By Hale McGranahan.
The future of the quarterback position at Clemson is in good hands.
Assuming the franchise stays healthy, the next two or three years in Tigertown could be one of the best stretches in school history. Given the way things have played out since 2011, that’s saying an awful lot, but this is Deshaun Watson, the guy Kirk Herbstreit thinks could be the face of college football.
Kelly Bryant and Tucker Israel, the 2015 signees, arrived to campus on Sunday. The two freshmen officially begin their college careers on Wednesday when the spring semester starts. This spring, they’ll share first-team reps as Watson watches from the sidelines. Redshirt junior Nick Schuessler, a former walk-on, will also be in the mix.
Set to join them in 2016 is four-star Zerrick Cooper (Jonesboro, Georgia), who continues to recover from a late July ACL tear. Cooper, of course, missed his entire junior season, but was able to participate in non-contact drills at Georgia Junior Bowl practice last week.
Cooper’s commitment fills the need for the 2016 class, so we’ll take a look at a few of the 2017 quarterbacks to keep an eye on over the next year or so.
Jake Bentley – Opelika, Alabama
The son of former Byrnes head coach Bobby Bentley, who’s now on staff at Auburn, bringing him back to the state of South Carolina for college ball could be a challenge. As long as Bobby is working for Gus Malzahn, it’s hard to imagine Jake leaving The Plains. Auburn and Miami have offered.
Caleb Farley – Maiden, North Carolina
If his junior film is an accurate representation, the 6-foot, 170-pound prospect looks to be more of a runner than a passer. As a sophomore, Farley threw for 1,000 yards with 10 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. On the ground, he picked up 1,520 yards and scored 19 touchdowns.
Lowell Narcisse – Saint James, Louisiana – St. James
The cousin of former Clemson fullback Chad Jasmin, Narcisse visited Clemson earlier this season for the Syracuse game. Illinois was first to offer the lefty quarterback. LSU tendered an offer during the fall.
Jay Urich – Greer – Blue Ridge
From the same school that produced Maryland backup Caleb Rowe, Urich is a dual-threat who’s receiving interest from Vanderbilt, Memphis and Duke. Urich trains under Ramon Robinson, the same quarterback coach who’s worked with Kelly Bryant and Chad Kelly.