With fall camp on the horizon, I wanted to take one last look at Clemson’s 2017 signees. A few of these true freshman may push for playing time this season. Today’s edition features defensive back, AJ Terrell.
Coming to the Clemson football family by way of Westlake High School in Atlanta, Georgia, Terrell was one of the most sought after athletes in the country last year. Terrell will be donning No. 8 this year for the Tigers, same as star wideout, Deon Cain. Hopefully Terrell can have an impact similar to the one Cain had as a true freshman.
Recruitment:
Coming out of high school, Terrell held offers from a host of power five programs, including Alabama, Notre Dame and Michigan. Although he is from the state of Georgia, Clemson was the runaway favorite in his recruitment leading up to his commitment. Terrell eventually committed to the Tigers on August 19th of last summer.
Check out Terrell’s film here.
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Chances at playing time:
Early in the offseason, I was on the fence about Terrell playing as a true freshman. With the depth that the Tigers have in the seconday, I wasn’t sure if he would be able to work his way into the rotation at corner.
During Clemson’s recent golf outing those doubts were put to rest. In an interview with Tigernet, cornerbacks coach Mike Reed said the following of Terrell.
"He’s going to be a player, he has a great skill set, and not to mention he’s 6-foot-2 1/2, and he’s looking to play early."
It’s obvious that Reed is excited about the opportunity to coach Terrell. It all comes down to, his ability to digest the playbook. Take Trayvon Mullen for instance, who came in as a highly touted freshman a season ago. While Mullen did not start on Clemson’s National Championship team, he was able to avoid taking a redshirt because of his ability to grasp Brent Venables complex defense. Terrell is every bit as athletic as Mullen, if he can grasp the playbook there is no reason why he shouldn’t play this season.
Expectations in year one:
While Terrell may play for the Tigers in 2017, I do not expect him to see a significant amount of snaps. Clemson already has proven playmakers in Ryan Carter and Marcus Edmond, as well as promising young talent such as, the aforementioned Mullen, K’Von Wallace and Mark Fields.
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With Terrell’s versatility, he could even log reps at safety if need-be. The area where Terrell may have his biggest impact as a true freshman is on special teams. One of the most overlooked aspects of the game is special teams and the Clemson football program places an emphasis on performing well in that department. Terrell’s speed and physicality will make him a special teams warrior.