CLEMSON — The wide receiver corps in Tiger Town is in desperate need of a jolt. After a lot of optimist from camp, it flattened out in the season opener at Duke.

Freshman wide receiver Tyler Brown had a spark against the Blue Devils with a 21-yard catch that was quickly negated by a fumble on the next play. Still, seeing someone who came in during the summer step up to make an immediate impact is rare.

Last season, that was Antonio Williams for this receivers group and they need that boost again. Brown is a home-state kid who played high school football less than an hour away from Clemson. He credited his early success to the Greenville High School program, and it’s a reflected in his fast transition.

Speed is Brown’s calling card, but the college game presents more challenge. He’s taken that and raised his craft to be a complete receiver.

“The speed of the game. High school, you’re just running around everyone. Here, technique is really important, man. You’ve gotta really have your stuff down packed and everyone’s fast here. So, definitely gotta get your technique down,” Brown said.

Brown described himself as a “workaholic” and said that former high school teammate Josh Sapp, a current Tigers tight end, was someone who helped him along the way.

“I actually adapted my work ethic from Josh Sapp I would say. I came to Greenville 11th grade and he was a senior, and just the way he worked man, seeing him off and on the field just working each day, day in and day out, really helped me get where I am today,” Brown said.

That work ethic is key for Clemson, who needs Brown to continue this trajectory after the offensive struggles against Duke. With the home opener next up, it’ll be imperative to see if Brown can continue rising up as a reliable receiver for the Tigers.