Can this group be better than the 2022 Clemson Football defensive line unit?
The 2022 line returned multiple players rated as 5-stars in high school, some expected to be first-round draft picks, and an incredible amount of depth. The group nicknamed themselves ‘The Avengers’ which was fun and reminded fans of the 2018 defensive line that chose the name ‘The Power Rangers’.
As we mentioned, injuries impacted Thomas and Davis, and Bresee was impacted by injury, illness, and family tragedy. Other players played well, but not ‘next level’ as some thought they were capable.
Lemanski Hall: "I don't want a guy out there grading at 90 percent but is not productive. I'll take a guy that is 68 percent but man he is productive. I want the sacks, I want the turnovers, I want all that. I don't want a player that just says I'm doing my job."
— Anna Adams (@AnnaH247) April 4, 2023
We don’t know who Hall was describing, and whether it was a player who has since moved on or someone who is returning, but it is clear that he feels some 2022 players could have brought more effort.
The result was a performance by the 2022 group that was good but fell short of the impact that was expected.
If there were players from last year’s group that weren’t maximizing their potential, then it’s possible they could experience addition through subtraction. If this is the case, we could see a better performance from this group in 2023.
If veterans are returning that aren’t maximizing their potential, then we could see some younger players with bigger motors begin to climb the depth chart as they develop and earn the staff’s confidence. If this is the case, 2023 will be a transitional season for the line, with big potential in the coming years.