Sammy Watkins: Why Clemson Star is Sure to Underwhelm in Orange Bowl

Sammy Watkins may have shredded the ACC this season, but he’s about to have a disappointing end to an incredible freshman season.

When his Clemson Tigers face the West Virginia Mountaineers Wednesday night in the Orange Bowl, Watkins will be matched up against a familiar foe. He will be lining up against Brodrick Jenkins, a teammate of Watkins at South Fort Myers High School in Fort Myers, Fla.

When Watkins was a sophomore in 2008, he lined up against the senior Jenkins every day in practice. Jenkins was, and still is the elder statesmen, and still has that mentality when it comes to Watkins:

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Growing up, me and Sammy were always nice. I was older so I had (a car), so I would take him home and bring him around with me. I knew he was going to be special. It was like a big brother thing. I used to try to show him by example.

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Watkins may have been an All-American this season (77 receptions, 1153 yards and 11 TDs), but he has done so against teams that were unfamiliar with his blazing fast speed until it was far too late. His 60 YPG in his last three games were a steep drop off from the numbers he was putting up early in the season. He only had 39 yards in a loss to South Carolina.

In other words, teams are starting to figure out ways to contain him.

Jenkins knows Watkins' style of play better than any other defender in the nation. Both players are virtually the same size at six-foot, 180 pounds and both have terrific ball skills.

Jenkins returns punts occasionally for the Mountaineers, so it’s not like he’s lacking in the speed department either.

Jenkins is the big brother that doesn’t want the younger brother to get the best of him.

There is no question that Watkins is a future star in the NFL, but we have no idea if he is able to compete at a high level under the bright lights. The Tigers were rarely on national TV and the Orange Bowl will be by far the biggest game of Watkins' life.

How will he fare? Will he let the bright light’s get the best of him? Or will he let his “big brother” get the best of him?

A banner season for Watkins is going to have a rotten (orange) kind of ending.