CHARLOTTE — Ask several people who at Clemson is on the verge of a potential breakout season, and you might get several different answers.

Inside the building, running back Gideon Davidson might be a popular choice. Davidson probably didn’t get as much action as most would have assumed during his debut season a year ago. Playing behind Adam Randall, he garnered just 15 carries over the first seven games before he started to get more opportunities. Davidson finished the season with 60 carries for 240 yards, but never did find the end zone.

Heading into his second season, Davidson is expected to take on a much larger role as the new starting running back. On top of his new role, he’s also sporting a new number as he switched to No. 8 after last season.

“Gideon Davidson is a pro,” veteran linebacker Sammy Brown said during the ACC Kickoff. “He takes care of his business.”

Throughout the offseason, Brown has seen the amount of work Davidson is putting in. And he is going well beyond what is required.

“Not only does he take care of his business, he goes above and beyond,” Brown added. “He is in there on Saturday mornings getting extra work in, getting an extra lift in.”

Coming out of high school, Davidson was one of the top running backs in his recruiting class. He was a unanimous Top 100 prospect, a consensus four-star talent and ranked as high as the second-best back in the country. He averaged more than 10 yards per carry as a senior. In 2023, he won MaxPreps National Junior of the Year, an award Trevor Lawrence took home in 2016.

Davidson is also a winner, having helped lead his high school team to back-to-back state titles over the final two seasons of his career.

And that is one of the biggest qualities Brown sees in Davidson as he gets set to begin his first fall camp as the starting running back at Clemson.

‘He really handles himself very well,” Brown said. “I think he is due for a breakout season.”