Clemson Football: Tigers’ DL challenged to get better

The Clemson football DL has been challenged to improve throughout preseason camp. Currently, they are stepping up to the challenge.

The Clemson football defensive line won’t look the same when the Tigers take the field in Death Valley in just a couple of weeks.

The Tigers will be replacing all four starters- Christian Wilkins, Clelin Ferrell, Dexter Lawrence and Austin Bryant- as well as a key reserve in Albert Huggins.

With all of that talent and experience gone, the Clemson football coaching staff has been looking for answers at every position. The staff has challenged the group as a whole to improve, to compete and to not compare themselves to last year’s unit.

Though many outside of the Clemson football program have expressed doubt in this group, the defensive line unit is seemingly coming along nicely.

While this group continues to compete as if there are no set spots, one underlying factor is certainly show itself in practice: The defensive line group is improving because it is facing one of the best offensive lines in the country.

Just like last season when we had questions about the offensive line and the offense as a whole, we believed that the talent in the front-seven on the defense would make the offensive group better. In the same way, the talent and depth along the offensive line for Clemson football this season is going to make the defensive line better.

It helps Xavier Thomas to go up against Jackson Carman. It helps Nyles Pinckney and Jordan Williams to have to compete against the likes of Gage Cervenka, John Simpson and Sean Pollard. These guys are seeing the best and that will prepare them for the season when they see much less talented opponents on the field each Saturday.

No group is going to challenge this Clemson defensive line more than the Tigers’ offensive line. And that’s good news for Clemson football fans hoping to see the group perform well this season.