Clemson played more true freshmen last season than any other team in the country, by far, with 36 such players appearing in game action for the Tigers. Alabama ranked second in the number of true freshmen it played at 25.

Expect plenty of Clemson’s talented newcomers to see the field Saturday night in the season opener at Wake Forest, especially if the game gets out of hand. Here are some of the first-year players to watch out for when the Tigers and Demon Deacons square off at 7:30 p.m. in Winston-Salem, N.C.:

Quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei: Uiagalelei came to Clemson in January surrounded by no shortage of hype and has lived up to it so far in practice, impressing coaches and players alike with his arm strength and talent. Head coach Dabo Swinney said this week that Uiagalelei is in a similar spot to where Trevor Lawrence and Deshaun Watson were as freshmen from a mental standpoint, but physically, at 6-foot-4, 250 pounds, Uiagalelei is much bigger than Lawrence and Watson were coming in. Offensive coordinator Tony Elliott said during fall camp that Uiagalelei and Lawrence are “cut from the same cloth” in terms of their poise, demeanor, command of the offense and how nothing overwhelms them. Uiagalelei has been battling redshirt freshman Taisun Phommachanh for the backup quarterback role behind Lawrence, and the two were listed as co-backups behind him on the Tigers’ first depth chart of the season.

The freshmen defensive linemen: Clemson’s highly touted quartet of freshmen D-linemen – Bryan Bresee, Myles Murphy, Demonte Capehart and Tre Williams – looked as advertised during preseason practice. Defensive coordinator Brent Venables said this week that the group has “overdelivered” on the hype to this point, and he has been especially impressed by their humility, work ethic and toughness. There was a lot of buzz in camp especially around Bresee and Murphy, a pair of former five-star prospects. Defensive end K.J. Henry called Murphy a “freak of nature,” while offensive lineman Matt Bockhorst said Bresee’s explosiveness and quick first step off the line of scrimmage is unlike anything he has seen before, including Christian Wilkins.

The freshmen offensive linemen: Clemson’s staff is confident in its first-team offensive line, but the question is who will emerge as dependable backups behind the starting five. Several true freshmen are in the mix for reserve roles, and Elliott said this week that he feels good about where Walker Parks is from a functional standpoint and likes how Mitchell Mayes is progressing, too, which gives the Tigers depth at tackle. Elliott added that Paul Tchio is trending in the right direction as well and starting to settle in at guard.

Running backs Demarkcus Bowman and Kobe Pace: Clemson fans await the highly anticipated debut of Bowman, a former five-star recruit who has drawn comparisons from Swinney to Tiger legend C.J. Spiller. Swinney gave an idea of when Bowman may run out there Saturday night, saying that senior Darien Rencher will likely be the No. 2 back behind Travis Etienne if Lyn-J Dixon (knee) is not able to play, with sophomore Michel Dukes likely next in line, followed by Bowman and Pace. Swinney said he has been impressed by the freshmen duo, but they still have a lot to learn and are “just kind of coming along” in their development.

Wide receivers E.J. Williams and Ajou Ajou: Williams received a lot of reps early in camp with Justyn Ross out for the season and Frank Ladson and Joseph Ngata held out at the start of camp due to COVID-19 safety protocols. Ajou, a native of Canada, missed the first day of camp while waiting for some international paperwork to clear, and also missed about a week of practice because of a nagging hamstring injury, but impressed with his natural ability when on the field. Lawrence called Ajou “a freak” and said Williams “is a great football player with raw talent.”

Cornerbacks Malcolm Greene and Fred Davis: Swinney had extremely high praise for Greene during camp, saying he is as good of a cornerback as the Tigers have signed and calling him “a baller.” Swinney lauded Greene’s versatility, physicality, speed, technique, football IQ, and said “the guy just gets it.” Davis, a former five-star prospect, is another freshman corner to keep an eye on.

Linebacker Trenton Simpson: Simpson is another frosh to watch out for. Defensive tackle Nyles Pinckney highlighted Simpson as one of the players that stood out to him in camp, saying he still has a lot to learn but has been absorbing as much knowledge as possible from the veteran players. Simpson is a former five-star recruit who was ranked as high as the No. 11 overall prospect in the country coming out of high school by Rivals.

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