The former Watson teammate was giddy about a potential reunion
Watson, Renfrow reunion would be "great"
Mar 3, 2019, 7:30 am
The former Watson teammate was giddy about a potential reunion
Three years ago Deshaun Watson and Hunter Renfrow connected for the game-winning score to win the Clemson Tigers the national championship.
On This Date: Deshaun Watson found Hunter Renfrow to give @ClemsonFB the title đ pic.twitter.com/G62Vmh0Lqp
â ESPN (@espn) January 9, 2019
Could they recreate their Clemson connection in the pros?
Renfrow spoke at the NFL Scouting Combine Friday and said he had met with Texans offensive coordinator Tim Kelly. He also mentioned the meeting was very unique compared to the other meetings he's had with teams.
The Texans meeting centered around his relationship with Deshaun while Renfrow mentioned other meetings are more about getting to know him and his style the Texans got down to business talking about he and Watson's history and potential future.
The NFL is no stranger to Clemson pass catchers. Renfrow detailed the success the school has had producing NFL players at his position.
[ia_video https://s3.amazonaws.com/roar-assets-auto.rbl.ms/runner%2F9313-IMG_9616.MOV source="https://s3.amazonaws.com/roar-assets-auto.rbl.ms/runner%2F9313-IMG_9616.MOV" caption="Renfrow on Clemson WR at the combine" attribution="Cody Stoots" videoControls=true shortcode_id=1551546543561 expand=1 ]Being a short, white, skilled wide receiver people naturally assume the New England Patriots will be interested. How does Renfrow feel about that connection being drawn?
"They win," he said. "I'll go wherever they pay me to go. The Patriots would be cool, playing with a guy like Tom Brady. That would be incredible, to play with one of the greatest to ever play the game would be special."
But what about reuniting with the quarterback you won a national title with?
"That'd be great," Renfrow exclaimed about possibly playing with Watson again.
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney joked with his departing slot pass catcher. Renfrow said his former head coach explained he might end up with a downgrade at quarterback despite being the NFL having played with talented throwers like Watson and current Clemson star Trevor Lawrence.
Well, Swinney might be right. Unless, of course, Watson to Renfrow happens in red, white, and blue like it did in orange and purple.
The skill set Renfrow brings to the table replicates quite a bit what last year's selection in the fourth round, Keke Coutee, brings to the table. They are both slot wideouts though Coutee is set to be the more dynamic athlete (Renfrow only benched at the combine putting up seven reps).
But, why not make this work? Coutee was hurt in his only NFL action, but played great for a rookie when he was in there. Renfrow has a track record of durability coming from college. He has tape that matters despite concerns about his athletcism and the ability to withstand hits at the NFL level.
Imagine having Coutee and Renfrow in the slots and Hopkins on the outside with say, tight end Jordan Thomas. You stop speed or you stop size. You can't stop both.
It feels like a bit of a luxury pick though, and Renfrow could go in about the fourth round where the Texans don't have a selection due to the Demaryius Thomas trade. If he kept slipping down the draft boards into the fifth or later he would be worth adding to the team.
Alex Bregman couldnât hold back the smile when he was asked who might have had the biggest impact on his decision to sign with the Boston Red Sox.
âMy favorite player Dustin Pedroia,â Bregman said of the club's former second baseman and two-time World Series champion.
âHe reached out a few times this offseason and talked about how special it was to be a part of the Boston Red Sox,â Bregman said Sunday. âIt was really cool to be able to talk to him as well as so many other former players here in Boston and current players on the team as well.â
A day after Bregman's $120 million, three-year contract was announced, he sat at a 25-minute news conference between his agent, Scott Boras, and Boston Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow. Manager Alex Cora, who gave Bregman a hug after he handed the infielder his No. 2 jersey, also was at the table along with team president Sam Kennedy.
Breslow and Cora wouldn't say whether Bregman would move to play second base, Pedroia's position, or remain at third â a position manned by Rafael Devers since July 2017.
A few players, Jarren Duran and Rob Refsnyder among them, and coaches stood behind the seated reporters to listen.
Bregman gets a $5 million signing bonus, a $35 million salary this season and $40 million in each of the following two years, with some of the money deferred, and he can opt out after the 2025 and 2026 seasons to become a free agent again.
Asked why he agreed to the shorter contract with opt outs, he leaned forward to the microphone in front of him and replied: âI just think I believe in my abilities.â
Originally selected by Boston in the 29th round of the 2012 amateur draft, Bregman attended LSU before the Houston Astros picked him second overall in 2015. His family history with the Red Sox goes back further.
âMy dad grew up sitting on Ted Williamsâ lap,â he said.
MLB.com said Stan Bregman, the player's grandfather, was a lawyer who represented the Washington Senators and negotiated Williams' deal to become manager.
Boston has missed the playoffs in five of the last six seasons and had avoided signing the highest-profile free agents. Boras said a conversation with Red Sox controlling owner John Henry showed ownershipâs desire to get back to winning.
âI think it was after Soto signed,ââ Boras said, citing the record contract he negotiated for Juan Soto with the Mets. âWe had a discussion. I could tell knowing John back with the Marlins and such, he had a real onus about âwe need to do things differently than what weâve done before.â
âThis is a point and time where I believe Red Sox ownership was hungry for championship play and exhausted with what had happened the last five, six years.â
Called the âperfect fitâ by Breslow, the 30-year-old Bregman joined the Red Sox after winning two World Series titles and reaching the playoffs in eight consecutive seasons with Houston.
âIâve been fortunate enough to be in the playoffs the first eight years of my career, and I plan on continuing to do that here,â he said in his opening remarks. âIâm a winning player and this is a winning organization.â
Coming off an 81-81 season, the Red Sox acquired left-hander Garrett Crochet from the White Sox and signed fellow pitchers Walker Buehler, Patrick Sandoval, Aroldis Chapman and Justin Wilson during the offseason.
After the pitching moves, they found a right-handed bat, too.
âAs the offseason progressed it just became clearer and clearer that Alex was the perfect fit for what we were trying to accomplish,â Breslow said.
Bregman ranks first among players with at least 75 career plate appearances in Fenway Park with an OPS of 1.240.
âHe fits like a glove for our organization,â Kennedy said.