These two true freshmen offensive linemen are impressing during preseason practices, according to a couple of their Clemson O-line mates.

Junior Harris Sewell and sophomore Elyjah Thurmon met with the media on Monday and spoke about the young offensive linemen who are standing out in fall camp.

Both Sewell and Thurmon pointed to a pair of true freshmen who have caught their attention – Brayden Jacobs and Gavin Blanchard.

“I would say Gavin’s doing really well,” Sewell said. “He anchors really well. He’s a shorter guy, but he anchors really well and uses his height to his benefit.”

“I’d say Brayden does really well, too,” Sewell added. “He’s really done well at finishing blocks and working hard and running his feet.”

Both Jacobs and Blanchard enrolled early at Clemson in January.

The 6-foot-2, 295-pound Blanchard was a four-star prospect according to ESPN, which ranked him as the fifth-best center in the country for the 2025 recruiting class, while the 6-foot-7, 355-pound Jacobs was a unanimous four-star recruit ranked as high as the No. 55 overall prospect in the 2025 recruiting class by 247Sports.

A product of Milton (Ga.) High School, Jacobs helped his team to a 15-0 record and 5A state championship in his senior season last year after leading his team to a 13-2 mark as a junior in 2023. His father, Brandon, played at Auburn and Southern Illinois before a nine-year NFL career in which he amassed more than 5,000 rushing yards and was a two-time Super Bowl champion with the New York Giants.

“I’d say Brayden Jacobs [has stood out],” Thurmon said. “Him being long, as tall as he is, as big as he is, to be able to move around, be as athletic as he is, and he can swap from both tackles if we need to.”

As for Blanchard, the Tampa native led Wiregrass Ranch High School to an 11-2 record in 2024. He graded 88 percent for the season with 30 pancake blocks, and in the 2024 season opener alone, he was credited with seven pancakes. He played his junior year at Tampa’s Jesuit High School and helped his team to the regional finals that year.

“He’s a Swiss army knife,” Thurmon said of Blanchard. “We can move him. He can play guard, he can play center, we can put him at tackle. He’s great with his feet, great with his hands, and he’s aggressive as well.”