The Clemson Insider continues to look at each position on the football team to examine where each player stands right now in his group on the depth chart. We will look back on the 2015 season for analysis and attempt to forecast what the 2016 depth chart might look like in a few months, including early thoughts on the mid-year enrollees. Today, we continue with a look at the other half of the defensive tackle position…
- Christian Wilkins, So.
Much like we said with Carlos Watkins, Wilkins can play either defensive tackle spot or nose tackle. However, his freakish athleticism for a big dude suggests he might be better utilized if he has more freedom to move around a bit. That’s why coaches are openly flaunting the idea of letting him play some defensive end this season, and no one is arguing.
Since his catch in the Orange Bowl, Wilkins has become somewhat of a legendary figure among Clemson fans. He has hidden on-field talents. He is an eloquent and thoughtful speaker with a fun personality. Above all else, though, he displayed a nasty streak atypical of young players as a true freshman playing major snaps in the ACC. Wilkins ended up with just one fewer tackle than Watkins for the season.
It may sound crazy, but the highest priority for Wilkins is probably just avoiding a sophomore slump. Keeping his focus with more snaps to play likely won’t be a problem for the bubbly sophomore-to-be, but adapting if his role expands could prove to be difficult—at least temporarily. Wilkins seems like the kind of person who will thrive if given more chances to experiment, however, which is why Brent Venables is willing to at least float crazy ideas out during spring practice.
- Albert Huggins, So.
With the caliber of talent Clemson is hauling in along the defensive line, it is easy to forget how important it was to secure Huggins’ commitment a season ago. He was a four-star in-state prospect who seemed like an excellent fit for the Tigers up front. One year later, many are wondering whether Huggins is a tweener, stuck between tackle and end, but that conversation may be a bit premature.
Huggins saw the field last season as a true freshman, logging a handful of tackles. The tackle rotation loses Reader, although the arrival of Lawrence mitigates that departure. Listed at 295 pounds, Huggins lacks the quickness to play outside but lacks the physicality to play inside. Therein lies his current predicament.
I believe the staff is wise to attempt to develop Huggins into a tackle that can contribute in a variety of ways. That process may take some time, however. I could see Huggins, because of his general ability, getting onto the field a great deal more in 2016. In a crowded group, however, he will need to continue to grow at a rapid rate to keep up with his peers.
- Jabril Robinson, RS So.
Robinson isn’t as naturally gifted as Huggins, but he amassed more tackles last season than the former four-star. That slight discrepancy has some suggesting it might be Robinson who ascends into more of a complementary role up front, and that’s not a farfetched idea at this point.
At 280 pounds, Robinson is fairly small compared to the rest of the position group. Physical growth is an area of need for him, but being a little smaller does allow him some advantages when it comes to slipping through creases and being able to leverage his body differently against bigger linemen.
I wouldn’t expect the world of Robinson, but he is sort of a wild card in the defensive tackle rotation. As a third-year guy, this is his time to make a jump, although there really isn’t much room to maneuver in such a crowded field of tackles.
**Nyles Pinckney is an early enrollee, but he seems a likely redshirt candidate at this point.
God Bless!
WQ
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