The 2017 NFL Draft is still over five months away, and the formal underclassmen entrance period is two months away, but in the meantime, there is news. Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney announced on Tuesday that four underclassmen on the Tigers roster are going to declare for next spring’s draft. The group includes quarterback DeShaun Watson, running back Wayne Gallam, and wide receivers Mike Williams and Artavis Scott.
The San Francisco 49ers will not know their first round draft position until the end of the season, but if they continue playing the way we have seen during their seven-game losing streak, they will be looking at a top two or three pick next April.
Plenty can change between now and April, but Watson is a guy who could be in the conversation for the 49ers pick. They have a desperate need for a long-term franchise option at quarterback, and there are a handful of interesting prospects to consider.
I would be surprised if they went wide receiver that high, but they could also move down in the first round to make multiple selections. They will have a high priority pick that could hold some value to another team. I don’t know if it will end up like this past draft where the Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles both moved into the top two picks to select quarterbacks, but it could be interesting to see who looks to move around.
Watson finished third in Heisman voting last season, and currently has 2,497 passing yards and a 24/10 TD/INT ratio in 2016. Williams has 52 receptions for 754 yards and five touchdowns. Williams had a “small” fracture of his neck in Clemson’s 2015 season opener after colliding with a goal post support. It sounds like everything is fine with him moving forward.