CLEMSON – The 2023 season hasn’t gone the way the Clemson Tigers have hoped through six games, but there’s still a massive positive for this group entering the bye week.

Every year, there’s a couple freshmen that step up and make an early impact, but Clemson hit the jackpot with their most recent recruiting class on both sides of the ball.

Regardless of how the rest of ACC play goes, the Tigers have a ton of talent to build off of. Many of those are first-year players rising to the occasion, and let’s highlight the best of those through six games.

WR Tyler Brown

A hometown kid out of Greenville High School, Brown was thrust into the starting role at slot with the injury to Antonio Williams.

Brown already proved to be a key weapon, then delivered his breakout performance against Syracuse with nine catches for 153 yards. The only other true freshmen to achieve 150+ yards in a game at Clemson were Artavis Scott, Tee Higgins and Sammy Watkins. Talk about some good company.

OL Harris Sewell

This is a recent addition. Given the injury to Walker Parks, the Tigers have re-tooled at right guard and Sewell may be the guy. Against Wake Forest, he played 62 snaps and allowed just two pressures on the night.

DE T.J. Parker

Parker had all the billings of an impressive pass rusher in camp and it’s translated wonderfully into the season. He’s Clemson’s third-down guy and leads the team in sacks with four at the halfway point.

DT Peter Woods

The least surprising of it all, Woods is a bull in a China shop for the Tigers defensive line. Competing in a rotation with Tyler Davis and Ruke Orhorhoro is impressive on its own, and Woods is continuing to deliver strong tape when he’s on the field.

CB Avieon Terrell

Every time Avieon Terrell is on the field, you rarely notice him and that’s the best compliment you can give a cornerback.

He’s been in the rotation, albeit not a starter, but he’s silencing opposing weapons. Expectations were high as the younger brother of A.J. Terrell, and he’s like a mirror image of him on the field.

S Khalil Barnes

Barnes is another player who had to step in for injuries, and he’s a magnet to the ball for Wes Goodwin’s defense. Through six games, he has two forced fumbles and a interception.

On top of that, Barnes has 12 tackles on the year. Clemson is spoiled with freshmen, and it’s a large reason for optimism as the season continues.