Andre Ellington Staying at Clemson: 4 Bold Predictions for the Tigers Next Year

The Clemson Tigers had a successful season starting off the year with eight straight wins. And then it went all down hill as they lost four of their last six games, including getting destroyed by West Virginia in the BCS Bowl Game.

The good news is that this team is still extremely young and will have plenty of chances to build on last year's success. The better news is that running back Andre Ellington will put the NFL draft on hold and return for his senior season.

Now that the Tigers are looking sharp heading into next season, here are a few bold predictions.

Sammy Watkins Becomes a Heisman Candidate

There are very few players that are as explosive as wide receiver Sammy Watkins. With a year under his belt and working with quarterback Tajh Boyd, he should improve on his ridiculous freshman season. In his first season Watkins caught 82 passes for 1,219 yards and 12 touchdowns. Those numbers will likely increase with all of the weapons around him and tight end Dwayne Allen likely leaving.

Watkins now has the hype and the numbers, he only has to repeat them and he'll receive an invite to New York.

Andre Ellington Tops Last Year's Numbers

With Andre Ellington returning to this team, you have to believe he is ready for a breakout year. Sure, last year was a great year for him, but it could always be better. I expect him to rush for over 1,200 yards and put up around 15 touchdowns. That will likely move him up draft boards for next year. (He was going to be a top 10 back this year if he left early.)

Ellington doesn't have elite speed, but you couldn't tell watching film because he's rarely caught from behind. He has the tools to be successful if he can just stay healthy, despite the fact that he will be running behind a revamped offensive line.

The senior running back has a bad taste in his mouth for the way the season ended, and you can bet he's going to do anything to remove it.

Martin Aiken Fills the Shoes of Andre Branch

For those of you that aren't big on recruiting. Tiger fans, meet your new defensive end Martin Aiken who is a 4-star player on nearly every recruiting site. He may only be a freshman, but the kid can flat out play and is an under the radar type player.

At 6'3", 250 pounds, he runs a 40 time in about 4.8 seconds. Doesn't really have much power, but he's quick off the ball and can simply just blow by most offensive linemen. He also plays with an attitude that should fire this defense up.

With Andre Branch leaving, defensive end is a serious need for this Clemson team. Expect to see a lot of Aiken and for him to make a quick impact on this defense.

Clemson Reaches National Championship

Clemson does have some holes to fill, particularly on the defensive and offensive lines. But that explosive offense is what really makes them national contenders heading into next season. This team can flat out put up points with the best of them, and there are very few teams that can slow them down when they're clicking.

Just look at the first eight games where they scored over 30 points seven times. The end of the schedule were a few hiccups that you would expect from a young team trying to find themselves. As for the defense, they didn't play well this year but were still able to get things done for the most part. You don't need many stops when you can put up 50 points any given game. Especially in the watered-down ACC. And if it wasn't for losing three of their last five, they may have made the championship game last season.

Clemson has had a taste of success and have been under the bright lights of the BCS Orange Bowl. Now they will take the next step and reach the BCS National Championship Game.

Randy Chambers is a B/R Featured Columnist that covers College Football and the NFL. You can contact him @Randy_Chambers or [e-mail]