CLEMSON – The offensive line has gone through a lot of changes for Clemson in 2023. None were bigger than the loss of starting right guard Walker Parks.

One of the most experienced players up front, it was never going to be easy for the Tigers to find a solution in his absence. Early on, it was Mitchell Mayes who stepped into the role but freshman Harris Sewell earned his way to the spot.

Sewell saw the most snaps he’s played against Wake Forest with 62, only behind the trio of Will Putnam, Marcus Tate and Blake Miller. One of the players who has seen this early development is Putnam, and he talked about how Sewell’s improved.

“He plays hard, he plays to the whistle and you know you’ll get his best each and every play. He prepares and he thinks about football outside of football. This is something that really matters to him. Not just his own performance but he wants to play well for his teammates and I think that’s a very important characteristic,” Putnam said.

That want to perform was displayed Saturday, as he had a 96.8% efficiency according to PFF, allowing just two pressures on the day. He did have a penalty, but it was otherwise a very strong day for the youngster.

Offensive coordinator Garrett Riley has a lot of say on this front, and that same optimism Putnam displayed was echoed by the Clemson playcaller. It wasn’t perfect, but it’s something Riley is excited for Sewell to build off of.

“Harris did a good job. Definitely some plays he’s got to improve on and things we got to see but plugging him in where he played that many snaps, he gave us some production,” Riley said. “He’s a fearless guy. He’s a fearless player and he’s going to get better. Kind of like Cade [Klubnik], just at a quick rate the more and more reps he gets.”

Speaking of Klubnik, none may be happier to see Sewell have early success than him. As the season progresses and the Tigers continue to build this offensive line, Sewell looks like a key piece for the future.