Myles Oliver
There are multiple players from the Class of 2022 that aren’t likely to see a lot of playing time this season. In most cases it is due to a backlog of talent ahead of them on the depth chart. One day they might be starters, but right now it’s the Power Hour and a handful of opportunities in home games. These players will likely redshirt.
Oliver is the one freshman we already know is definitely redshirting. Oliver has had a shoulder situation that he’s been dealing with for a few years. He had a recurrence of the problem in fall camp and he made the decision to have surgery to get it fixed now so it won’t be an issue for him when he has his opportunity to contribute for the Tigers.
Clemson has a decent amount of experience at cornerback this season, but it isn’t as deep as some other defensive units this season. The Tigers lost both 2021 starters to the NFL, and they are expected to play both Toriano Pride and Jaedyn Lukus, who were two of the higher-rated freshmen entering the program.
Oliver, who hails from Douglasville, Georgia, may have an opportunity to contribute as a redshirt freshman, but it might be more likely his opportunities will come in 2024 or after. None of the current cornerbacks will completely exhaust their eligibility this season. Sheridan Jones is listed as a senior by Clemson but in the eyes of the NCAA he is a junior because the 2020 season didn’t count towards eligibility. Unless there is an early departure for the NFL or a transfer, it is possible every cornerback from this season could return in 2023.
This is not a terrible thing for Oliver. He has decent corner height at 6’-0”, but at 179 lbs, he is still about ten pounds behind everyone else in the cornerback room, and it is unknown how long he will need to rehab his shoulder before he can begin weight training again.
Kobe McCloud
If your program is based on family values, then you shouldn’t be surprised that legacy prospects are going to get an opportunity if the stars fall just right. Clemson’s Class of 2022 had five legacy commitments, one of who is Kobe McCloud.
McCloud is the brother of Ray-Ray McCloud, who played wide receiver for the Tigers from 2015-17 before beginning his NFL career. He played high school football in the Tampa, Florida area. Over four seasons of varsity football at Gaither High School, McCloud became the winningest player in the history of the program.
The linebacker room for Clemson is very crowded in 2022. Not only do they have Trenton Simpson, who is hailed as a future first round pick in the NFL, but they have enough veterans to fill the two-deep, and that doesn’t include fellow freshmen Wade Woodaz and T.J. Dudley.
While none of the 2022 linebackers exhaust all eligibility after this season, it feels like there will be at least a couple departures. Simpson appears on the fast-track to the NFL, and he can declare for the draft after this season. It is also possible that we could see a transfer, possibly more than just one.
McCloud could have opportunities in the next few years, but it won’t hurt him at all to take the 2022 season to redshirt and work on his size and strength.
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.
Caden Story
Story isn’t exactly what you think of when you hear the term ‘developmental player’. Story was a 4-star prospect in the 247 Composite, ranked as the 209th best player in the country. At 6’-3” and 290 pounds, he already has the size necessary to play early. At a lot of Power Five programs, he could probably push to be part of the rotation as a freshman.
There are several reasons why Story will be redshirting this season. Those reasons are Tyler Davis, Brian Bresee, Ruke Orhorhoro, Tre Williams, Demonte Capehart, Payton Page & Etinosa Reuban.
Clemson is amazingly blessed at the defensive tackle position. Right now, Story would be part of the four-deep if there was such a thing.
This won’t be the case for much longer. Davis & Bresee will be moving on to the NFL after this season. There is always a chance that there may be other early entrants or transfers.
Story and his family are a cultural fit for the Tigers, which is why Nick Eason focused on recruiting him following his hire at Clemson. It might take a couple of seasons, but eventually Story will have his opportunity to make his mark. He will have a great chance to learn behind some very talented players this season.
Jahiem Lawson
Lawson is one of the legacy recruits in this class. His brother, Shaq Lawson, starred at Clemson from 2013-15. Shaq was impactful as a defensive end on the 2015 team that earned Coach Swinney his second ACC title and Clemson their first berth in the College Football Playoff.
Add that Jahiem (#15 in above picture) is a graduate of Daniel High School, and it really feels as if there was no other way that his recruitment could possibly end with him going anywhere other than Clemson.
That being said, if there was anyone who screamed developmental player, it was Lawson. He is tall at 6’-4”. Measuring only 230 pounds on that tall frame out of high school, it was obvious he would need to develop his physique and get stronger. He didn’t add much weight over the summer, checking in at 233 at the big weigh-in.
Consider Myles Murphy at 278 lbs, KJ Henry at 256 and Justin Mascoll at 253. Consider Xavier Thomas having to drop weight to come in at 254 pounds, and you realize that the twenty pounds between where they are and where Lawson checks in isn’t trivial.
Just because Lawson needs to hit the weight room and take a redshirt doesn’t mean he can’t compete at Clemson. The defensive staff have already commented that he has the right mentality. He got their attention with his effort and competitiveness.
If Jahiem can get physically ready during this redshirt season, and he has his brother’s competitiveness, he could surprise some people in the next few seasons.
Cole Turner
You might have noticed something about the previous five redshirt candidates: they are all on the defensive side of the ball. There is an incredible amount of depth there.
The one offensive player who seems certain to redshirt is another legacy on this list: Cole Turner, the younger brother of Nolan Turner.
Nolan’s story at Clemson is well-known. He is the epitome of the developmental player: arrived in Clemson with no expectations, got to work and by the time his Tiger career was over he had earned a shot at the NFL.
While Nolan didn’t even have a complete recruiting profile on 247 when he came to Clemson, Cole was a 3-star recruit ranked as the 160th best wide receiver prospect in the nation. Cole wasn’t unheard of like his brother, but he was far from heralded, and his opportunity to join the Tigers didn’t come until late in the cycle.
The other receivers from the class, Adam Randall & Antonio Williams, were higher rated and are expected to make an impact relatively quickly. Turner is a guy who will provide depth over the next four seasons. Like Lawson, the coaches already like what they have seen from him in fall camp.
If Cole has the same work ethic as Nolan, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him on the field over the next few seasons.