Clemson Football: Almost half of Class of 2023 set to enroll early

There was a time when Clemson football had a few early enrollees, but as college football has become more and more of a business, the number has continued to rise.

It makes sense.  Back in the day freshman didn’t play as often as they do today, especially along the lines.  The thought process was they needed time in the weight room, grow, mature and adjust to college in general and college football specifically.

Those days are long gone.  The players, especially the top-end talent, and coaches, want their prized recruits on the field, theoretically contributing to wins.

The 4 game redshirt rule has also played a part, giving freshmen the chance to sample the field and coaches an opportunity to see what a player can do in real-game situations.

For the Class of 2023 coming into Clemson, nearly half will arrive on campus early and begin preparing for their first taste of college football.

"A list of players currently set to enroll early at Clemson.QB Chris VizzinaWR Noble JohnsonOL Ian ReedOL Harris SewellOL Zechariah OwensDE TJ ParkerDL Peter WoodsDL Vic BurleyLB Jamal AndersonLB Dee CraytonCB Shelton LewisS Kylen Webb"

Especially for the offensive lineman, getting into a college weight program early is a huge advantage and similar things can be said about the defensive lineman.

In addition, whether it’s rooted in reality or not, most skill players see themselves as being “3 and done” and headed for the NFL, so coming in early theoretically jump starts that process.

For Clemson football recruits, the advantages of enrolling early generally outweigh the risks

Then there’s the advantage of getting in 15 spring practices and the spring game, as that’s something Dabo Swinney considers a “dress rehearsal” for the real games, even for details like running down the hill.

It’s also a double edged sword as injuries can and do occur during this time, but the benefits to the player and for the team generally far outweigh the risks.

Dabo once famously said Sammy Watkins was so good you could just “open the box” and he was ready to play after showing up a few weeks before the opener.

Guys like Sammy don’t come around very often and as good as they were in high school, almost all need the extra weight room work, practices and spring game in order to prepare for the leap from prep star to D-1 contributor.