Clemson football: Options for replacing departed stars at cornerback

In a topsy turvy 2021 season for Clemson football one of the positions we didn’t worry too much about was cornerback.

With nearly consensus soon-to-be first round pick Andrew Booth on one side and Mario Goodrich on the other, well let’s just say most of the Clemson faithful were feeling pretty good.

With both Booth and Goodrich headed to the next level it’s time to look around the room and find options for replacing the duo.

Veteran Sheridan Jones is one option that coach Mike Reed has at his disposal and Jones was having a solid spring before being injured, while also stepping up in a leadership role.

"“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.”"

Fred Davis is a former five star recruit who’s feeling his way into the college game.  As Dabo has often said there’s some recruits that show up on campus ready to contribute and others that take time and that appears to be the case with Davis despite the five stars attached to his name in the recruiting process.

Nate Wiggins continues to impress skillswise, but is still an unfinished product at this point in his career.

Then there’s true freshman Toriano Pride, who didn’t waiver on his commitment once Brent Venables made the move to Norman and Pride sounds like a perfect fit with Reed.

"“People always ask me when I recruit, you know, what’s your typical corner? Toriano Pride,” Reed said after during the spring. “As far as size, speed, strength, physicality, he has it. I mean if you look at him on the practice field, I mean, he is really what you want.”"

Five star true freshman Jeadyn Lukus was having a good spring before injuring his shoulder, causing him to miss the rest of the spring and the Spring Game.

Another corner beset by injuries is Junior Malcolm Greene, who missed the entire spring while recovering from an injury and some wonder where he fits in the big picture.

Heading into the summer Reed theoretically has six options, plus incoming true freshman Myles Oliver to ponder.

While spring accolades often turn into tough lessons in the fall, one senses that Pride has a real opportunity to be a contributor for this group, if not in game one, then soon after and for a long time.

Jones veteran leadership also stands out.

To win at the highest level in today’s college football, you need really good cornerbacks.  Maybe not against Georgia Tech or Furman, but in the end, whether it’s the ACC Championship Game or the College Football Playoff, this is a position of leaders and alpha personalities and Pride appears to have that in his DNA.

Now we have to see if it translates from the practice field to the actual field.