Three X-factors on Clemson's 2023 defense

Xavier Thomas showed a glimpse of his talent at BC last year to earn ACC player of the week in just a few snaps.

by Ryan Kantor - Contributor - Tue Jun 13 13:00:29 GMT-04:00 2023

Clemson’s defense fell short of expectations last year, but there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic the unit will return to being truly elite in 2023.

The surprise return of defensive tackles Tyler Davis and Ruke Orhorhoro provides a big boost. Another important factor is the expected improvement from the secondary with Andrew Mukuba finally healthy and Nate Wiggins ready to perform at an All-ACC level from game one. Even with all that in their favor, for this defense to reach their full potential they still need some of these X-factor players to deliver breakthrough seasons.

DE Xavier Thomas: Clemson enters 2023 with two defensive ends who have been with the program since 2018. Thanks to redshirts and COVID waivers, Thomas (“XT”) and Justin Mascoll will each play a sixth season for the Tigers. Unfortunately, neither have become reliable starters in that time, but now they’ll be counted on. Thomas has displayed more upside, particularly as a pass rusher. A full season of XT harassing quarterbacks changes the dynamic for this defense. With him locking down one DE slot, Justin Mascoll and Cade Denhoff give the Tigers enough options on the other side to survive the long season. If XT struggles or is injured again, the Tigers will have to dig deep and lean on guys like Greg Williams, Zaire Patterson, and true freshman Peter Woods.

DT Peter Woods: The hype around Woods was validated in the spring game when he played like a wrecking ball. The Tigers must find a way to get him on the field. With great depth at defensive tackle, there may not be a ton of snaps available for him there. If he shifts over to end, perhaps he could form a dynamic speed-power duo with Thomas. Either way, he brings the overall talent level up on the unit and is the type of player that can overwhelm opposing offensive lines.

CB Sheridan Jones: Jones enters his fifth year in the program and is looking for the type of season Mario Goodrich had in 2021 that propelled him into the NFL (Philadelphia Eagles). The Tigers are in better shape in the secondary entering 2023 than they were a year ago now that Wiggins has become a lockdown cornerback and Toriano Pride has some experience, but the position gets awfully thin if Jones gets hurt or struggles.

Jones posted a solid 71.0 PFF grade last season but missed a handful of games due to injury. That PFF grade was up from the 65.1-66.1 he posted in each of his prior seasons. If he can stay healthy and build on his career year, the Tigers will have a great group of cornerbacks. If not, they will be asking a lot from Toriano Pride and Jeadyn Lukus.