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Clemson May Be Forced to Unleash Mystifying Freshman vs Syracuse
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- Clemson May Be Forced to Unleash Mystifying Freshman vs Syracuse
(USA TODAY Network)
Heading into the 2026 campaign, there was a whole lot of excitement surrounding the Clemson Tigers ' wide receiver room.
Of course, T.J. Moore and Bryant Wesco were the featured attractions, both being viewed as potential first-round NFL talents going into the season. Then, there was senior Tyler Brown, who had shown plenty of flashes in the past.
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But Clemson also had a triumvirate of four-star freshmen entering the fray: Naeem Burroughs, Gordon Sellars and Connor Salmin.
Burroughs was the most hyped of the bunch, and for good reason.
The 5-foot-11 burner displayed tremendous burst and explosiveness at The Bolles School in Florida, and he was expected by many to actually become a factor right off the bat.
Obviously, that has not happened.
Burroughs has logged just two catches all season, both of which came during Clemson's win over Charleston Southern back on Oct. 17.
He has briefly seen the field in other games, but it is blatantly obvious that Dabo Swinney has not trusted him enough to actually utilize him.
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Swinney himself even said he was disappointed in Burroughs' progress early on but noted a few weeks ago that the youngster was making significant strides.
Well, we might finally get the chance to see more of Burroughs this Saturday at Syracuse.
Why? Because Brown is listed as questionable due to an unspecified injury, and if he ends up sidelined, Clemson will be dangerously thin at wide receiver.
Brown has emerged as one of Tait Reynolds' top targets in recent weeks, and neither Moore nor Wesco have played up to expectations this season.
The Tigers might be forced to get Burroughs on the field more than they normally would like this weekend, and such a move could pay dividends.
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Burroughs figures to be a significant part of Clemson's future. He was highly touted for a reason, and in spite of his slow start, the Tigers are surely still thrilled they have him.
Moore and Wesco could both make the jump to the NFL after the season, and Brown is in his last year. That would obviously open up significant opportunity for Burroughs in 2027.
But his first real chance could come against the Orange.
Syracuse has won two games in a row, most recently beating SMU. The Orange are no joke. But they don't have a very good defense, so Burroughs could have a chance to do some damage in space on Saturday.
We'll see if Clemson decides to finally unleash the first-year weapon.
