By Will Vandervort.

D.J. Reader says not to worry Clemson fans, they got this.

Despite losing All-American defensive end Vic Beasley, along with All-ACC defensive tackle Grady Jarrett and starters Corey Crawford and DeShawn Williams, Reader truly believes there will be not be a drop off on the defensive line in 2015.

“That is a big statement, but I think we are ready to step up to the challenge,” the defensive tackle said. “We have all been in this system for a couple of years now and we have some freshmen, but I think what is going to help us is that the (best) part of this team is in the secondary.

“With those guys playing the way that they are playing, it will be good for us guys up front.”

There is some truth to what Reader is saying. Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney says the secondary has a chance to be special in 2015, though they too have to replace starters in Robert Smith at safety and Garry Peters at cornerback.

But let’s look at what they are bringing back. It starts with Mackensie Alexander at cornerback. He is considered to be one of the best shutdown corners in the ACC this coming season.

Jayron Kearse is back at free safety. At 6-foot-4, 210 pounds he is a natural athlete that can line up at either safety position.

Korrin Wiggins, who can play nickel, safety and cornerback, also returns as do guys like Jadar Johnson and T.J. Green at safety. Both gained valuable experience at different times last season in crucial situations.

Then there is safety Travis Blanks. Though he had surgery to fix his ACL again, the redshirt junior, and Swinney, say he will be ready to play when fall camp opens up in August. Blanks will be able to help at safety or nickel when he returns.

“We lost a lot of guys to the NFL and guys just going on with their future careers and things like that, but we have that same mentally,” Kearse said. “We came out last year after playing Ohio State and we had the same mentally we have now.

“We still believe we can be the best in the ACC and we still can be the best in the nation.”

Kearse says he is trying to step up and be a leader and is pushing everybody to be better and to believe they can do great things.

“It’s not just about going out there playing and leading by example,” he said. “It’s about talking to guys. Taking in the young guys and going and watching film with those guys while teaching them the ropes and things like that.

“Instead of them having to wait for a coach they can come to me and I can be able to help them because I’m getting smarter and studying the playbook and things like that. I can help them instead of them always having to go to Coach (Mike) Reed or Coach (Brent) Venables for the answers.”

All of that is easy to make younger players believe when coming off a season in which the Tigers led the nation in total defense and 10 other defensive categories as well. One of those other categories was passing efficiency defense.

The secondary also ranked second in yards allowed last year and was fifth nationally in completion percentage as opponents completed just 50 percent of their passes.

“Guys just have to step up,” Kearse said. “When guys leave, you have to step up. It’s been that way around here. You lose guys like Sammy (Watkins), you have a guy like Artavis (Scott) that steps up. You lose guys like Tajh (Boyd), you have guys like Deshaun (Watson) step up.

“You just have to step up and take the torch from those guys.”

And that torch is passed on from what was a veteran defensive line to now a very seasoned and veteran secondary.

“We have guys that have played. We know where we have come from and how we ended up last year,” Kearse said. “Guys in the back end are going to have to step up. Coach Swinney says this is the strongest part of the team so we have to keep that in the back of our minds whenever we go to work because he is counting on us and the team is counting on us.

“We have to go out there and practice like we are the best.”