5 redshirt freshmen who can make an impact for Clemson Football
By John Chancey
Dee Crayton
Position: Linebacker
Hometown: Alpharetta, Georgia
High School: Denmark High School
247Sports Composite Rating: 3-star
Height: 6’-2”
Weight: 225 pounds
Reason for redshirt: Buried on the depth chart
Crayton is the one guy who simply had guys ahead of him on the depth chart that I’ve included here. Linebacker is a curious position these days for Clemson. It is still important: the guys in the middle are critical, but the defense tends to utilize two these days, instead of the traditional 3-player formation used in the past.
Therefore, the scenarios of who is likely to be used the most can be quite complicated. Barrett Carter is a given at WILL. It appears Wade Woodaz is next up at MIKE, but he is also capable of playing anywhere the Tigers need him, including SAM, and as a backup for Carter at WILL as well.
Then there is Sammy Brown, who generally appears to be the future MIKE. For grins & giggles, let’s call those three the first-string.
Next, there is Kobe McCloud, who appears to have gained the staff’s trust, and Jamal Anderson. Anderson seemed to be destined as a SAM, but he could be cross-training as well.
If we want a third guy for the two-deep, Crayton would be the name. Like Anderson, his flexibility with positions could dictate how much he is used. If Anderson is locked in as a SAM (which is often taken off the field in favor of the nickel/safety hybrid), then his opportunities might be limited. If the need arises at WILL or MIKE, Crayton might be a better candidate to get snaps there. There are simply a lot of unknowns at linebacker.
feed