Thomas Austin pointed out a distinct characteristic when describing the latest additions to Clemson’s offensive line.

“They’re all big,” Austin said earlier this month during Clemson’s National Signing Day show.

Turns out that was by design.

“We wanted to get bigger,” revealed Austin, who’s entering his second season as the Tigers’ offensive line coach. “That was a point of emphasis.”

Nearly all linemen come with a certain level of girth by default. It’s the nature of the position. But Zack Owens, Harris Sewell and Ian Reed are as physically advanced as any of the Tigers’ incoming freshmen. 

The former four-star prospects signed with Clemson in December and will go through spring practice after enrolling in January. At 6-foot-3 and 300 pounds, Sewell, a Texas native, is actually the smallest of the trio. He projects to play guard or center for the Tigers.

Reed already stands 6-6 and weighs 310 pounds, putting him at a similar build to Blake Miller (6-6, 315 pounds), who started every game at right tackle as a true freshman last season. Reed could play tackle or guard.

Then there’s Owens, the biggest of the three. In fact, the Tigers’ newest offensive tackle is already one of the biggest players on the roster. Listed at 6-7 and 350 pounds, Owens is bigger than anybody else playing the position for Clemson.

While size was important to Austin in the most recent recruiting cycle, it wasn’t the only thing that mattered to him. Austin said he also liked the fact all three come from a winning high school program. Sewell played his prep ball at Odessa Permian (Texas) while Reed starred at Vandegrift (Texas). Owens, a Georgia native, played at Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy just outside Atlanta.

“They know how to win,” Austin said. “They know how to compete. They know what it takes to be successful.”

Their versatility, Austin said, was also appealing.

“They all have positional flexibility, meaning they can play multiple positions, which gives you options,” Austin said. “The more of those guys you can sign, the better.”

Dear Old Clemson has added the Tiger Sack Pack to our online store.  Save by getting the Two Pack of signed cards from two of the nation’s top defensive ends, Myles Murphy and Xavier Thomas.

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