By Hale McGranahan.

The vaunted 2011 class of wide receivers — Sammy Watkins, Charone Peake, Martavis Bryant and Adam Humphries — helped change the face of the position at Clemson.

With Monday afternoon’s commitment by Christian Wilkins to the Tigers’ 2015 class, four years from now, we could be saying similar things about the incoming group of defensive linemen. The departing six: Grady Jarrett, Deshawn Williams, Josh Watson, Vic Beasley, Corey Crawford and Tavaris Barnes certainly set the standard at the position.

Each of the seven newcomers will add a little something different to the equation.

Gage Cervenka, the national champion wrestler, plays tackle with a tenacity matched by few. While he’s not quite as quick or athletic as Grady Jarrett, a decorated wrestler  during his high school career, Cervenka has a similar business-like disposition both on and off the field.

Sterling Johnson, an Under Armour All-American will start his Clemson career on Wednesday when classes begin. With him will be a monster-sized chip on his shoulder. Initially, Johnson wanted to commit to Tennessee, but when Butch Jones turned him down Johnson opted to pull the trigger and commit to Clemson. On the hoof, he’s one of the most impressive looking prospects in Clemson’s 2015 class. Though he’ll probably end up inside at tackle, Johnson could also play end on the strong-side.

LaSamuel Davis will need to dedicate himself to the weight room if he’s ever going to make an impact at Clemson, but the tools are there. If we learned anything from Beasley during his impressive three-year run at Clemson it’s this: weak-side edge rushers in today’s college football can function at 235 pounds. Davis just has about 30 pounds to go before he gets there.

Clelin Ferrell is similar to Davis in that he’s got the body of a weak-side end. Since Ferrell is already in the 220s he’s a little more ready than Davis. However, Ferrell tore his ACL right before the start of his senior year, so he’ll arrive to Clemson less than a year removed from surgery. Like Davis, Ferrell would benefit from a redshirt during his first-year on campus.

Austin Bryant suffered a broken foot during his final season of high school ball, but the rehab process is nearing its end. By the time Bryant arrives to Clemson this summer, he should be close to 100 percent, if not fully healthy. With the trio senior ends gone from the 2014 team, Bryant could avoid a redshirt if he’s able to find a spot in the five-man rotation. Weak-side end could be his first position, but a move to the strong-side could be the

Albert Huggins, of course, is one of the two headliners. Considered by most recruiting services as a tackle, Huggins seems to prefer a first-look at end. Recruited to Clemson by Marion Hobby, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him on the strong-side once practice opens later this spring. With time, Huggins could out-grow the position and have to move inside to tackle.

Wilkins considered enrolling early with Johnson and Huggins, but he’ll finish out his senior year at Suffield Academy in Connecticut before making the trek down to Clemson in the summer. Wilkins, a tackle, has an elite combination of size and speed that will push him into immediate consideration for playing time in 2015.

Just like 2011 at wide receiver, that’s just what the doctor ordered for the defensive line in 2015.