Breakout star on the rise: Xavier Thomas, Clemson
Coming out of IMG Academy last year, Xavier Thomas was the No. 3 overall recruit in 247Sports’ Composite rankings and the top strong-side defensive end in the country. However, Thomas joined a defensive line at Clemson that was absolutely stacked last season, seeing Clelin Ferrell and Austin Bryant have the starting spots locked down with little room for Thomas to overtake them.
Even still, Dabo Swinney and Brent Venables couldn’t keep a player as talented as Thomas off of the field, even if it was just in a rotational role. As a true freshman, Thomas flashed his immense potential as he played in 14 games and registered 33 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, one forced fumble and two pass defenses. He’s set to dwarf that production in the 2019 season.
Bryant and Ferrell are now in the NFL with the Lions and Raiders, respectively. That paves the way for Thomas being the unquestioned top edge pass-rusher in the Clemson defense. Given how productive his predecessors were, how talented the true sophomore is and the opportunities that he’ll now have, Thomas is undeniable as a potential breakout star.
With the way the stars have aligned for the sophomore, Thomas has a viable shot to be in the ACC Defensive Player of the Year conversation. He’s one of the primary reasons that fans don’t believe the Tigers defense is set to take a dramatic step back despite the players they lost to the NFL and rightfully so. He’s that good and now finally has his chance to shine.