Clemson Football: Keith Maguire could quietly work up the depth chart
Clemson football freshman linebacker Keith Maguire will have an opportunity to earn playing time when he steps on campus later this fall.
The 2019 Clemson football recruiting class is full of talented linebackers.
The Tigers took a total of 29 prospects, five of which are linebackers. Clemson will be looking to replenish a position that took a big hit in terms of experience from last season.
At linebacker, Clemson will have to replace Kendall Joseph, Tre Lamar, the Davis twins and now Shaq Smith, who is electing to transfer instead of playing his final two seasons with the Tigers.
So, as Clemson football heads into the 2019 season, just a few veterans return. The expected starters include Isaiah Simmons (SLB), Chad Smith (MIKE) and James Skalksi (WILL). After them, there is Mike Jones Jr. (redshirt freshman), Jake Venables (redshirt freshman) and Baylon Spector (redshirt sophomore).
That will leave room open for the incoming freshmen to make an impact. Here’s a look at Keith Maguire and what Tiger fans can expect from him as his career progresses at Clemson.
Talent Analysis:
Maguire has traits that make him a valuable commodity at linebacker for the Tigers. He’s not going to blow anyone away with his speed, but he is a talented tackler and is able to get in the backfield and create havoc.
He has good instincts and you can tell that he enjoys initiating contact.
The one area that Maguire will need to improve is in his sideline-to-sideline speed and ability to cover guys in the passing game at the next level.
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Immediate Impact?
It will take Maguire a little time before he fully develops into a college-ready linebacker. Honestly, the Tigers would like to redshirt him, but they may have to play him out of necessity.
Maguire will certainly have the chance to come in and compete for playing time right away. The key will be if he’s able to adjust to the speed of the college game.