Clemson Football: Don’t count Jake Venables out of the linebacker rotation
Clemson football has several talented linebackers vying for playing time this season. One of those is redshirt freshman Jake Venables.
If Jake Venables is anything like his father when it comes to competitive drive, he’ll be playing valuable snaps before his Clemson football career comes to a close.
Clemson football will be looking to replace two starters at linebacker- Kendall Joseph and Tre Lamar- as well as two guys that provided much-needed depth in the Davis twins.
With those guys gone, it has opened up the door for players like Shaq Smith, James Skalski, Mike Jones Jr., Chad Smith and others. It has given them a chance to shine and show what they are capable of doing with snaps at the position.
One guy that gets left out of the conversation most of the time, though, is redshirt freshman Jake Venables, the son of Clemson football defensive coordinator Brent Venables.
Don’t count him out…
When you look at Jake’s film from high school, you’ll see what I’m talking about. I’m not necessarily saying that he’s going to compete for a starting spot, but I do think the redshirt freshman is capable of giving the Tigers valuable snaps at the position.
Venables will, without a doubt, play special teams this season.
He’s got a big motor and is just really good at pursuing the ball and never giving up on a play. Venables made several plays up the middle during the Orange & White spring game a little more than a week ago.
With that kind of physicality, we’re going to see Jake Venables find himself on the field.
dark. Next. Justin Mascoll flying under the radar
Right now, I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see him as the backup behind James Skalski at that MIKE position or perhaps competing in the two-deep at the WILL.
Venables is going to get on the field this season and I wouldn’t count him out when talking about the linebacker competition.