Clemson football 2018: Starting lineup and depth chart projection
Defense
Notable Losses: This portion of the programming was expected to be long-winded at the end of last season given the talent on the defensive front. However, the heart of the Clemson defense instead decided to return, most importantly in the front seven. With that said, the Tigers will have to contend with the losses of linebacker Dorian O’Daniel and safety Van Smith, both of whom were key on defense a season ago.
DE: Clelin Ferrell, junior (RS) | Chris Register, senior (RS)
DT: Christian Wilkins, senior | Albert Huggins, senior
DT: Dexter Lawrence, junior | Nyles Pinckney, sophomore (RS)
DE: Austin Bryant, senior | Justin Foster, sophomore
What is there to say about this group that hasn’t already been brought up countless times by the masses? Ferrell, Wilkins and Bryant could have all entered the 2018 NFL Draft and been selected within the first two rounds (and Lawrence would have too if he were even draft-eligible). Instead, they return to comprise one of the most dominant defensive line groups that college football has seen in quite some time.
WLB: Kendall Joseph, senior (RS) | J.D. Davis, senior
MLB: Tre’ Lamar, junior | James Skalski, junior
SLB: Jalen Williams, senior | Isaiah Simmons, sophomore (RS)
Joseph is clearly the star of this group as he’s another player on this side of the ball that could’ve entered the NFL ranks, but instead decided to return to Clemson for another year. His presence and versatility at the position really hold down the middle of the field. Lamar has the chance to be a breakout performer this year as well. But the big questions lie with Jalen Williams, who’s replacing the aforementioned O’Daniel. Can he provide the range and playmaking that the now-pro did last season?
CB: Mark Fields, senior | A.J. Terrell, sophomore
FS: K’Von Wallace, junior | Denzel Johnson, junior (RS)
SS: Tanner Muse, junior (RS) | Isaiah Simmons, sophomore (RS)
CB: Trayvon Mullen, junior | Kyler McMichael, freshman
Nickel: Isaiah Simmons, sophomore (RS)
The secondary may be the most intriguing group of the Tigers defense in 2018, mostly because it’s the group that holds the most question marks. Mullen seems like the most sure thing of the group, but guys like Fields and Terrell have fallen short of their potential previous, and a 4-star freshman in McMichael will surely push them. Simmons will be an X-factor, no doubt seeing time at safety, in the nickel, and even potentially moving up to play linebacker for spells.
Next: The 15 blue bloods of college football
Special Teams
KR: Cornell Powell, junior
PR: Hunter Renfrow, senior (RS)
K: Alex Spence, senior (RS)
P: Will Spiers, sophomore (RS)
Cornell Powell will lead the way as the primary kick-returner for the Tigers this season, showcasing great speed. However, sophomore running back Travis Etienne and junior running back Tavien Feaster could also see time here. Meanwhile, Renfrow will again reprise his role returning punts. As for Alex Spence, he’ll need to be better than he was a year ago as he converted just 9-of-14 attempts on field goals — though he was 41-of-43 on extra points.