Talent gap?

From late July to mid-April, folks who cover college beats for a living are pretty occupied with football and basketball.

But this is the time of year that can be kinda challenging because there's not a storyline to follow every single day, and not regular interviews with players and coaches.

And that explains why, from now until the football teams start practicing for real in August, you're going to see all manner of lists. They're usually fun and easy to do, and they get people talking.

The Post and Courier's Two Travises, Sawchik and Haney, came up with an interesting one. They endeavored to rank South Carolina's and Clemson's Top 20 NFL-worthy players "based on talent, remaining eligibility, pro potential and other variables."

My first thought after scanning the list was: Seven guys on here who haven't played a down of college football? Bart Wright is not gonna like this!

My second thought: Is the talent gap between the two programs as vast as this list would indicate?

There's no use getting bogged down in the semantics of who's No. 5 and who's No. 4 and who's No. Whatever, because it's subjective with a lot of different variables.

But it does appear the Gamecocks have more high-end talent right now, and that has to be distressing to Clemson fans because that's so rarely been the case historically.

If Andre Ellington is able to return to the form he showed in 2009 and 2010, I think he belongs in an elite category and is in the same ballpark as Marcus Lattimore and Alshon Jeffery (and, to a lesser extent, Devin Taylor and Stephon Gilmore).

And there are a few talented players with experience. DeAndre Hopkins. Dwayne Allen. Brandon Thompson.

But as far as real horses, Clemson is relying heavily on its freshman class to supply that presence. I can't remember the last time this many freshmen at Clemson (Watkins, Bellamy, Peake, Bryant, Anthony, Steward) were being counted on this desperately to provide an immediate impact.

James Davis was a huge acquisition in 2005, and he ruffled some feathers that August by complaining that he wasn't getting the ball enough in camp. But it didn't take long -- the opener against Texas A&M, to be exact -- to see that this kid was special and was going to be an asset right away.

C.J. Spiller sparked celebration in the football offices when he signed in February of 2006, and by the second game (at Boston College) everyone knew that the hype was justified.

It's taken longer for some other can't-miss prospects to shine (Da'Quan Bowers, Jamie Harper). Some others never materialized (Willy Korn, Spencer Adams).

But the Gamecocks have demonstrated how monstrous an impact can be created by the addition of just two studs. The infusion of Jeffery and Lattimore has transformed Steve Spurrier's offense, and that's precisely the formula Dabo Swinney is hoping to use this season with the Tigers' offense (with a little help from Chad Morris, of course).

If you're a Clemson fan, there's certainly real reason for concern when it comes to the balance of this rivalry. How can there not be when you've suffered back-to-back drubbings at the hands of a team you're used to dominating?

But there has to be some comfort in the fact that the Tigers have continued to reel in high-level talent.

If Watkins and Bellamy create big splashes right away and rejuvenate this offense, then maybe the rankings look a lot different a year from now.

LW