On the surface, not having DeMonte Capehart and Stephiylan Green for the entire spring might seem like bad news for the Clemson defense.

Missing those two meant more reps for some of the younger players on the interior of the defensive line, which in turn helps to create more quality depth.

Two of the players who benefitted the most were Vic Burley and Amare Adams.

“We really forced the issue with Amare, with Burley,” head coach Dabo Swinney said. “It was great for them.”

The Tigers have been waiting on Burley to step up since he arrived as a member of the 2023 recruiting class. Burley was a highly-touted, five-star prospect coming out of high school, but injuries have slowed his development. After missing his freshman season and redshirting, Burley was still limited to fewer than 100 snaps last season.

If the spring game is any indication, Burley looks like he might now be ready to contribute. He definitely looks like he is finally fully healthy.

With Capehart and Green out, the redshirt sophomore started alongside Peter Woods, and he absolutely looked the part. While no one is calling for Burley to win a starting job this season, he can certainly be in the rotation and an integral piece off the bench.

“We needed Vic Burley to take a step forward,” Swinney said. “He definitely had the best spring he’s had, the best 15 days of football practice that he’s had. That was good to see.”

Like Burley, Adams was also a five-star recruit. However, unlike Burley, Adams is a true freshman who just enrolled in January.

Standing 6-foot-4 and already weighing in the neighborhood of 300 pounds, Adams is physically ready. His performance in the spring game also suggests he’s soaking things up quickly enough to get on the field this fall.

With those two looking like they are both going to be able to help, that only strengthens the Tigers’ defensive front.

“Amare, he’s going to be a good one,” Swinney said.