For a second straight year, Clemson will enter spring practice, which begins on March 1, having to replace its top cornerback. But unlike last year, the Tigers are not returning a veteran player who has proven he can be the next cover-corner in Brent Venables’ defense.

Venables’ scheme calls for a lot of press-man coverage, which leaves his corners out on an island by themselves, which also means the defense’s best cover guy is for the most part matched up against the offense’s best wide receiver the whole game.

In 2014 and ’15 Mackensie Alexander was the Tigers’ guy, while last season it was Cordrea Tankersley. Alexander is now playing for the Minnesota Vikings in the NFL, while Tankersley is considered a possible first-round selection in the 2017 NFL Draft.

In the last two seasons, Tankersley led the Tigers with a combined nine interceptions and 22 passes broken up.

Clemson enters this spring with a lot of players that have experience, but none of them have been “the guy” before. Ryan Carter, Marcus Edmond and Mark Fields started at least one game in 2016, while Trayvon Mullen played in 13 games as a true freshman.

Ryan Carter: The rising senior has the most experience of the bunch. He started 13 games (played in 15) last season at corner and nickel back as well as two games in 2015 as well. In 2016, Carter had 29 tackles, including 5.5 tackles for loss and one sack. He also broke up seven passes and had one interception. Carter has very good skills and technique, but his only downside is the fact he is 5-foot-9, and Venables and defensive backs coach Mike Reed, like to play tall, long and physical corners. However, Carter makes up for it with technique, skill and vertical.

Marcus Edmond: He started three games in 2016, while also making two of the biggest defensive stops of the season. Edmond stopped Louisville wide receiver James Quick a yard short of the first down marker in the closing seconds to beat the Cardinals, while also making an interception in the end zone a few weeks later in overtime to seal the Tigers’ win over NC State. Edmond (6-0, 170) played in 14 games this year and started three for the Tigers. Overall, he had 19 tackles and three passes broken up.

Mark Fields: He started one game last, but played in 14 altogether. Fields (5-10, 195) came on in the second half of the season and really showed off his potential to be a cover corner. He had one interception, which he returned 42 yards for a touchdown. He also broke up four passes and had 19 tackles overall.

Trayvon Mullen: If anyone was recruited to fit Venables’ system, it was Mullen. The rising sophomore is 6-foot-3, long and very athletic. He has a chance to be physical, but he has to get that 175-pound weight up. He did play in 13 games as a true freshman, while recording 15 tackles with four passes broken up.

K’Von Wallace: As a true freshman in 2015, Wallace played in all 15 games and was listed as Smith’s back up in the Fiesta Bowl and the national championship game. He recorded just six tackles in his 109 snaps, but he did record one interception. Wallace is a hybrid safety that can help at corner and the nickel back position as well. He still has a lot to learn, but Reed likes his potential and what he could possibly do for the Tigers in the future.

Amir Trapp: The son of former Clemson great and Super Bowl Champion James Trapp, the rising redshirt sophomore played in three games last year and record four tackles in those three games. At 5-foot-8, he is the shortest defensive back on the roster, but he makes up for that with speed, which was a great attribute of his father’s as well.

Brian Dawkins, Jr.: Another son of a Clemson legend, whose dad, Brian Dawkins, Sr., played 16 seasons in the NFL for the Eagles and Broncos. Dawkins redshirted last year. In high school, he helped his team win a state championship. He had 83 tackles and recorded at least one interception or a pass deflection in 11 of the 14 games. He had four interceptions overall. At 5-foot-9, he will be challenged, but so was Carter when he was a redshirt freshman.

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