Clemson Football: LB James Skalski vastly underrated in Tigers’ stellar defense

The Clemson football defense hasn’t missed a beat compared to last year’s unit and one of the reasons has to do with LB Jamie Skalski.

The Clemson football defensive unit has consistently been one of the best in the nation throughout the course of this season.

Despite losing all four starters on the defensive line, two starters at linebacker and a starter at cornerback on the nation’s top defensive group last season, the Tigers have been just as effective this time around because of the schemes put in place by Brent Venables and the execution carried out by many Tigers getting their opportunity at playing time.

One of those major contributors has been LB James Skalski for Clemson football.

Skalski was overlooked on the All-ACC team, despite being one of the Tigers’ leading tacklers and a top performer in the conference.

Playing that middle linebacker role, Skalski has accumulated 68 total tackles, five tackles loss and two sacks. He also recovered a fumble. Skalski hasn’t just been good at providing run-support and finishing off plays up the middle, he has been a great leader at the linebacker spot for the Clemson football defense.

He plays with reckless abandon and welcomes physicality. In many ways, Skalski is reminiscent of Ben Boulware, but with more athleticism.

He enjoys tackling, chasing down runners and is a great student of the game.

Coming into this season, we all said that the Tigers would need players to step up at linebacker, in particular. Without Tre Lamar and Kendall Joseph, Clemson was in need of a couple of guys to play at a high-level alongside Isaiah Simmons. They got just that out of Skalski and his teammate Chad Smith.

Don’t take for granted what those two guys are doing, in particular Skalski. As Dabo Swinney said: He’s been a ‘warhorse’ and is a huge reason why that Clemson football defense has been so dominant this season.