Sammy Watkins vs. Kelvin BenjaminSeptember 22, 2012
by the Starting QB, Oates
Everyone remembers freshman sensation, Sammy Watkins and what a breakout season he had last season. Well, if you are looking for the next freshman sensation look no further than ACC rival Florida State. Florida State somehow created recruited a 6’5 243 wideout by the name of Kelvin Benjamin to come to Tallahassee to help them become “Florida State” again. Clemson and FSU matches up this weekend in a HUGE conference game. It would be nice to see these two guys go “head-to-head” when it comes to stats but nobody really knows what FSU has to offer since their games have been blowouts. If I know Jimbo Fisher, I know he has something in the pot cooking for this “Calvin Johnson”-like body frame. Just in case Benjamin does not get a chance to perform on national television, let’s break these two guys down.
So Kelvin Benjamin right now is listed as third on the depth chart but we are going to look past that. Benjamin has been a promising prospect since the day he stepped foot on campus. Benjamin’s size is probably what makes him such an asset on offense. He can out jump any corner, safety, or the combination of the two that you place in front of him. The knock on Benjamin is his inexperience and his route running abilities. He is still a very raw athlete so he has not fully grasped the concept of running crisp routes. If he can ever get “it”, imagine another rare combination of size, hands, strength, leaping ability, and body control like Calvin Johnson.
Next is Sammy Watkins. What is there left to say about Sammy that has not been said before? He is arguably the best receiver in college today. When he has the ball in his hands, he is a threat to take it the distance every time. His first carry of the 2012 season was a 58 yard scamper. In case you didn’t notice he is an all-purpose receiver as well. Last season he finished fourth nationally in that category last year with 2,253 total yards. He was dominant as a receiver, catching 83 passes for 1,225 yards and 12 touchdowns last year, but he also rushed for 231 yards and produced 826 yards and a touchdown. Clearly Heisman worthy stats as a freshman.
Comparing Sammy Watkins to Kelvin Benjamin right now is clearly unfair. We are comparing a guy with a huge upside of potential with a guy that we have already seen do it every Saturday. This is not to say that Benjamin will never reach his potential. He has all the tools around him to becoming the next “Megatron”. He lacks the intangibles and the “it” that Watkins displays every Saturday. We just believe that he will blossom into something special if he can continue to keep improving. The fact of the matter is currently right now, Sammy Watkins is a better receiver than Kelvin Benjamin.
A quick slant route, Sammy Watkins was recruited by Florida State but they decided to go with Benjamin instead.
