Clemson’s defense fell short of expectations last year, but there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic the unit will return to being truly elite in 2023.
The surprise return of defensive tackles Tyler Davis and Ruke Orhorhoro provides a big boost. Another important factor is the expected improvement from the secondary with Andrew Mukuba finally healthy and Nate Wiggins ready to perform at an All-ACC level from game one. Even with all that in their favor, for this defense to reach their full potential they still need some of these X-factor players to deliver breakthrough seasons.