College Football

Dabo Swinney: Passing on Deshaun Watson is like 'passing on Michael Jordan'

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 5:18 p.m. ET

Sports Illustrated, SI Wire/Sports Illustrated

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney says that any team passing on quarterback Deshaun Watson in the upcoming NFL Draft is like passing on Michael Jordan.

“He comes to every meeting prepared,” Swinney said. “That’s how you change things, you change the culture, through...for me it’s through discipline and recruiting, staffing and all that stuff. For them, it’s decision-making, it’s who you pick. And I’m just telling you: They pass on Deshaun Watson, they’re passing on Michael Jordan. I mean, I don’t know what the heck I’m talking about, I’m just an old funky college coach, but Deshaun Watson is the best, by a long shot.”

Watch Swinney's comments below:

Watson led the Tigers to a 35-31 win over Alabama in the College Football Playoff Championship Game and finished the season with 4,593 yards and 41 touchdowns as well as 624 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns.

The Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers own the first two picks in the draft and could be searching for quarterback help. North Carolina's Mitch Trubisky is also expected to be a highly touted quarterback prospect.

Jordan was drafted with the No. 3 overall pick in the 1984 NBA Draft. Akeem Olajuwon and Sam Bowie were selected ahead of him. Olajuwon went on to become a Hall of Famer while Bowie played 10 seasons in the NBA but was plagued by injuries.