ESPN Names Noble Johnson Clemson's "Newcomer to Watch"

With two of their top three pass catchers off to the NFL in Joseph Ngata and Davis Allen, Clemson is in desperate need of some playmakers to step up this season. Antonio Williams returns after a freshman campaign that saw him haul in 56 receptions for 604 yards and 4 touchdowns, but he’ll need some help.

Enter Noble Johnson. The 4-star wide receiver out of Texas brings a big body on the outside, at 6-foot-3. ESPN, in their ACC spring preview, named Johnson the “Newcomer to watch” for Clemson.

Clemson offensive coordinator Garrett Riley, who is in his first year at the school, has utilized big-bodied receivers in the past. In 2022, while at TCU, Riley utilized wide receiver Quentin Johnston to great effect. The 6-foot-4 Johnston caught 60 balls, averaging 16.9 yards per reception. Now, Johnston is the No. 3 wide receiver in this NFL Draft class, per ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr.’s latest rankings. Riley spoke on Noble Johnson’s abilities during spring practice.

“I’ve known Noble for a couple of years now, have watched a lot of his film and his games,” said Riley. “He’s one that’s getting a ton of reps right now. Physically, he’s a gifted guy. We just go to kind of bring him along, and he’s already made strides here in just a couple of days. From day one, you can already see some improvement. He’s an eager individual, but physically gifted.”

Friday will be day four of Clemson’s fifteen-day spring, culminating with the spring game on April 15th in Memorial Stadium.

More Clemson News:

Follow Christian Goeckel for more Clemson Football coverage: @goeckelsports