Maybe at some point this year, Christian Wilkins will line up at defensive end for the Clemson Tigers. However, when that time comes, if it comes, will depend on how well guys like Austin Bryant, Clelin Ferrell, Richard Yeargin and Chris Register are doing.

Defensive ends coach Marion Hobby was very impressed with Wilkins this past spring when the defensive tackle spent the majority of the second part of spring practice working at defensive end.

“He did a really good job in the spring. We knew he was really athletic, but to actually see him in that light came in the spring, seeing him handle himself on the edge,” Hobby said. “He did a lot of good stuff out there.”

Though he is 6-foot-4 and weighs 315 pounds, Wilkins is one of the more athletic guys on the Clemson roster. He is fast enough to run a wheel route on a fake punt, he is talented enough to catch it and he is agile enough to turn around and tightrope the sideline for a huge gain in the Tigers’ Orange Bowl win over Oklahoma.

Wilkins can do all sorts of things, including catching a pass while riding a bicycle as he demonstrated on Twitter on Thursday. Now he is proving he can play defensive end, too.

“I think it is definitely a situation out there where you feel good having a Christian Wilkins that can come out there and play defensive end for you at 315 pounds. That is always a positive, always,” Hobby said smiling.

Obviously, Wilkins biggest asset on the edge is his ability to play the run. That’s not going to be an issue for him. However, Hobby wants to see how he does getting off the line in passing situations because there are times when power and strength are not going to get it done.

“He is always going to be better at the point of attack,” Hobby said. “When you get into the rushing world that is where it is going to get a little difficult. Can he get pressure on the edge consistently as a rusher?”

As a true freshman, Wilkins had 84 tackles from his defensive tackle position. Though he did have 12 quarterback pressures, he had just two sacks.

“Right now, he can run through them and press them to the quarterback and to all that, stuff you want him to do. But overtime, you are still going to want that guy who has that natural burst on the edge, which is what some of those other guys might have,” Hobby said. “His upside and his changeup could be really good for us, though.”

In other words, we will just have to wait and see how it all shakes out.