Clemson Football: Van Smith the Tigers’ most underrated defender?
With the wealth of talent that Clemson has along the defensive line and linebacking core, safety Van Smith often goes overlooked. Coming into 2017, Smith is undoubtedly Clemson’s most underrated defender.
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During Clemson’s 2015 National Championship run, Smith barely logged any meaningful playing time, recording just 19 total tackles, one tackle for loss and one interception. This lack of playing time was due to the experienced talent that was ahead of him on the depth chart.
This past season, Smith burst onto the scene as a first time starter. Though he stands just, 5-foot-10, 190 pounds Smith is very active at the line of scrimmage, finishing third on the team in tackles with 95 on the year.
Coming into the 2016 season, Clemson’s secondary was arguably the teams biggest concern. Van Smith helped to calm those nerves. The Tigers had one of the top passing defenses in the country in 2016, allowing just 181.9 yards per game through the air. The Tigers also intercepted 20 passes while allowing a mere 13 touchdown passes.
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One of the most impressive aspects of Smith’s game is his maturity. Starting as a sophomore on Clemson’s National Championship defense, Smith was vocal on the field, often getting teammates lined up in the right position.
Following the departure of Jadar Johnson, Smith was moved to strong safety at the start of spring ball. I expect him to make the transition seamlessly as he came into Death Valley as a strong safety. Smith has the instincts and closing speed to give opposing quarterbacks fits.
With the talent that Clemson has along the front seven, opposing quarterbacks are pressured into making bad decisions with the football. Smith will surely be there to capitalize on this. With Cordrea Tankersley, Jadar Johnson and Ben Boulware gone, this Tigers defense is in need of leadership. Look for Smith to lead this defense along with guys like Christian Wilkins and Kendall Joseph.
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