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 linebacker, Justin Foster.
The Clemson football program is getting one heck of a football player in Justin Foster. Hailing from Crest High School in Shelby, North Carolina, Foster has remarkable athletic ability. Standing 6-foot-4, 245 pounds, he sheds blocks with relative ease, closes on the ball alarmingly fast and has a motor like no other.
Recruitment:
Foster is not only a great athlete, but, he is also an elite student. During his high school career, Foster garnered scholarship offers from some of the most prestigious universities in the country including, Stanford, Notre Dame and Vanderbilt.
Foster chose Clemson out of nearly two dozen scholarship offers. There wasn’t a program in the South that wasn’t vying for his services.
View Foster’s film here.
More freshman profiles: LeAnthony Williams Jr.
Chances at playing time:
Being as though Foster didn’t enroll at Clemson until the summer, there has not been much talk from any of the coaches regarding his prospects at playing as a true freshman. That being said, Clemson is absolutely loaded at linebacker. It would be difficult for him to crack the Tigers’ two deep by the time the season opener arrives.
I will say that with Foster’s natural ability, he would be an animal on special teams. He is fast enough to be an asset in, both kickoff coverage and punt coverage; and tackling certainly won’t be an issue.
Expectations in year one:
I am willing to go out on a limb and predict that Foster will avoid taking a redshirt in 2017. With his explosiveness and motor he will be an impact player whether he is limited to special teams duty, or gets time on defense. Barring a host of unforeseen injuries at linebacker, Foster won’t see much time there as a true freshman, similar to rising sophomore Tre’ Lamar.
Next: Can Clemson increase their sack total again in 2017?
I expect defensive coordinator, Brent Venables to mold Foster into a special player down the road. Venables employs an attacking style of defense, one that Foster will fit like a glove. There are not too many 6-foot-4, 245 pound men that can move the way that Foster does in space.