Clemson Football: Three questions about the running backs

Who will win the third-string job?

The real mystery of fall camp starts when you get to the third string on the depth chart. The next most ‘senior’ running back is Thomas, aka ‘Quadzilla’. He is a strong and bruising runner and does present a change of pace from Shipley or Mafah. He is a popular former walk-on.

Next is the legacy player Keith Adams, Jr., whose father was a star linebacker for the Tigers. Adams didn’t play much last year, so our sample size is small, but he looked like he has promise.

Then there are the two freshmen, Green and Haynes. Neither enrolled early, so we haven’t seen anything of them beyond the high school tape. Both had good tape, but neither was highly rated by the recruiting services either. They might not have had the kind of measurables they want to see, or they might have simply not had as much exposure as other recruits.

I think most observers lean toward Thomas as the third-string guy. He’s been with the program for a few years now and appears to have earned the respect of his teammates.

If you are wondering about a dark horse, I like Green. He might not have the measurables, but he was a playmaker in high school.