Clemson wrapped up the 2013 recruiting cycle with a strong finish. The Tigers had 5 signing day decisions to wait on and received letters of intent from 4 of them. Though they did not land long sought after 5 star defensive tackle, Montravius Adams, Clemson did very well with this recruiting class. Dabo and his staff really needed some depth at defensive back and that was the position that they did the best at recruiting. They also were able to fill needs at every position except quarterback. I have broken down each player and will tell you who can contribute right away and who will redshirt.
Running Backs
Tyshon Dye and Wayne Gallman- Dye and Gallman are 2 4 star running backs out of Georgia. Dye is a bigger version of Andre Ellington. He combines speed with power. He uses his speed in the open field to pull away from defenders and makes very good cuts. With his power is a good short yardage back. Not to mention he can catch the ball well. Dye is a good all around back and will compete for the starting position as a freshman and should make a run at the ACC Offensive Player of the Year. Gallman is a lean back that has quick moves to juke defenders in space. He can be utilized in the screen game where he has good vision to make a short pass into a long gain. Gallman will be a consistent contributor in his time at Clemson. He may not get a ton of playing time right away but will be a good long term running back at Clemson.
Wide Receivers
Mike Williams, Kyrin Priester, and T.J. Green- With these 3 receivers Clemson got players that have good height and a knack for making plays. Williams is 6'5" and runs a 4.53 40. Williams can catch the ball in traffic, uses his body to shield defenders, and is nearly unstoppable when he high points the ball. Williams will have to improve his fundamentals and catch more with his hands rather than his body. He can compete for playing time right away but with the depth at receiver he may be forced to redshirt. Priester received a late scholarship offer from the Tigers but once he was offered it was evident that he was a perfect fit to where orange. Priester is 6'2" and used a big senior year to boost his stock. Priester uses his size to high point the ball and can make the tough catch. Priester has deceptively fast speed that allows him to get separation from defenders. Priester will likely receive an opportunity to play right away. T.J. Green was recruited as an athlete and can play either defensive back or receiver. With his height, 6'4", and speed Green has the tools to excel at wide out. Green has very good ball skills and has natural instincts. If he winds up on the defensive side, he will use these skills to his advantage and is a natural tackler. Green can compete for playing time right away. Both he and Williams will be borderline redshirt players their first season.
Tight End
Jordan Leggett- Leggett is the only tight end in this class for the Tigers. He is 6'6" and will create miss matches with opposing linebackers and defensive backs. Leggett will need to add some weight to be a consistent contributor but he should play his freshman year. He can also split out as a receiver and should add to the list of recent tight ends that have been successful at Clemson.
Offensive Line
Maverick Morris and Tyrone Crowder- Morris has ideal size for a lineman. He does a good job of finishing blocks and has a ton of pancake blocks. Morris will redshirt his first year on campus. Crowder is the lineman that Clemson fans long for. He's very physical and has a nastiness that every coach would want on his offensive line. Crowder broke his high school's record at the end of his junior year by dead lifting 410 pounds. Crowder may crack the 2 deep but with the depth that Clemson has going into next season he may find it difficult to find playing time.
Defensive Line
Ebenezer Ogundeko, Shaq Lawson, Dane Rogers, and Scott Pagano- The Tigers put together a very solid D-line class. Ebenezer Ogundeko was the top recruit out of New York and has the physical tools to be a star. Ogundeko is very quick and has good moves. Although, he does need to improve on his technique and learn how to use his hands to get off of blocks. Lawson is the top prep school player in the nation this year. He is ready to step in and contribute right away. Lawson has the size and speed to develop into a very good defensive end. He will play and should be a factor right away. Rogers has a good frame that he can grow into and he plays with football smarts. Rogers will likely redshirt but has a good upside. Pagano has a good motor. He has very good power and strength and is a workout machine. He has good instincts on the field, but needs to develop some more quickness. He should redshirt his first year on campus but a lot of it will be due to defensive line depth
Linebacker
Ben Boulware, Dorian O'Daniel, and D.J. Greenlee- Boulware is a natural linebacker. He was the best player on the field at the Under Armour All-American Game and received high praise from former NFL coach Herm Edwards. Boulware plays hard every down and seems like he is in on every tackle. He is a hard hitter and goes all out each play. He's athletic and is a true playmaker. Clemson has good depth at linebacker but Boulware will be hard to keep off the field next season. O'Daniel is quick at the linebacker position. He makes fast decisions and is very good at coming up and stopping the run. O'Daniel has the athleticism to do well in coverage. He should either redshirt his first year or receive time on special teams. Greenlee is very long as a linebacker and has good speed. He can get into the backfield very quickly and is good in coverage and hardly ever lets anyone get by him. He could also receive a look at tight end. Greenlee will redshirt his first year.
Defensive Backs
Mackensie Alexander, Adrian Baker, Jayron Kearse, Korrin Wiggins, Cordrea Tankersly, Ryan Carter, Jadar Johnson, and Marcus Edmond- Alexander should turn out to be a superstar and posses the talent to play right away. He is a true shutdown corner, has good ball skills, and breaks on the ball well. He is good at shadowing receivers and is a sure tackler. He can even contribute as a punt/kick returner. Alexander should start from day one. Baker is a natural playmaker that uses his 4.35 speed to his advantage. He has very good length and coverage abilities for a DB. Baker will play quite a bit as a freshman. Kearse is a freak of an athlete that can play both linebacker and safety. He is a good tackler, hard hitter, and can break on the ball well. He is an Ed Reed type safety. Kearse will likely play the same role that Travis Blanks played this past season and possibly start by the end of his freshman year. Wiggins was a long time UNC commit that flipped to the Tigers on signing day. He is very good at reading the eyes of quarterbacks and anticipating where they will throw the ball. He's a good tackler and can be counted on to come up and help stop the run game. Wiggins is a border line redshirt player his first year on campus. Tankersly could play corner but will likely contribute mostly as a safety. He is a good tackler and has an ability to jump routes to break up passes. Carter was a late offer by the Tiger staff but has high upside. He posses the skills to be a good corner or a DB. He has good instincts and is a big-time hitter and plays with a lot of heart. Carter will redshirt his first year on campus but should develop into a nice addition for the Tigers. Johnson has quick reflexes and is good at locating the ball. He does a good job of catching the ball at its highest point. Johnson will also likely redshirt his first year but is an early enrollee and if he has a good spring he can be a contributor right away. Edmond received a late offer from the Tigers. He has good instincts and good speed. He rarely let ball carriers get by him and was a starter on the offensive side as well. Edmond has a high upside but will likely redshirt his first year on campus.
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