Tag Archives: Clemson football

2018, Recruiting recaps, NCAA FB

2018 Recruiting Recap: Offensive Line

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Tyre Gaines takes a look back at the top offensive line recruits from the 2018 class and how they’ve progressed thus far. Who’s surpassed expectations and who may still have work to do.

77 Cade Mays and 69 Jamaree Salyer at Georgia
Cade Mays (No. 77 pictured, write-up below) and Jamaree Salyer (No. 69 pictured) were teammates at Georgia in 2019.

Jamaree Salyer OG-Junior Georgia: Ranked #1 by 247Sports and Rivals, and #2 by ESPN

Played in a reserve role in 2018, appearing in 13 of 14 games and he then played in 13 contests during the 2019 campaign. This past season, he started the first nine games at left tackle before moving to guard for the 2021 Peach Bowl. Playing in 92% of all offensive snaps for the Bulldogs last season, he showed some promise. Right now, Salyer is slated as a mid-round draft prospect in 2022.

Nicholas Petit-Frere OT-Junior Ohio State: Ranked #1 by 247Sports, Rivals and ESPN

Played in all 14 games in 2019 but didn’t start. Off the field, however, he achieved Academic All-Big Ten honors. He is currently the starting right tackle at Ohio State. Petit-Frere’s intriguing reach, length and athleticism make him a legitimate prospect for either the 2022 or 2023 NFL Drafts.

Brey Walker OT-Junior Oklahoma: Ranked #2 by 247Sports, #4 by Rivals, #5 by ESPN

Walker played in 13 of 14 contests during the 2019 campaign, with two of those appearances being starts at the right guard spot. He appeared in three games in 2020, backing up projected 2021 NFL Draft pick Adrian Ealy at right tackle. Walker will compete for a starting job in 2021.

Rasheed Walker OT Penn State
Walker (No. 53 pictured vs. Minnesota in 2019) earned Honorable mention All-Big Ten honors in 2020.

Rasheed Walker OT Penn State Ranked #3 by 247Sports, #7 by Rivals, & #13 by ESPN:

Walker appeared in four games as a freshman and then became a starter as a redshirt sophomore. In 2019, he started 13 games at the left tackle spot. He again started all nine games for the Nittany Lions in 2020. Walker is already considered to be a surefire tackle at the next level, as he has appeared in 26 games with 22 starts, all at left tackle.

Cade Mays OT-Junior Georgia: Ranked #3 by 247Sports, Rivals, & ESPN

Mays received Freshman All-American honors in 2018, playing in 11 of 14 games with seven starts at Georgia. He saw action at every offensive line position during the 2019 season, when he started 11 of 14 contests. He decided to transfer to Tennessee prior to the 2020 season, as he is from Knoxville. Mays started all seven games for the Vols and was projected as a potential early round pick before deciding to return for the 2021 season.

Justin Dedich OC-R-Soph USC Trojans: Ranked #2 by 247Sports, #1 by Rivals, & #3 by ESPN

Dedich saw brief action as a redshirt in 2018 and was the team’s backup center in 2019 before starting the last two games. He’ll have work to do to solidify his draft position with only eight appearances thus far in his career.

Jackson Carman OT-Clemson

Jackson Carman OT-Junior Clemson Ranked #2 by 247, Rivals, & ESPN

Carman saw action with 209 snaps in 13 games in 2018. Earned third team All-ACC honors in 2019. He started all 12 games at left tackle in 2020, collecting second-team All-American honors and second-team All-ACC accolades. Carman declared for the 2021 NFL draft and is projected to be a starting guard at the next level.

Matthew Jones OC-R-Soph Ohio State: Ranked #1 by 247Sports, #7 by Rivals, & #1 by ESPN

Redshirted in 2018 and backed up All-Big Ten guard Jonah Jackson for most of 2019. Started the 2021 CFP national championship game against Alabama as a redshirt sophomore after helping fill gaps during an unorthodox Big Ten season. With continued reps and progression, Jones could be a prospect in either the 2022 or 2023 NFL Drafts.

William Barnes OT-Junior UNC: Ranked #5 by 247Sports, #2 by Rivals, & #4 by ESPN

Barnes made appearances in 12 games in each of the last two seasons. Known for quick instincts off the line and solid pass protection coming out of high school, he should look to both establish and improve his draft position in 2021. As of now, all five of the starting spots along the UNC offensive front are filled by returning lettermen.

Sewell earned Freshman All-American honors in 2018 despite missing six games due to an ankle injury.

Penei Sewell OG-Junior Oregon: Ranked #2 by 247Sports, #5 by Rivals, & #6 by ESPN

He was the first offensive lineman in Oregon history to earn all-conference honors as a true freshman. Earned various awards and honors during his two seasons with Ducks. Sewell was the first sophomore and Oregon Duck to win the Outland Trophy. Opted out of the 2020 season to focus on the draft, and he is projected as a consensus top five pick in this year’s upcoming draft.

NOTE: All positional designations were marked according to their projections coming out of high school (see Sewell). In addition, we included the class of each player per the NCAA not counting this season as a used year of eligibility. If a player transferred (see Mays), we listed the original school who signed the recruit.

NFL, 2021, 2020, NCAA FB, Articles, Draft preview

Chazz Surratt 6’2 227 LB- UNC, 2021 NFL Draft Preview

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What makes this player NASTY…(Strengths): Former QB who made a successful transition to the LB spot. Excellent closing speed. Looks like a 4.5 sprinter in lateral pursuit (3rd QTR/14:04, NC State ’19). Fluid hips. DB-like footwork breaking on out routes (PBU vs. Long, 3rd and 6, Boston College ’20). Has the ability to pick up running backs on option routes and/or cover slot receivers in short areas (Clemson ’19). Pushes the accelerator button to go forward when rushing the QB in space. As an edge rusher, he works to counter the OT back inside (1st QTR, Pittsburgh ’19). Shoots gaps with an instinctive feel (TFL, NC State ’19). Hustles to the football and plays through the whistle. Closes air in instant bursts (QB hit, 1st QTR/7:17, Virginia Tech ’20) and reacts favorably to handle bootleg concepts (Flowers, Boston College ’20). Special teams contributor. Plays on the kickoff team as well as the field goal block unit.

Weaknesses: Footwork gets him caught up when OL get up to him. At times, he gets caught in the wrong gap or over-purses. Needs to get more violent with hands in order to get off blocks of bigger players. 30″ arms. Struggles mightily vs. uncovered OGs (3rd and 2, 2nd QTR/15:00, Boston College ’20). Crosses over and the OC moves him laterally (3rd and 5, 4th QTR, Virginia Tech ’20). As he has tracked the ball laterally, he has been lifted off of his feet (Darrishaw, 1st QTR/4:06, Virginia Tech ’20). Can be picked up by backs when blitzing (Clemson ’19). On some of his blitzes, he gets caught and washed with high pad level (looks like a former QB, pancaked to ground, 1st QTR/7:10, Virginia Tech ’20). Fails to wrap tackle vs. slippery WRs (2nd QTR/0:52, Syracuse ’20). As an exchange LB, he overruns some tackle falling back to tackle. He has gotten hurt making contact hitting players (1st QTR/7:47, Syracuse ’20). Played in one game in 2018. One of 13 Tar Heels suspended for selling team issued shoes in 2018 and missed four games (https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/article216175450.html). Missed seven games later that year with a right wrist injury.

Other Notes: Attended East Lincoln High School (NC.) • Named state Gatorade Player of the Year and broke the state record for career total yards (16,593) • First-Team All-ACC (2019) and runner up for ACC Defensive Player of the Year  • Passed for eight touchdowns, six interceptions and 1352 yards as a QB in two seasons (10 games) • Brother, Sage, plays wide receiver for Wake Forest  • 2017 (9 games): (9 gms, 7 sts): Completed 107-of-183 passes (58.5%) for 1,342 yards, 8 TDs and 3 INTs; 210 yards rushing and 5 TDs • 2018 (One game): 4-of-10 (40%) for 10 yards and 3 INTs; 69 yards rushing and one TD • 17 tackles, QB sack, 2 TFLs vs. Virginia Tech on 10/19/19 • 2019 (1st Team All-ACC): 115 tackles, 6.5 QB sacks, 15 TFLs, FF, INT and 3 PBUs • 2020 (11 sts, 1st Team All-ACC): 91 tackles, 6 QB sacks, 7.5 TFLs,, FF, FR, INT and 3 PBUs • Career stats: 207 tackles, 12.5 QB sacks, 22.5 TFLs, 2 FFs, 2 FRs, 2 INTs, 5 PBUs; Completed 111-of-193 passes (57.5%) for 1,352 yards, 8 TDs and 6 INTs; 95 caries for 279 yards (2.9 YPC) and 6 TDs • 2021 Senior Bowl measurements: 9 1/2″ hands, 30″ arms, 76″ wingspan • 2021 UNC Pro Day: 25 reps-225 lbs, 4.6 40-yd, 31 1/2″ VJ, 7.07 3-cone, 4.2 20-yd SS

UNC's Chazz Surratt catches pass during the 2021 Senior Bowl
Former UNC LB Chazz Surratt is one of the top LB prospects available in the 2021 NFL Draft.


Time to get NASTY (Our Summary): Surratt is a converted QB and has limited reps as a linebacker although he did play safety in high school. If you go back and watch the 2019 Clemson tape, Surratt jumps off the screen. Clemson’s offense stresses the eye discipline of opposing linebackers with its formation variety (bunch sets, etc..), which can lead to defenders overthinking and playing a step slow. Surratt didn’t have that problem and arguably played one of his better games. The Tar Heels converted QB will be judged by his ability to learn the intricacies of the position, but in a short time he has shown the raw talent is there.

DN Grade: 5.85 (3rd Round)

Big Board Rank: 132

2021, 2020, 2020, NCAA FB, NFL Draft film room, Video, Articles

2021 NFL Draft Preview: Travis Etienne 5’10 215 RB-Clemson

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Etienne -the back-to-back ACC Player of the Year (2018-19)- began his senior campaign with a 17-carry, 102-yard performance versus Wake Forest (9-12-20). In typical fashion, the all-purpose playmaker added three receptions for 47 yards. His collegiate production has largely matched the Louisiana native’s high school resume’, when he accounted for 115 total touchdowns at Jennings High School (La.). We break down his versatile skill-set in our highlight feature on Etienne.