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CBS sports recently broke down potential freshmen standouts for each ACC school. College football analyst Brad Crawford highlighted Clemson wide receiver Naeem Burroughs as the Tigers’ player to watch in 2026.
Burroughs is a 4-star recruit and a top-100 player in the nation, according to 247Sports. He stood out with an exceptional performance at Clemson’s spring game earlier this year.
Crawford cited a comparison Dabo Swinney made during the recruiting cycle.
“Dabo Swinney said earlier this year that he felt the Tigers' collection of wideout talent in the 2026 cycle was similar to his 2011 haul, which included future All-ACC star Sammy Watkins. Clemson's staff got a long look at Burroughs during the spring, who, like Watkins, hails from Florida and has notable speed and agility.”
Projecting Clemson freshman receiver Naeem Burroughs
Burroughs reminds me a lot of Antonio Williams, and he could be an elite fill-in at the slot position early on. I’d project this season to see him as more of an apprentice to Tyler Brown, but that's only a testament to the Tigers' depth at the position more than it is to Burroughs as a player.
I believe Burroughs is capable of contributing early on, and I could see him become a standout player this season.
Speaking on that topic, Brown is another player to look out for at Clemson this season. Many seem to forget the impact he had his freshman season (52 catches, 531 yards, 10.2 AVG), and if it weren’t for injuries he would likely be a name we’d be talking about more heading into 2026.
If it isn’t clear, Clemson has a stacked wide receiver room.
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This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: CBS Sports analyst compares Clemson freshman wideout to Sammy Watkins
