Rubbing the Rock
Fansided

5 under the radar players for Clemson Football

There are some players who fans aren't focused on that could make bigger contributions in 2024 than most people might expect.

By John Chancey

Clemson wide receiver Cole Turner (22) catches a pass in a pass drill during the first day of Spring practice at the Poe Indoor Practice Facility at the Allen N. Reeves football complex in Clemson S.C. Wednesday, February 28, 2024.
Clemson wide receiver Cole Turner (22) catches a pass in a pass drill during the first day of Spring practice at the Poe Indoor Practice Facility at the Allen N. Reeves football complex in Clemson S.C. Wednesday, February 28, 2024. / Ken Ruinard / staff / USA TODAY NETWORK
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 5
Next

If you are a die-hard Clemson Football fan, there probably isn’t a player who is truly “under the radar”. You probably need to dive into walk-ons before you find names you know nothing about.

For the more casual fans, or people from outside Clemson Nation, there are some names that you and I know but haven’t really gotten a lot of attention in the big picture.

This lack of attention can come from a handful of places that are sometimes unique to the player, but they all amount to the same thing: a guy most people don’t know who could suddenly burst upon the scene.

Here are five players who could make a big impact for Clemson Football in 2024 that most people aren’t expecting.

Cole Turner

The reason Turner is under the radar is that he has only appeared in a handful of games in the past two seasons. That’s right: Turner is getting ready to start his third year in the program.

Turner is the younger brother of Tiger alum Nolan Turner. Dabo Swinney was friends with their father, who passed away from ALS a few years ago. When Swinney offered Nolan (who was an unknown at the time), most fans thought he was doing it as a favor to his family.

It turns out Nolan was a good safety who developed into a starter and caught on briefly in the NFL. While Cole was not an unknown – he had a 3-star rating as a prospect – he wasn’t expected to be an impact player for the Tigers. No one was surprised when he redshirted his first season.

What did surprise fans was that he became the first 100-yard receiver for the Tigers in 2022 in the ACC Championship Game. Turner was expected to challenge for a starting role as a redshirt freshman in 2023.

Then the injury bug bit him. He missed time in fall camp and then was lost for the season in his second game. Turner returned for spring practice but was nagged by injuries again.

As such, the attention for wide receivers this season is focused on the returning Antonio Williams and Tyler Brown, as well as the newcomers Bryant Wesco and TJ Moore. Turner is a guy who doesn’t have expectations from fans because they aren’t confident he can stay on the field.

Keep in mind we thought the same thing about Troy Stellato until the Charleston Southern game last season when suddenly he was on the field and actually catching the ball. Staying healthy is a hurdle for Turner, but if he can get on the field, we know he has the potential to make big plays for the offense.

NEXT: Jeadyn Lukus

Home/Clemson Football