Clemson star Xavier Thomas to miss most of 2020 season after battle with COVID-19

Clemson’s Xavier Thomas will miss a good amount of time in 2020.

The threat of COVID-19 remains a real one at a time when college football programs are preparing for the 2020 season. Clemson is one program that has shown no signs of slowing down and this attitude may give off a sense that nothing can go wrong.

Once again, COVID-19 has not magically disappeared. It even took a major toll on Clemson’s star defensive end Xavier Thomas, who is now redshirting this season.

Xavier Thomas still recovering from COVID-19 and strep throat

The report about Thomas describes a scary situation where he was dealing with COVID-19 and strep throat. He was obviously not able to train for months and is being held out to get his health back on track.

The 20-year-old had 3.5 sacks as a freshman and had two more last season. He was also named third-team All-ACC in 2019 and was on track to be a major contributor on defense in 2020. But missing so much time while recovering from several illnesses makes this choice an easy one.

Thomas is eligible to appear in four games with the redshirt. There are still so many questions surrounding the season and whether it will be completed, making this choice an easier one for the time being. Players could be facing eligibility questions if there are cancellations, while a redshirt ensures Thomas’ timeline remains the same.

The ACC recently dropped its schedule and Clemson’s first game is set for Sept. 12 against Wake Forest. The program isn’t dealing with any notable opt-outs yet, so the Tigers are once again a preseason favorite to win it all. What “all” ends up being remains to be seen.

Thomas’ absence will likely impact the Tigers on the field. But the only concern right now should be the young man having a full recovery.

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