The Clemson football tight end position has some talent, but plenty of questions as we head into the summer for the Tigers.
There’s a good chance we see a lot of four wide receiver sets for Clemson football in 2019.
Why?
Though the tight ends have talent, the position lacks experience and has several questions coming into the 2019 Clemson football season.
The expected starter at tight end coming into this year would be sophomore Braden Galloway. Unfortunately, Galloway was one of three Clemson football players who tested positive for Ostarine in their system several months ago before the start of the CFB Playoff.
Clemson is currently in the appeals process, but no progress has been made that would point to Galloway being cleared to play this year. It’s NCAA rules that a player that tests positive on a drug test sits out a year and loses a year of eligibility.
With Galloway likely out, and with senior Garrett Williams electing to begin his career in the U.S. Military, the Tigers don’t have too many options at the position.
Here at the end of spring, as a matter of fact, the Tigers only have two scholarship players on campus that are eligible to play. That is redshirt junior JC Chalk and true-freshman Jaelyn Lay.
Another freshman- Davis Allen- will arrive on campus later this summer.
So, with the amount of uncertainty facing the position, it will be important for Chalk and Lay, especially, to go through summer conditioning and to develop chemistry over the next few months.
Lay can be an excellent receiving option, but the Tigers really need a tight end that can be a lead-blocker for rushers like Travis Etienne, Lyn-J Dixon and Tavien Feaster.
It’s going to be up to Chalk and Lay to develop into those kinds of players over the next few months, put on the weight necessary and put in the work to be efficient options for Clemson on Saturdays.