By Will Vandervort.

There is no doubt Mackensie Alexander is one of the best corners in the ACC and some might argue in the country.

The Clemson cornerback physically and mentally intimidated his competitors last season, especially Oklahoma’s Sterling Sheppard. The Sooner’s wide receiver averaged 19 yards per catch in 2014, but had just one reception for 13 yards against Alexander in the Russell Athletic Bowl.

“I don’t care what ESPN says about you or what the draft people say about you, when you step on the field against me, it is a one-on-one match up and I’m going to always win that match up,” Alexander said after the game. “I thrive off of and I love competition. I enjoy being one-on-one. If you can beat me one-on-one, beat me consistently, show up.”

So who will show up on the other side of the field at cornerback for the Tigers this fall? Guys like Cordrea Tankersley, Ryan Carter, Marcus Edmond and Adrian Baker battled it out this spring to see who might replace Garry Peters, who graduated.

“They have all done some really good things and some guys have to add some strength to their game and improve in their coverage and technique,” Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables said. “But I like the group. We have some length there. We have some speed there and we have some toughness there. Their development is going to be critical. You need to be able to play with more than two corners.”

From the way it sounds, Tankersley has perhaps the lead for the starting spot heading into the summer, but it is not by much. The junior finished the spring strong, but the key for him will be to carry that momentum into fall camp, something he was unable to do last year.

“I feel real good about Cordrea and where he has been. He had a really strong spring a year ago and then he did not have a great fall camp for whatever the reason. We can’t replicate that,” Venables said.

If Tankersley does slide again, then Carter, Edmond or Baker will be there to fill in or a freshman could still do it.  Cornerback Mark Fields and safety Tanner Muse are both slated to be on campus this summer and both will be given the opportunity to compete.

Venables expects Fields, a four-star prospect from Cornelius, N.C., to come right in and compete for the starting job. The 5-foot-10, 185-pound defensive back was a high school All-American as well as a consensus top 150 national player.

“Mark Fields will have a chance if he knows what to do and if he comes in here in good shape to kind of jump into that mix, we will see,” Venables said.