Clemson football: Two very important camp battles to watch

Strongside linebacker

There are really only two choices at this point as far as a starter goes – redshirt sophomore Mike Jones and true freshman five-star recruit Trenton Simpson.

Jones has shown that he is a leader off the field and there is no reason to think that in year three he will not be one on the field as well. He is going to have an advantage over Simpson because he understands Venables’ defense and he knows exactly what his coach is looking for.

Sure, Jones is highly talented and is an unbelievable athlete as well, which helps.

However, Trenton Simpson is a freak. He is built like Isaiah Simmons and was one of the most sought after recruits in the country for a reason. While he did not get the opportunity to go through all of spring practice, enrolling early helped get him in the playbook and start to learn the nuances that it takes to be successful under Brent Venables.

While Mike Jones will initially hold off Trenton Simpson, Simpson will play a lot and will more than likely be too good to keep off the field in 2020.