TCI Open Draft – Round Eight
By: rmacrae@bellsouth.net July 1, 2015

The dog days of summer are upon us. To help pass the time, the staff at The Clemson Insider is picking sides.

Along with publisher Robert MacRae, staff writers Will Vandervort, William Qualkinbush and Hale McGranahan are drafting players from the Clemson roster to fill out their own teams.

Here’s how the eighth round of the TCI Open Draft played out:

Will Vandervort

Eighth Round (29th overall) Trevion Thompson, WR (6-2, 195)

I was thinking about going with another defensive pick for my eighth round pick, but then I saw wide receiver Trevion Thompson was still on the board and in my opinion he is the best player still available in the draft to fit my needs.

I need a tall wide receiver that can play on the boundary and Thompson fits that billing. Thompson is listed second on the depth chart behind Mike Williams. He possesses a good vertical jump and is as fast as Williams.

Thompson redshirted last season, but was ranked as the No. 73 player and 15th best wide receiver in the country coming out of high school in 2014. He had 57 receptions for 987 yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior at Hillside High School in Durham, N.C.

Hale McGranahan

Eighth Round (30th overall) Jake Fruhmorgen, OT (6-5, 285)

I now find myself in a bit of a jam with Isaiah Battle’s departure from the Clemson program. In an effort to salvage my No. 2 overall selection, I might as well go ahead and pull the trigger on another offensive tackle.

There aren’t many experienced ones on the Clemson roster, so my options are pretty limited. Since one of the headliners from Clemson’s 2015 class is already off the board — Mitch Hyatt — I’ll take Jake Fruhmorgen.

Fruhmorgen is positioned on Clemson’s depth chart as the No. 2 right tackle. While that certainly appears to be where he’ll spend the majority of his Clemson career, Fruhmorgen would probably find himself at left tackle on my squad.

Robert MacRae

Eighth Round (31 overall) – Travis Blanks (SAM) – (6-1, 205)

With my next pick I got back to the defense and select Travis Blanks.  This pick is a little risky as Blanks is coming back from his second knee surgery.

If Blanks can return to the field he could add a spark to the defense.  He is one of the top linebackers/hybrids left on the board.

With the depth at safety I see Blanks playing more at LB than at safety this year.  The former Five-star is eager to have an impact after sitting out last season due to injury.

William Qualkinbush

Eighth Round (32 overall) – Stanton Seckinger, TE (6-5, 240)

This is a bit of a personal choice, as Stanton is one of the few players I’ve gotten the pleasure to know a little bit over the years. His leadership is tremendous, and although he’s coming off of an injury, he has the ability to contribute greatly on my roster.
 
Seckinger has gone from a frail tweener to a bona fide every-down tight end at the collegiate level. With his set of skills, I feel my passing game now has an incredibly valuable weapon that also has some versatility in terms of being able to be split out wide or put in the slot.
 
I love having this kid on my roster because I know he will represent my team with class and dignity, as well. He’s a true ambassador for my program, and I’m fortunate to steal him at the end of the eighth round.
 
Current Rosters

 

William Qualkinbush

(1) DeShaun Watson

(2) Ben Boulware

(3) DJ Reader

(4) Korrin Wiggins

(5) Ray Ray McCloud

(6) Zac Brooks

(7) Albert Huggins

(8) Stanton Seckinger

Robert MacRae

(1) Artavis Scott

(2) Mike Williams

(3) Deon Cain

(4) Christian Wilkins

(5) Jordan Leggett

(6) C.J. Davidson

(7) Mark Fields

(8) Travis Blanks

Hale McGranahan

(1) MacKensie Alexander

(2) Isaiah Battle

(3) Jayron Kearse

(4) Carlos Watkins

(5) Charone Peake

(6) B.J. Goodson

(7) Richard Yeargin

(8) Jake Fruhmorgen

Will Vandervort

(1) Shaq Lawson

(2) Kelly Bryant

(3) Mitch Hyatt

(4) Wayne Gallman

(5) Milan Richard

(6) Germone Hopper

(7) Scott Pagano

(8) Trevion Thompson