Clemson Football: Pre-Spring DB Positional Analysis 2020
The Clemson football team will begin spring practice this week. Here’s our analysis of the defensive backfield for the Tigers.
The Clemson football team will be looking to replace three starters out of its secondary from a year ago.
The Tigers will be without A.J. Terrell, Tanner Muse and K’Von Wallace, who were starters for multiple seasons, and will now be looking at a situation with major competition this spring.
As we head into spring practice, here’s a look at our projected depth chart and pre-spring analysis for the Clemson football defensive backfield.
Pre-Spring Depth Chart:
CB- Derion Kendrick
FS- Nolan Turner
- Joseph Charleston
- Ray Thornton
SS- Lannden Zanders
- Jalyn Phillis
- RJ Mickens
- Tyler Venables
CB- Andrew Booth Jr. or Sheridan Jones
- LeAnthony Williams or Fred Davis II
Analysis:
Derion Kendrick is returning to reprise his role as a starter at cornerback and he’ll be looking to take the next step in what may very well be his final season with the Clemson football program.
Kendrick has the ability to develop into a Round 1-2 cornerback and will be relied upon this year to be the No. 1 lockdown coverage option for the Tigers defensively.
Outside of Kendrick, there’s going to be a lot of competition.
Nolan Turner is expected to step into a starter role after playing a ton of snaps- and starting several games- last year and, at this point, it would seem that Lannden Zanders has an inside track for the other safety position.
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The most intriguing competition will take place at cornerback opposite-side of Kendrick. Andrew Booth, Sheridan Jones and Mario Goodrich all have a case to earn the starter tag and it will largely depend on how they perform this upcoming spring. Right now, it would be expected that Goodrich gets the first shot- as he is the veteran- but the talent of Jones and Booth is going to be hard to match as sessions progress.