NORTHWESTERN COMMAND - Prior to the season (and prior to the spring game) I ranked Clemson’s most valuable commodities, a sort of keeper-league draft ranking.

As we near the halfway point, I figure it’s time to reassess value on the Clemson roster.

This following is a ranking of Clemson’s top 20 commodities. It’s not a ranking exclusive to value for the current season, rather taking into consideration talent, growth potential and remaining eligibility.

I’ve placed the August value next to each name to gauge whether their stock is rising or falling. Or, rather, just how wrong I was at the time.

1 C.J. Spiller RB (1) – Let’s see: leading rusher, second-leading receiver, accounts for five of the team’s 11 offensive touchdowns. Clemson is going to miss this guy. I’m going to miss watching him.

2 Da`Quan Bowers DE (2) - He was a force against Maryland – and has drawn Reggie White comparisons from Kevin Steele.

3 DeAndre McDaniel S (15) – Had him fourth in the spring, and I then have a tendency to devalue defensive backs. That was a mistake. This guy is all over the place: defending passes, blowing up ball carriers. He has a high football IQ, and might be the toughest player on the team. Oh, he might the best natural ball skills on the team, too.

4 Tajh Boyd QB (5) – If I could only pick one to keep – Parker or Boyd. I’d take Boyd – mainly because we know he is going to be around for a few more seasons. And that arm is not far behind Parker’s.

5 Brandon Thompson (4) – He’s a valuable defensive asset - a tackle who can rush the passer, take on double teams, and stop the run. He’s a sophomore with great feet and low center of gravity.

6 Malliciah Goodman DE (16) – The freshman has 3 TFL in 96 snaps. Bowers has 5 TFLs in 223 snaps.

7 Kyle Parker (3) – He’s regressed since Georgia Tech, and he might be playing pro baseball next summer – but that arm is special. And I still think he has above average football savvy. But it's tough to keep your stock steady when you reside over the nation’s 112th most efficient passing attack.

8 Jacoby Ford WR (8) – What if the Clemson receiving corps didn’t have Ford? Whose your No. 1 receiver then? Yeah, so Ford takes on extra value and has four of Clemson’s 11 touchdowns.

9 Chris Hairston (11) – Swinney’s hoping this guy sticks around for another year, and is healthy for the rest of this season.

10 Ricky Sapp (16) – He only has seven to nine games left in his career – but he leads the team in plays made in opponents backfield.

11 Andre Ellington RB (NR) Smaller than Jamie Harper, but runs with more authority and has more speed. Starting to look like the heir to Spiller.

12 Crezdon Butler CB (10) – I can’t remember his named being called often this season – and that is a good thing.

13 Brandon Maye LB (15) – The quarterback of Kevin Steel’s complex package defense, and just a sophomore.

14 Jarvis Jenkins DT (NR) Unsung hero of the defense.

15 Dwayne Allen TE (NR) – Only two catches, but few players can match his upside.

16 Thomas Austin G (15) Austin may be taken high in the NFL Draft, but Clemson’s offensive line, which he captains, has been average at best.

17 Marcus Gilchrist DB (18) One of Steele’s best 11, might be the team’s top corner next season.

18 Bryce McNeal WR (19) – Hasn’t played, but moves up a notch. He’s redshirting though he might be the team’s second best option at WR by default.

19 Chris Chancellor CB (11) – He’s been beat a couple times this season, needs to have better ball awareness.

20 Jamie Harper (7) – Being outplayed by Ellington – not living up to the hype thus far.

Dropping out: Antoine McClain, Kavell Conner, Kevin Alexander

Copy and paste the link:

Comments

Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.

Postandcourier.com is pleased to offer readers the enhanced ability to comment on stories. We expect our readers to engage in lively, yet civil discourse. Postandcourier.com does not edit user submitted statements and we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted in the comments area. Responsibility for the statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not postandcourier.com. If you find a comment that is objectionable, please click "report abuse" and we will review it for possible removal. Please be reminded, however, that in accordance with our Terms of Use and federal law, we are under no obligation to remove any third party comments posted on our website. Read our full Terms and Conditions.

Users can now build user-to-user connections, follow friends' recent posts, add an avatar that fits their personality, and more. If you have posted here before you'll need to sign up again, or if you've never posted before, start now by signing up!