Clemson football: Xavier Thomas could vault 2021 defense to a new level

The 2021 Clemson football defense is expected to be one of the deepest units the Tigers have had in quite some time and it could be even better than some are hoping.

We’ve all talked about the progression of star-studded sophomores Myles Murphy and Bryan Bresee along with the depth of the defensive line. We’ve seen the sensational talent of LB Trenton Simpson along with the veteran leadership of James Skalski. In the defensive backfield, we know the potential for Andrew Booth Jr.

But what if we told you it might be even better than that?

Xavier Thomas could be the X-Factor that puts this Clemson football defense on another level

In some ways, it seems that many Clemson fans have forgotten about Xavier Thomas.

Thomas was highly-touted coming out of high school and is always remembered for his picture-perfect hit on Syracuse QB Eric Dungey during his freshman season when he absolutely blew up the Orange QB to seal the victory for the Tigers.

The next two years following his freshman season have left much more to be desired, though.

Thomas struggled with injuries and putting on too much bad weight during his sophomore season and then had a bout with COVID and strep throat his junior year that left him out of football shape and unable to play for much of the season.

Now, as he heads into his senior season, many Clemson football fans have turned their attention to the new stars.

They shouldn’t count Thomas out of the mix yet, though.

He revealed on Twitter that he is back down to 265 pounds, which is just slightly above the weight that he was coming into Clemson. Last season, Thomas weighed around 275-280 pounds and he may have even be a little heavier at some points during his recovery.

Now, back down to 265 pounds, we should expect more explosiveness and a quicker feet from the former 5-star.

If Thomas is able to play to his full potential- and he still has some more work to do this offseason- we could be talking about the best defense in Clemson football history. And no, that’s not an understatement.

Can you imagine a defensive line with Thomas and Murphy at the ends with Bryan Bresee and Tyler Davis on the inside? That’s harkening back to the Power Rangers days and, honestly, there might be more potential with that group than even what we saw with the Power Rangers.