With Clemson’s spring football season in the books, The Clemson Insider is taking a look at where things stand at each position heading into the summer.
After assessing the quarterback, running back, receiver, tight end, offensive tackle, guard, center, defensive end and defensive tackle positions, linebacker is next up.
Note: This is where things stand with Clemson’s personnel for the 2023 season coming out of the spring. With the transfer portal in full effect, things are always subject to change, though the two-week spring window for undergraduate players to enter the portal closed April 30. This story will be updated as needed to reflect any future modifications at the position.
Who’s staying?
Jeremiah Trotter Jr, Barrett Carter, Wade Woodaz, T.J. Dudley, Kobe McCloud, Dee Crayton, Jamal Anderson
Who’s leaving?
None
Who’s joining?
None
Analysis
The conversation surrounding the second level of the defense has to start with one of the best linebacker tandems in college football.
Trotter and Carter have quickly established themselves as such as both are on draft watch for 2024. Trotter led the Tigers with 92 tackles in his first season as a starter while Carter finished third in that category as a sophomore (77). And while it doesn’t get talked about as much as the more athletic Carter, Trotter is a three-down ‘backer capable of staying on the field in passing situations (six breakups last season), which only increases his value in the middle of the Tigers’ defense.
Carter will hold down the Will position with Trenton Simpson off to the NFL while Woodaz will slide in at outside linebacker in what will be his first season as a full-time starter. Woodaz, who came on strong late last season, is another versatile second-level defender that got his lone start of his freshman season at safety.
The biggest unknown with this group is the quality of the depth behind those three because the rest of the depth chart is young and largely inexperienced. Dudley, McCloud, Crayton and Anderson are all either first- or second-year players, none of whom have played more than 16 defensive snaps at the college level. The coaching staff is high on the foursome’s potential, but how much of a dropoff will there be when Clemson’s top three ‘backers aren’t on the field?