Clemson football 2018: Starting lineup and depth chart projection

The Clemson Tigers will be looking for another College Football Playoff trip in 2018, and here are the guys that will fill out the depth chart for them.

Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers are becoming a staple in the College Football Playoff. In 2016, they made it to the National Championship Game, where they were thwarted by the Alabama Crimson Tide. They got their revenge in 2017 though, with Deshaun Watson and company capturing the title. However, last season saw them lose to the Tide once again, this time keeping them out of the title game.

After that 24-6 loss in the Sugar Bowl to Alabama, the expectation was that the Tigers would see big changes to the biggest strength of their team last year, the defense. The heart of their stout defensive front was expected to enter the NFL Draft. But then Swinney pulled off a miracle and convinced the heart of their team to return.

Subsequently, Clemson will once again look to achieve success in 2018 on the back of their defense. Yes, they have talent on offense and Kelly Bryant now has experience under his belt as the starting quarterback for the Tigers. However, as proven in the loss to Bama, their offense could sputter at times last season. Therefore, that group will need to take a massive step forward to match the defensive prowess this program offers.

Even with the defensive front staying put, this team will still have big changes at key spots on both sides of the ball to match the vast experience at other spots. And with that, let’s take a stab at projecting the depth chart and starters on both sides of the ball for the Clemson Tigers in 2018.