With Xavier Thomas returning to Clemson for his senior year, the depth at defensive end could possibly be at an all-time high for the Tigers, especially on the strongside of the field.
Thomas is an All-ACC caliber player, possibly an All-American if he reaches his full potential. Though he played sparingly in just seven games last season, his numbers were still impressive.
In just 119 snaps, Thomas recorded 11 tackles, including four tackles for loss. Of those four tackles behind the line of scrimmage, 3.5 were sacks. He also forced a fumble.
Add Thomas’ explosiveness and pure brute strength to the skill and explosiveness of Myles Murphy and the Tigers arguably might have the two best pass rushers in the ACC on the same side of the field.