days, though Watson never responded to it -- until now. He joined Pro Football Talk Live at the Super Bowl and shared his reaction.
"I asked if he was putting pressure on me, and said he said he was putting pressure on the teams," Watson said. "He told me, 'That's how I really feel. I just have a lot of confidence in you.'
"He said the teams that pass on [me] are really going to regret it."
Obviously, Dabo is a little biased, but after seeing Watson up close and in person for three years, he has an educated opinion. Watson threw for over 10,000 yards with 90 touchdowns during three seasons at Clemson, leading the Tigers to two College Football Playoff berths and a national championship this year. In the process, Watson also was named a Heisman finalist twice and graduated with his degree in just three years.
It will be years before we know if Swinney's assessment is correct. But there aren't many players who've left college more accomplished than Watson in recent years.
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.