The Clemson linebacker group returns a solid, deep group.The Covid-19 Era allowed every college football player another year of eligibility. Overreach? Yeah, it probably was, but what it did for the Clemson defense is unbelievable.
2020 Starting linebackers James Skalski and Baylon Spector opted to return to the team and play one more year. Spector led the team with 72 tackles, adding 10,5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. In a normal year, he would have been gone. Skalski missed three games in the middle of the season due to injury, but still managed to get in on 44 tackles, with 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. Mike Jones, Jr., hit the transfer portal and headed to LSU, but freshman Trenton Simpson began getting more time towards the end of the season and actually outperformed Jones, getting in on 32 tackles with 6.5 tackles for loss and 4 sacks. With all three returning, the starting linebackers are solid.
“We Too Deep”. This also applies to the linebacker room. The Tigers return 12 linebackers from last year’s team with the only departure being Jones. Coach Brent Venables plays a LOT of players every game. Jake Venables missed the last couple of games, but still managed 44 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. In Skalski’s 3-game absence, he logged 191 snaps, getting 21 tackles and 2.5 TFL. Kane Patterson, Keith Maguire, Sergio Allen, Kevin Swint and LaVonta Bentley round out this deep linebacker group. Bentley had the most impressive stats out of this group, logging 73 snaps and registering 16 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. Look for him to push for more playing time.
Enter the 2021 freshman class and two high profile linebackers join this already deep group. Jeremiah Trotter, Jr. (6-1 210) and Barrett Carter (6-1 220) bring their talent and Coach Venables will have to get them on the field quickly. Both of these guys are tackling machines and mostly resemble heat-seeking missiles. Do not put it past Venables to turn Carter into an Isaiah Simmons-clone as an all-purpose hybrid lining him up all over the field. He is that good.
The 2022 version of the Clemson Tigers will see at least two linebackers depart the team, Spector and Skalski. Where are the Tigers in their 2022 class? To date, they have offered three linebackers in the next class. Jalon Walker (6-2 220), Salisbury, NC, is a highly coveted 4-star with 30+ offers, and is a Clemson lean. Of course, Mack Brown said he was gonna shut the borders of North Carolina down. I guess he meant AFTER Clemson got who they wanted (Read Shipley, Patterson and Paige here).
Daniel Martin (6-3 190) out of Marietta, Georgia, is another 4-star talent the Tigers are after. Georgia appears to be the leader for his services but there is still a long way to go. TJ Dudley (6-2 210) out of Dabo’s home state of Alabama is the 3rd linebacker offered in this class by the Tigers. Of course, it will be a battle to get this kid out of Alabama. Nick Saban usually gets his pick of instate players.
2021 sees the Clemson defense basically returning intact. The 2021 class brings in a lot of excitement and especially at the linebacker position. One word to describe this position for Clemson? You guessed it. Depth. Depth. Depth.
