Deshaun Watson TALLAHASSEE, FL – OCTOBER 29: Deshaun Watson #4 of the Clemson Tigers celebrates a touchdown during a game against the Florida State Seminoles at Doak Campbell Stadium on October 29, 2016 in Tallahassee, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

It’s that time of the year again when top college football juniors start to make their decisions on what their football future will hold – stay in college for another year of eligibility, or declare for the NFL Draft? On Tuesday, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney announced four of his players — quarterback Deshaun Watson, running back Wayne Gallman, and wide receivers Mike Williams and Artavis Scott —  will be turning pro in 2017.

The headliner here is Watson, who will be one of the top quarterbacks in the Class of 2017, and potentially one of the top players overall. Watson was a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2015 (finishing third in the voting) and is well on his way back to New York this season (although Louisville QB Lamar Jackson is the frontrunner). Watson led the Tigers to an undefetaed regular season, an ACC title, and an appearance in the College Football Playoff national championship game last season, where he made like Vince Young but ultimately fell just shy against Alabama. Watson has racked up a number of awards and could add some more hardware this season.

This is sort of an expected decision for Watson, as he is scheduled to graduate at Clemson in December. The three other players appearing to leave early are scheduled to graduate as well. Swinney said he was given advance notice from the four that this season would more than likely be their final run with Clemson, so it certainly did not catch Swinney by surprise. So they might as well make these final games count, right?

Clemson is once again right in the thick of the national title race coming down the final stretch of the regular season. Clemson is one of four power conference teams without a loss (Alabama, Michigan, and Washington), and this weekend, Clemson can wrap up a second straight ACC Atlantic Division crown to clinch a spot in the ACC Championship Game for a second straight season. It looks pretty likely Clemson will be in the College Football Playoff once again, either as the second or third seed barring any major shakeups the next few weeks.

It is worth mentioning these players can still change their minds and come back in 2017, but with Swinney making the announcement and Clemson planning to honor each along with senior players this week, it seems unlikely they will suit up in a Clemson uniform after this season.

[The State]

About Kevin McGuire

Contributor to Athlon Sports and The Comeback. Previously contributed to NBCSports.com. Host of the Locked On Nittany Lions Podcast. FWAA member and Philadelphia-area resident.