By Will Vandervort.

Could Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson play or at the least dress against Wake Forest next Thursday night in Winston Salem, N.C.? Head coach Dabo Swinney said Thursday from the WestZone in Memorial Stadium that nothing is off the table.

“Based on what I saw yesterday there is just too much unknown right now, and like I said, he is getting better every day,” Swinney said. “He is one of those guys that when you tell him to do something, he is going to do it until the nth degree. It is always nice when you have a willing participant as far as being at every treatment.

“He is going to do the things away from here, while no one is looking, to continue to expedite the process. Not everybody is wired that way. They will come do their treatment, but they don’t always follow through like that at their apartment or whatever when it comes to the extra stuff. But that is just how Deshaun is. He is probably in his class doing his strengthening exercises. That’s who he is. I don’t think anything is off the table. There are just too many unknowns right now.”

Swinney and offensive coordinator Chad Morris were impressed with what they saw from the freshman in Wednesday’s practice.

“He actually worked out yesterday and threw the ball. He looked good,” Morris said. “I think he really kind of surprised everybody on how far along he is right now with everything. Yesterday was kind of his first time back into it as far as taking actual snaps and reps so it is good to see him back in there.”

On Tuesday, the Tigers (6-2, 5-1 ACC) did a walkthrough and that was the first time Swinney saw his freshman quarterback throw the football. He threw it a little bit at the time and did very well.

“He got back into practice last night and it was very encouraging,” Swinney said. “He is getting a little bit better every day and he does not have any pain. The trainers are doing a good job of protecting him with what they have him practicing in and I think he is very encouraged just like the coaches.”

Swinney said Watson is a little restricted based on how they have his finger taped, but the rotation of his fingers and the way he threw the ball has everyone encouraged about when he might be able to help a Clemson offense that has struggled since he was injured in the first quarter against Louisville on Oct. 11.

“It is just about the strength in the finger,” Swinney said. “All of the other fingers are fine, it is just that one little bone so I think really just strengthening it is the biggest thing and it is getting better and better every day.

“The biggest thing is he does not have any pain. To me that is the big hurdle. If you are doing something and you know there is going to be pain every single time than it can become a mental thing. So I just think it is a matter of him just becoming unrestricted and just kind of building the strength back.”

And that could have Watson definitely back by the Georgia Tech game.

“Anything is possible, but it is kind of on him,” Swinney said.

Watson will have another X-ray either on Friday or Monday to see where he is at, but the coaches plan on taking it day-by-day.

“Obviously, being out of game mode for a few weeks, but I don’t know if that is going to be a big issue with him or not. I know he has been out there every day and if he isn’t rehabbing, then he is in tune with the meetings and everything,” Morris said. “He will work out again today and will work out Saturday and Sunday so he will have plenty of snaps underneath him before he gets out there.”