Receiver, Clemson, 2015–⁠17

Deon Cain

Number
No. 8
Height
6′1″
Weight
190 lb
Hometown
Tampa, FL
Born
Aug 9, 1996

Deon Cain played receiver at Clemson (2015–⁠17). The Indianapolis Colts took Cain in round 6, No. 185 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft.

At a glance

Best season
734
Receiving yards, 2017 (Clemson, 12–⁠2)
Drafted
No. 185
Round 6, 2018 NFL Draft (Indianapolis Colts)

Career highs

9catches, career highat NC State, 2017140receiving yards, career highvs. The Citadel, 20172receiving touchdowns, career highthree times; last vs. Syracuse, 2016

Team titles: ACC champions, 2015, 2016 and 2017; National champions, 2016

Receiving

Receiving yards, season by season, with his team’s record
SeasonTeamRecYdsAvgTDLong
2015Clemson3458217.1567
2016Clemson3872419.1965
2017Clemson5873412.7661
Career1302,04015.72067

Season lines from CollegeFootballData, regular season and bowls.

On the roster

SeasonTeamNo.PosHtWt
2015Clemson8WR
2016Clemson8WR
2017Clemson8WR6′1″190

As each season’s roster listed the player (CollegeFootballData). Classes before the latest listing are counted back from it; “Yr 1” is the year on file where that count can’t place a season he played (a redshirt, transfer or 2020 year); height and weight as last listed.

Per play

SeasonTeamPlaysEPA/playPctileMedianTotalUsage
2015Clemson490.9496th (n=465)0.5345.86%
2016Clemson700.6670th (n=489)0.5246.26%
2017Clemson920.4437th (n=507)0.5240.89%

Expected points added: how much the player’s plays moved the team’s expected score, per play and in total. Plays: total EPA divided by EPA per play, the plays the source credits to him (for a receiver roughly his catches and runs, not every target; for a passer, not every attempt), so it can differ from attempts plus carries. Percentile: against the position’s regulars that season across all divisions on file (quarterbacks with 150+ plays, backs 60+, receivers and tight ends 30+), with how many there were (n) and their median; a dash means too few plays to rank. A season in progress uses the full-season bar scaled by games played, never below 75 plays for quarterbacks, 30 for backs and 20 for receivers. The cohort grows or shrinks with the source’s coverage each season (2025 lists far more players), so compare percentiles rather than raw EPA across years. FCS seasons are marked. Usage: the share of the team’s plays the player was part of (shown from 20 plays). From CollegeFootballData, 2013 on.

Game by game

2017 Clemson 14 games, 58 catches, 734 yards, 6 TD
DateOpponentResultRecYdsTDLongRush
Sep 2vs.Kent StateW 56–⁠3270161–
Sep 9vs.AuburnW 14–⁠6227020–
Sep 16atLouisvilleW 47–⁠21429011–
Sep 23vs.Boston CollegeW 34–⁠7325010–
Sep 30atVirginia TechW 31–⁠17255035–
Oct 7vs.Wake ForestW 28–⁠14438128–
Oct 13atSyracuseL 24–⁠27755010–
Oct 28vs.Georgia TechW 24–⁠10457138–
Nov 4atNC StateW 38–⁠31984115–
Nov 11vs.Florida StateW 31–⁠1441709–
Nov 18vs.The CitadelW 61–⁠35140153–
Nov 25atSouth CarolinaW 34–⁠10323013–
Dec 2vs.MiamiW 38–⁠3339127–
Jan 1 ✦vs.AlabamaL 6–⁠24675019–
2016 Clemson 15 games, 38 catches, 724 yards, 9 TD
DateOpponentResultRecYdsTDLongRush
Sep 3atAuburnW 19–⁠131101–
Sep 10vs.TroyW 30–⁠24237123–
Sep 17vs.South Carolina StateW 59–⁠0233117–
Sep 22atGeorgia TechW 26–⁠71101–
Oct 1vs.LouisvilleW 42–⁠36498237–
Oct 7atBoston CollegeW 56–⁠10368229–
Oct 15vs.NC StateW 24–⁠1721709–
Oct 29atFlorida StateW 37–⁠34269040–
Nov 5vs.SyracuseW 54–⁠05125265–
Nov 12vs.PittsburghL 42–⁠43345127–
Nov 19atWake ForestW 35–⁠13320012–
Nov 26vs.South CarolinaW 56–⁠7238025–
Dec 3vs.Virginia TechW 42–⁠35269039–
Dec 31 ✦vs.Ohio StateW 31–⁠01909–
Jan 9 ✦vs.AlabamaW 35–⁠31594043–
2015 Clemson 11 games, 34 catches, 582 yards, 5 TD
DateOpponentResultRecYdsTDLongRush
Sep 5vs.WoffordW 49–⁠10336021–
Sep 12vs.App StateW 41–⁠101808–
Sep 17atLouisvilleW 20–⁠17226015–
Oct 10vs.Georgia TechW 43–⁠24596038–
Oct 17vs.Boston CollegeW 34–⁠17297067–
Oct 31atNC StateW 56–⁠41359140–
Nov 7vs.Florida StateW 23–⁠13356138–
Nov 14atSyracuseW 37–⁠27467140–
Nov 21vs.Wake ForestW 33–⁠13429116–
Nov 28atSouth CarolinaW 37–⁠32596155−5
Dec 5vs.North CarolinaW 45–⁠3721208–

Box scores from CollegeFootballData, 2004 on. ✦ postseason; ★ a career high on file.

Before the draft

DrillCombine 2018
Height6′1⅞″
Weight202 lb
Arm length33″
Hand size8¾″
Wingspan79⅝″W
40-yard dash4.43 s
10-yard split1.53 sW
Vertical jump33½″
Broad jump9′7″
Bench press11 reps
3-cone drill6.71 s
20-yard shuttle4.37 s

Unmarked: Combine and pro day results compiled by array-carpenter (nfl-draft-data); W: Pre-draft measurables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).

In the NFL

1 season, 11 games with a stat; latest team: Buffalo Bills.

SeasonTeamGRecYdsTD
2019Pittsburgh Steelers1191240

Regular seasons, from nflverse (CC BY 4.0). G counts games in which the player recorded a stat.

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