Before the NFL, before the injuries, before the constant “what could have been” debates, Sammy Watkins was a cheat code and an absolute unit in Clemson orange. Now, he is officially on the 2027 College Football Hall of Fame ballot.
The National Football Foundation announced the 2027 ballot, which includes 80 FBS players, and Watkins is Clemson’s representative. His résumé still jumps off the page. Watkins was a two-time First Team All-American, earning the honor as an all-purpose player in 2011 and as a receiver in 2013. He was also a three-time All-ACC selection and led the conference in receiving yards per game in 2013, while also leading the ACC in all-purpose yards per game as a freshman in 2011.
The peak, of course, was the 2014 Orange Bowl against Ohio State, where Watkins put together one of the most absurd performances in Clemson history. He caught 16 passes for 227 yards, set an Orange Bowl record, and earned game MVP honors. That game still feels like the cleanest example of what made Watkins different. Everyone in the stadium knew the ball was going his way, and Ohio State still could not do much about it.
Watkins remains Clemson’s career leader in receiving yards with 3,391, while also holding the program’s single-season receiving yards record with 1,464 in 2013 and the single-game receiving yards record with 227. Voting runs through July 1, with the 2027 class set to be announced in early 2027.
Advertisement
Contact us @Clemson_Wire on X, and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news and notes, plus opinions.
This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Former Clemson star Sammy Watkins up for College Football Hall of Fame
