Clemson Football: Xavier Thomas receiving deserved preseason hype

Clemson football sophomore defensive end Xavier Thomas is receiving a lot of preseason hype from around the nation, and it’s all for good reason.

Xavier Thomas was considered the No. 1 defensive end in the nation when he signed with Clemson football just a couple of years ago.

As a true-freshman, Thomas saw decent playing time behind veterans Austin Bryant and Clelin Ferrell at defensive end. He totaled 43 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks, but now he be relied upon to be the team’s leading pass-rusher.

Though many in Clemson football circles thought Thomas might fly under the radar coming into the year, it’s actually quite the opposite.

National analysts took note of the explosiveness and dominance that Thomas played with off the edge as a freshman. He made a few highlight-reel plays and was a nightmare for opposing offensive linemen, all as a reserve.

Now that he is going to be a starter, big things are expected from Thomas. He is receiving a ton of preseason hype from around the nation, and it’s all well-deserved. Thomas was named a second-team preseason All-American by both Phil Steele and Athlon for 2019.

Those selections show that Thomas is expected to be one of the top four defensive ends in the country even if he didn’t start or play a plentiful amount of snaps as a freshman.

The Clemson football record for sacks in a single season is 16, which is held by Keith Adams. We have a feeling that you’re going to see that record belong to Thomas before the 2019 season comes to a close.

He has the talent and ability to be one of the top edge-rushers to ever play at Clemson and certainly will be a top-10 pick in the NFL Draft just a couple of years from now.

Thomas isn’t flying under anyone’s radar. Instead, he is getting the hype and respect that he well deserves as one of the prominent edge-rushers from around the country.