The Clemson football program has officially closed up shop on the spring season following the annual Orange & White spring game this past Saturday in Death Valley.
The Tigers had several key players out for portions of the spring due to injuries and they’re still dealing with protocols, but overall it was a successful couple of months that laid the foundation for what we’ll see in the fall.
As we continue to break down spring camp, we want to look at some of the top performers.
The Clemson football player who had the best spring by each offensive position
Quarterback: D.J. Uiagalelei
This should come as no surprise. Uiagalelei is taking over as the new starting quarterback and he delivered all spring long. There’s a sizeable gap between him and the next QB- right now Hunter Helms following the injury to Taisun Phommachanh– and though he has plenty to work on, it’s clear Uiagalelei is going to be a force to be reckoned with during the 2021 Clemson football season.
Running Back: Kobe Pace, Lyn-J Dixon
It’s tough to just pick a couple of running backs because this group probably was the most legit position when it comes to depth of the entire offense. Kobe Pace had an excellent spring game, but he had great practices leading up to that, as well. Lyn-J Dixon has been reliable and has shown that extra burst with the starting job there for the taking.
While mentioning these two, you can’t leave out the two freshmen- Phil Mafah and Will Shipley- who both showed that they were going to see the field in a major way this coming fall.
Offensive Line: Jordan McFadden, Marcus Tate, Hunter Rayburn
For a position where it is a ‘group effort,’ it’s tough to single out just one guy, but we came away impressed with freshman Marcus Tate more than any other offensive lineman this past Saturday. For the entire spring, though, you’ve got to take Jordan McFadden and Hunter Rayburn.
McFadden took over that left tackle spot and has stepped in as the leader of the offensive line. Rayburn won the center position and there doesn’t seem to be anything standing in his way from being the starter this fall.
Tight End: Davis Allen
Jaelyn Lay has progressed and you know what you’re going to get from Braden Galloway, but Davis Allen is the most complete tight end on this team and he proved that in the spring. He’s able to be a blocker, but he’s also not afraid of getting out and making plays in the passing game.
Wide Receiver: Joseph Ngata, Ajou Ajou
When you talk about making improvements, you’ve got to talk about Joseph Ngata and Ajou Ajou in the wide receiver corps.
Both guys looked much stronger at the position and more confident all spring long, from all accounts. They proved that in the spring game and it’s going to be interesting to see how they progress through the summer.