CLEMSON – Following last week’s scrimmage, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney mentioned the word ‘alpha’ four times, using the moniker to refer to seven different players on the Tigers’ 105-man roster.

However, among the group of alphas, which Swinney dubbed the outright leaders, he mentioned no defensive tackles. It was the lone defensive group without a representative.

“I don’t think there’s anybody at that position yet that has earned it,” he said. “I think there’s talent there. There’s a lot of good players there, but you know, I hadn’t really seen an alpha yet at that position. I think I got one at every other position, but I ain’t seen one at D-tackle yet. I’m waiting.”

Clemson’s defensive tackles are especially thin after an injury, an illness and an arrest sidelined transfer Kourtney Kelly, junior Hevin Brown-Schuler and Vic Burley, respectively, for the foreseeable future. 

While the Tigers’ interior defensive line might be shorthanded headed into the season’s opening week– and Swinney may not be ready to name an outright leader– he does believe sophomore Amare Adams could grow into that role as the season progresses.

“Amare, I think’s probably the closest,” Swinney said. “I think he’s the closest thing. We just need him to kind of take that step, you know, as far as being that alpha dog in there.”

As a freshman last season, Adams appeared in 10 of the Tigers’ 13 games, making 10 tackles before an ankle injury cut his rookie year short. Before his time at Clemson, the Jefferson, S.C., native was a former five-star recruit and the best player in South Carolina, according to 247Sports.

In his high school career, Adams accumulated 43 tackles for loss and 16 sacks, earning a litany of state and national awards.

Now, one year removed from his high school dominance at South Florence, the underclassman is embracing a larger leadership opportunity aligned with Swinney’s challenge. Additionally, after returning from his injury, the 305-pounder has a new perspective on the chance to play football.

“It’s a blessing,” Adams said. “It’s hard when you get the game taken away from you for a while and you really realize how much you appreciate the game after you come back. So, I’m really just blessed to be back and blessed to be here working with my brothers. 

“It makes me hungry, just seeing how last year went and we have a windshield mentality,” he added. “We don’t worry about the past. So, I just want to bring everything I got to the field all I can for my brothers.”

Even without the unforeseen circumstances leading to a limited defensive tackle room, the Tigers were already dealing with some major regime changes at the position after veterans Peter Woods and Demonte Capehart were both selected in the 2026 NFL Draft.

While Swinney is not ready to call any of the new or returning successors true leaders yet, Adams has already seen transfers like Andy Burburija and Devarrick Woods–both experienced collegiate veterans–become vocal in fall camp.

“They just work hard, and I love those guys,” he said. “They’re really coming in and being leaders. And that’s where I feel like we’re lacking most because we had guys like Peter Woods, Demonte Capehart, you know, all those guys who left. So just having that leader role, that leadership role coming in, you got me, and then you got the transfer guys already talking. So, it’s just a good thing that they already got their voice in our talking line.”

Adams’ development will be tested intensely in less than two weeks, when Clemson opens its season against No. 11 LSU at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La.