Heading into the spring game April 9, Clemson football is still working on figuring out the cornerback position.
Clemson's Mike Reed Still Sorting Out Pecking Order at Corner https://t.co/Y8xUiZhpJM via @jp_priestersi
— Jason Priester (@JP_Priester) March 28, 2022
Andrew Booth, Jr. and Mario Goodrich are headed off to the NFL, with Booth, Jr. expected to be a first round pick and Goodrich a later selection.
The loss of those two, while significant, doesn’t mean there’s a dearth of talent on campus in Clemson.
Sheridan Jones, Fred Davis II, Malcolm Greene and Nate Wiggins are veterans to one degree or another, while the Tigers signed three corners in the 2022 recruiting class, including the decorated Jeadyn Lukus along with Toriano Pride and Myles Oliver.
Lukus and Pride are already on campus, with Oliver expected to join the team in June.
Ranked by 247sports as the 30th best player overall, Lukus was the second highest rated signee of the 2022 class behind Cade Klubnik and reportedly came in physically ready to play.
Pride, highly ranked himself at 80th overall, also looks the part.
Corner coach Mike Reed is operating with an open mind headed into the Spring Game.
"“Who knows who’s going to start,” Reed said. “One may be better working with another guy, who knows. I have to find the best two, the best four, the best five, the best six because if you notice, I play all my guys. Nobody actually redshirts as a corner, my guys come in and they play.”"
While not all are scheduled to play in the Spring Game, Reed should have a better idea of what he has in the true freshman Pride.
Meanwhile, Jones, a Senior, has taken the leadership role, which is music to Reed’s ears.
"“He’s taken the leadership role, he’s taken the step which I anticipated,” Reed said. “It’s a process that most all the corners since I’ve been here have been able to take. Each year, the load gets heavier and heavier for them. Because as you move up, you become a leader. And that’s one of the beauties about playing guys early is they’re not new to it when it happens.”"
Without Goodrich and Booth 2022 will definitely be different at corner, but that doesn’t necessarily mean there’ll be a drop off as the experience matched with young talent portends well for the Tigers at the position.