Clemson football: Six freshmen likely to redshirt in 2022

Kylon Griffin

Griffin played high school football at Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School in Alabama, where he also ran track. The Tigers like multi-sport athletes, so it isn’t a surprise that they focused in on Griffin following the de-commitment of safety Keon Sabb, who eventually chose Michigan.

Griffin was one of two safety prospects in the 2022 class along with Sherrod Covil. While Covil was an early enrollee and participated in spring practice, Griffin did not arrive until later in the summer.

Clemson has a deep group at safety in 2021, but they have already seen attrition with the retirement of Lannden Zanders. Clemson can still fill the two-deep with Andrew Mukuba, Jalyn Phillips, Tyler Venables and R.J. Mickens.

The reality is that injuries happen, and Clemson would probably be lucky if they were completely healthy at safety all season long. Additionally, Mukuba is such a special athlete that he has been cross-training at cornerback and nickelback.

Both factors make it realistic that one of the two freshmen is likely to see some playing time this season, probably enough to avoid a redshirt. It certainly looks like that freshmen will be Covil, who has the advantage of being with the program a bit longer and the higher recruiting marks out of high school.

That doesn’t mean Griffin doesn’t have a bright future. Like Oliver and McCloud, he can use a year in Power Hour to develop physically. Mukuba must remain in college football through the 2023 season, but he certainly appears to be on a fast track to the NFL. By 2024, it is likely at least two, possibly three of the current safeties will have moved on. Griffin will be a redshirt sophomore entering his third year in the program, which puts him in a good position to be a contributor. He just needs to be patient.