Clemson Tigers

College Football Playoff: Five Players to Watch in the National Championship

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 1:52 p.m. ET

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Fansided, Jerran Anderson/FanSided via Saturday Blitz

The College Football National Championship stage is set. Here’s a quick look at some of the premier talent to watch from Clemson and Alabama.

The rematch of last year’s 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship between Clemson and Alabama is just hours away. Alabama won 45-40 in last season’s matchup, but this time around, Clemson has prepared all season for this moment. Alabama is seeking its fifth national title in the past eight seasons. Clemson is searching for their first national championship since 1981.

In last season’s game, Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson was responsible for 478 total yards and four touchdowns, pushing the Crimson Tide defense to the brink. This season, boasting some new and refined weapons on offense, Watson is looking to pull off the upset victory.

However, the Alabama defense is stingier than ever this season, allowing just 238.1 yards of offense per game. They lost safety Eddie Jackson to a broken leg, but cornerback Minkah Fitzpatrick has stepped up. They’re a deep team on defense and it’s been a scary sight to behold.

Behind freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts, the Alabama offense made progressive strides as a unit. Hurts earned SEC Offensive Player of the Year in his first season as a starter. He threw for over 2,000 passing yards, 21 passing touchdowns and ran for another 891 rushing yards and 12 scores on the ground. He led the offense all season long, but they’ve yet to face a defense of Clemson’s caliber this season.

Tonight’s game should be fun to watch. Here are five impact players to watch for in tonight’s National Championship Game.

Dec 31, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

5. DT Carlos Watkins, Clemson

The Clemson Tigers defense is going to challenge the Alabama offense early and often and vice versa. One of the key factors to Clemson’s success is how well senior defensive tackle Carlos Watkins can stifle the Crimson Tide’s run game.

In last season’s National Championship, 2015 Heisman winning running back Derrick Henry ran 34 times for 158 rushing yards and three touchdowns for Alabama. This season, the Crimson Tide have three running backs with at least 500 rushing yards. Running backs Bo Scarbrough and Damien Harris have been workhorses on an offense

Look for Watkins to step up his play even more in the National Championship. He’s recorded at least one sack in four of the Tiger’s last five games and nine games total in 2016. This season, Watkins has a career-high 44 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks and a fumble recovery. In the Tigers’ last two games, the senior defensive tackle has eight total tackles, three sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss.

Watkins is rated in the top-100 in the upcoming 2017 NFL Draft class. A good performance against Alabama will serve him well. He’ll need to set the tone and disrupt the running game in the middle.

4. LB Ryan Anderson, Alabama

Linebacker Ryan Anderson is the tone setter on an Alabama Crimson Tide defense that doesn’t allow very many points. The Crimson Tide are first in the FBS in scoring defense with 11.4 points allowed per game. A lot of that has to do with the play of Anderson.

The senior linebacker leads the team in tackles for loss with 16.5.  He is second on the team with 7.5 sacks and has three forced fumbles along with three pass breakups.

In the Crimson Tide’s 24-7 victory over the Washington Huskies in the Peach Bowl, Anderson didn’t have many tackles. However, his 26-yard interception return for a touchdown in the second quarter put some much-needed distance on the scoreboard at 17-7 before halftime.

With so many other stars on the the defense, Anderson sometimes get overlooked, but expect him to shine bright in this game. As the Clemson Tigers boast one of the better offenses in the FBS, Anderson will be called up to stop both the run and pass.

Anderson is projected currently as a second round pick in the upcoming 2017 NFL Draft, but his performance in the National Championship could change things as well.

Nov 26, 2016; Clemson, SC, USA; Mandatory Credit: Joshua S. Kelly-USA TODAY Sports

3. LB Ben Boulware, Clemson

Linebacker Ben Boulware has been all over the field for the Clemson defense. The Tigers will need Boulware at his very best in the National Championship game.

Boulware leads the team in tackles with 110. He’s also got 9.5 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks and three forced fumbles in 2016. He’s turned up his level of play in big games so far for the Clemson Tigers this season.

Against the Louisville Cardinals back on October 1, Boulware registered a season-high 18 total tackles, three tackles for loss, a sack and a fumble recovery. Against the Florida State Seminoles back on October 29, he recorded 6 total tackles, a tackle for loss and a sack. In the ACC Championship Game against Virginia Tech on December 3, he recorded 10 total tackles. He had five total tackles in their 31-0 shutout of Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl.

Tonight’s game will be a tough defensive battle and Boulware’s presence on the field will have the Clemson defense ready to play. A stellar performance in the National Championship Game could elevate Boulware’s stock in the NFL Draft as well. Right now, Boulware ranks as the 343rd overall player in the 2017 NFL Draft, according to CBS Sports.

2. DE Jonathan Allen, Alabama

The Alabama Crimson Tide have an opportunity to solidify themselves as one of the best dynasties in college football against Clemson. Senior defensive end Jonathan Allen is the anchor of the defense.

Allen leads the Crimson Tide defense in sacks this season (9.5) and ranks third in tackles for loss (15.0). The number of snaps he saw this season went up and so did his production. He also gathered a career-high 62 total tackles. Allen is one of six players with at least one defensive touchdown on the season. He returned an interception 75 yards to the house in the Crimson Tide’s 48-43 win over Ole Miss back on September 17.

The senior defensive end finished seventh in Heisman voting this season, two spots behind Michigan safety Jabrill Peppers. Peppers and Allen were the only defensive players to finish in the top 10 in Heisman voting in 2016, a rare feat for any player on that side of the ball.

Allen had six tackles, two of them for loss and a sack in Alabama’s 24-7 win in the Peach Bowl. He goes into the National Championship game looking to impress NFL Draft scouts as well. He’s rated number one out of all defensive ends in the 2017 NFL Draft class, according to NFLDraftScout.com. Look for him to have a great season finale against Clemson tonight.

1. WR Mike Williams, Clemson

After a brutal neck injury he suffered in 2015, Clemson wide receiver Mike Williams has made the long journey back to the playing field. And it’s paid off for him.

Williams caught a career-high 1,267 receiving yards and 10 receiving touchdowns for the Tigers in 2016. He led all receivers in receiving yards in the Fiesta Bowl, catching six passes for 96 receiving yards.

Williams has 23 catches for 311 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns in the Tigers’ last four games. He has over 100 receiving yards in five games this season. He caught 15 passes for a season-high 202 receiving yards and a touchdown in the team’s 43-42 loss to Pittsburgh back on November 12.

At 6-foot-4, 220-pounds, Clemson will certainly look to stretch the field with Williams at wide receiver. He has emerged as Watson’s favorite target this season with a team-high 90 catches. He has at least five catches in the Tigers past four games as well. Look for Williams to be an X-Factor on offense for Clemson, National Championship be damn.

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