Clemson football: The important Tiger no one is talking about
Clemson football has a lot of big names that attract a lot of attention, but there is one person that no one is talking about that will have a huge impact in 2020.
After the 2019 season ended in a fashion that left a bad taste in those around Clemson football, many still had a decision to make – come back for another year of Tiger football or go chase their professional football dreams.
Nyles Pinckney is one that chose to come back for his senior year. In all honesty, it was probably a very easy decision for him given his draft grade from the NFL was an unrestricted rookie free agent, but we have seen guys from all over the country still take their chances.
Sophomore Tyler Davis and freshman Bryan Bresee and DeMonte Capehart are getting all the love and attention right now, but Pinckney is the elder statesman of the group and the experience, as well as the leadership that he brings to the group, will be invaluable in 2020.
Clemson football has just nine seniors on the two-deep
The Clemson defense is extremely young and having a guy that has been part of four teams to win the ACC and make the College Football Playoff will be something that everyone on that side of the ball will be able to rely on.
Heading into summer workouts, Pinckney is one of just four seniors on the two-deep of the defensive depth chart and one of nine on the Clemson football two-deep on both sides of the ball.
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The 2020 defense will be led by four seniors – Justin Foster, Nyles Pinckney, James Skalski, and Nolan Turner. When you have a roster this young coupled with the expectations of being the top team in the country, you look to the seniors even more, and having a strong voice on the field and in the locker room will be imperative for Pinckney and the other seniors.