Clemson football: Tiger backfield vastly underrated heading into 2021

The 2021 Clemson football team is going to look a lot different in the backfield than what we’ve grown accustomed over the last few seasons.

For much of the last three years- and all of the last two seasons- we’ve seen a Clemson football backfield that has consisted of Trevor Lawrence at quarterback and Travis Etienne at running back but that won’t be the case this year.

Both Lawrence and Etienne were taken by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first-round of the 2021 NFL Draft and while we’ll still get to see the dynamic duo perform in Jacksonville together, it’s time for Clemson fans to move on to the next group.

The 2021 Clemson football backfield is vastly underrated

It’s easy for analysts to overlook the Tigers when there are new starters all around in the backfield, but no one can deny the talent.

Bleacher Report recently published a list ranking the best backfields in the nation for the 2021 season and gave Clemson an honorable mention as a ‘less proven, but talented unit.‘

Here’s a look at the publication’s top-5 backfields:

1. Oklahoma
2. Appalachian State
3. Oregon
4. Notre Dame
5. BYU

It should be noted that Georgia comes in at No. 7 on this list.

When looking at the backfields across the nation, it’s pretty easy to see why most would be high on Oklahoma as the Sooners have Spencer Rattler returning at quarterback and a couple of talented backs- including Kennedy Brooks- in the backfield.

That being said, does anyone really believe that Appalachian State, Notre Dame or BYU- who just lost one of the greatest QBs in the history- should rank ahead of D.J. Uiagalelei and that Clemson backfield? What about Alabama, who also only received honorable mention?

The Tigers don’t just have one of the best- if not the best- quarterbacks in the nation taking over, they have one of the deepest running back groups that legitimately will go four, possibly five-deep.

We understand that experience is important, but if you’re looking at talent and production, you’re going to take Clemson (and Alabama, for that matter) over several of these backfields listed at the top.

In the end, it’s all just for fun and to pass the time by until the season gets here, but it does seem that many nationally are overlooking just what Clemson has talent-wise as we prepare for 2021.