Clemson’s defense was a perfect combination of youth and experience in the 2023 season. As many positions were, cornerback was a great example of such.
When grading this position, it would be wrong without starting with the dominance that was Nate Wiggins. He allowed just 18 catches on the year according to Pro Football Focus and a 44.4 passer rating.
Wiggins earned first-team All-ACC honors and had two interceptions along with eight pass breakups. To put into perspective, he had 10 positive plays on the ball in coverage compared to the 18 catches allowed. It was a death sentence to throw his way and it’s why he’ll be a first-round pick in a free months.
The same might be said for Avieon Terrell in a few seasons. It took some time for his breakout as a freshman, but it was well worth the wait. Terrell had five starts and allowed just 15 catches on the season and a 42.8 passer rating.
Quarterbacks had fits by the end of the year when it was choosing between throwing at him or Wiggins. Take the wins over Sam Hartman and Drake Maye for example. The two combined for a collective one passing touchdown and three interceptions, both under 50 completion. The Tigers’ cornerback room is to blame for it.
Beyond that duo, Clemson had strong production from longtime vet Sheridan Jones. Shelton Lewis caught on by the end of the season as a freshman. He became a ball hawk late with seven pass breakups and two interceptions. That’s impressive given just two starts on the year, and Lewis will be a starter in 2024.
Toriano Pride Jr. added a strong campaign but it’s bittersweet as he entered the portal. He made a big jump as a sophomore with five pass breakups. Jaedon Lukus’ season was plagued with injuries, but he still flashed in seven games.
As a full unit, Clemson’s cornerback room also stepped up in run support. Wiggins and Terrell got their hands dirty often, crashing down to make plays. Jones had a top-10 run defense grade on the team. This group was detailed in all phases of the defense.
Cornerback will look very different in 2024, but Clemson is young and talented at the position, it proved to be a strong point last year, and expect the same for next season.
Final CB Grade: A-