ESPN analyst ranks Clemson in preseason Top 10

ESPN's Greg McElroy is excited about the future of the Clemson offense.

by TigerNet Staff - Thu Jul 13 14:24:03 GMT-04:00 2023

ESPN college football analyst Greg McElroy revealed his Top 10 for the 2023 season this week -- and he has Clemson in that group.

The Tigers are not his listed ACC favorite, however, placing Dabo Swinney's team at No. 10 and Florida State at No. 6.

"Dabo's done an amazing job," McElroy said. "When we look at an 11-3 season with an ACC championship and a New Year's Six Bowl invitation (and say) 'What a failure.' That's a good thing. Ok, so let's just take that with a grain of salt. I think Clemson will be back in the mix again this year in the ACC, but I think with the pieces they return, I have them actually finishing second in the ACC as of right now."

McElroy was impressed with Florida State last year and said he is "drinking the Kool-Aid" on the Seminoles with a Heisman contender there in quarterback Jordan Travis.

He is looking to Clemson's receiver group to potentially make or break any title run.

"Look, when you think about Clemson, you can't play quarterback by yourself, man. Everyone blamed DJ Uiagalelei about his shortcomings, but let's be real. I like their receivers -- I think the receivers are solid, and I look at the tight end's emergence last year, a position that had not always been a huge featured part of Clemson's offense, they really came into their own," McElroy said. "Now you bring back Jake Briningstool, bring back Antonio Williams, who is without question your most dynamic weapon there in the slot, but those are really the two guys who are front-and-center right now for where they're going to be...Who are the other guys going to be and will they be anywhere near what Clemson has had in the past when they had first-round receiver after first-round receiver after first-round receiver throughout the 2010s? That's a big question I have going into this season.

"The offensive line should be pretty dang good, but they do have to replace their left tackle in Jordan McFadden, who is one of the better guys they've had in quite a while. The offense will take some of the pressure off of the offensive line. This is a tempo offense. This is a spread offense. They want to dictate by formation and they force you to make a declaration defensively on every single snap. Very excited about this marriage that could exist between Garrett Riley, Cade Klubnik and the offensive identity as a whole."

McElroy called Clemson defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin "one of the best minds on that side of the ball" and he likes the players back there.

He predicts Clemson to finish in the 10-2 or 9-3 range this season, however.

McElroy's complete Top 10 is Georgia, Michigan, Alabama, Ohio State, LSU, Florida State, Texas, Washington, Utah and Clemson.