Players to Watch
Isaiah Simmons, LB
Dorian O’Daniel was a critical piece of the Clemson defense last season. Playing at linebacker, his unique athletic ability and build as more of a hybrid linebacker-safety allowed the Tigers defensive unit to be more versatile than they otherwise would have been. Now that O’Daniel’s eligibility is up, though, Swinney and his staff are looking to try and replicate that with a seemingly similar player in Isaiah Simmons.
While Simmons could indeed end up staying at safety, where he served in a backup role last year, there has been news of him working in O’Daniel’s position on the defense. In this spring game on Saturday, it’ll be interesting to see how he looks in that role. While he’s a great athlete, it’s asking a lot of a rising junior to not only switch positions, but to assume more responsibility in doing so.
Trevor Lawrence, QB
Kelly Bryant isn’t Deshaun Watson. This wasn’t breaking news heading into last season and isn’t news now. However, there were obvious shortcomings with Bryant at the helm of the Tigers offense last season, and that could seemingly put his starting job in jeopardy. And perhaps the most likely candidate to take that job from him is five-star freshman and early enrollee Trevor Lawrence.
Lawrence was not only the No. 1 pro-style quarterback recruit in the 2018 recruiting class, but the No. 1 overall player in the class. He has the prototypical build that you want for a player at the position and has already drawn rave reviews from the coaching staff since arriving in South Carolina. He’ll certainly get plenty of time to shine in the spring game and, if he performs well enough, he could be in a position to start the season under center.
Derion Kendrick, WR
When you’re talking about a program the caliber of Clemson, there is always going to be talent at skill positions. However, the Tigers offense has an unforgiving task of replacing two important pieces of their offense as Deon Cain and Ray-Ray McCloud are now gone. While Hunter Renfrow will be the anchor at wide receiver, they need a playmaker and so-called star at the position.
Derion Kendrick, in theory, could be that guy for them. He’s another early enrollee freshman for the Tigers and another five-star recruit (No. 4 WR, No. 26 overall recruit in 2018). With solid size at 6-foot-1, 184 pounds and tremendous athletic gifts, Kendrick is in a position to carve out a sizable role in this offense right away, starting with how he performs in this spring game.