Nick Saban is about as big of a DeShaun Watson fan as you’ll find in college football, outside of, you know, Clemson fans and coaches.
Saban watched Watson throw for 4 touchdowns and over 400 yards against his Crimson Tide defense in the National Championship Game and understands better than anyone just how good the junior quarterback is. In fact, Saban this week called Watson the best player in college football since Cam Newton, according to ESPN.
While Watson enters his junior season as Clemson’s starting quarterback for the third straight year, Alabama will have a new quarterback for the third straight season. Saban isn’t quite as excited about Bama’s QB as he is about Clemson’s.
“I don’t care who we start at quarterback,” Saban said via ESPN. “He ain’t going to be that good.”
Considering the fits Johnny Manziel gave Saban’s defenses in college, I’m surprised he didn’t say the best since Johnny Football. But Manziel’s recent behavior probably erases his accomplishments on the gridiron from most peoples’ minds.
Watson is projected to be the top quarterback in next year’s draft if he goes pro as planned.
