I can't wait to watch Clemson and Florida State battle on Saturday night (8 p.m. ET, ABC). Both programs have produced a lot of NFL talent over the last couple years, yet they are still loaded with premier players at just about every position. Deshaun Watson hasn't played his best football this year, but he's led the Tigers to an undefeated record and they are looking to return to the College Football Playoff. Don't forget about top talents like FSU RB Dalvin Cook and Clemson WR Mike Williams. Who's the best player in this contest? I reached out to 5 NFL personnel executives to get their opinion. Here are their answers.
Executive 1: Clemson WR Mike Williams
"I love Mike Williams. He's long, athletic and smooth. He has outstanding body control. He can run every route and he's capable of playing inside or outside."
Executive 2: Florida State RB Dalvin Cook
"There are so many good players in this game. If healthy, I'd probably say Derwin James, but considering he hasn't played much this year, I'll go with Dalvin Cook. Mike Williams isn't far behind. Both are studs."
Executive 3: Dalvin Cook
"I'm not a big fan of Deshaun Watson. I'd go with Dalvin Cook. He's a great all-around back."
Executive 4: Dalvin Cook
"He's both quick and explosive. He's easy to scout."
Executive 5: Dalvin Cook
"I love Mike Williams, but I give a slight nod to Dalvin Cook."
Summary: That's 4 votes for Cook and 1 for Williams.
Conclusion: I wasn't surprised to see Cook garner the most support from NFL evaluators. He's a versatile, explosive player who should have an immediate impact whenever he decides to enter the NFL. Williams is widely regarded as the top wideout prospect in the country. He's one of my favorite players. I love his physicality and competitive nature when the ball is in the air. I look forward to really digging in and studying more tape of Watson. He looks good on the stat sheet, but his play hasn't really inspired the NFL scouting community. From what I've studied this fall, he just hasn't seemed quite as crisp, decisive and accurate as you'd like to see from a top-tier quarterback prospect, which helps explain why he didn't receive a vote in this poll.
Follow Daniel Jeremiah on Twitter @MoveTheSticks.
