5 Clemson True Freshmen to Watch
The "Pandemic Posse" is on campus and ready to make an impact for the Clemson Tigers, as the Tigers look to climb back up the mountain and reestablish themselves as the kings of college football.
With a revamped team, the Tigers will be looking for some of these heralded true freshmen to step up and have an immediate impact on the 2021 season. Today, we start our series looking at five players in each class that we have our eyes on this spring—starting with the true freshmen.
Will Shipley
At 5-foot-11 and 200 pounds, the dynamic Shipley is ranked as the third-best running back in the country and is No. 28 in the SI99. During his junior season, he rushed for more than 2000 yards, averaged almost 11 YPC, and had 30 touchdowns. He also added another 582 yards receiving with another 8 touchdowns.
Shipley may project as the top three-down running back in the class of 2021. He possesses track speed and home run ability from any position on the field -- inside, outside, in the passing game or return game. He has the vision and lateral strength to stress the defensive edge in the outside zone game along with the one-cut swiftness to break down defenders in the open field or as a pass catcher. Lower body power and center of gravity are also on ideal fronts relative to his age, as his power will compliment the open field speed at over 200 pounds sooner rather than later. Also an elite lacrosse recruit as a goal-scoring midfielder, reemphasizing quickness and overall field awareness, Shipley has the versatility and talent to see early playing time, even at a place like Clemson.
Barrett Carter
Ranked No. 38 in the SI99, the 6-foot-1, 220-pound prospect out of Georgia is not just considered one of the best players in the country, he's also thought to be one of the most versatile in the entire class.
Carter was listed as a linebacker by the recruiting services, but Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney says the Tigers have big plans for the freshman and they go beyond him playing just one position on the defensive side of the ball.
"We're gonna use him in a versatile way," Swinney said. "He's not a guy you can kind of put in a box there. He absolutely can play linebacker, no question about that but we think he can play either safety, we think he could play Nickel/SAM, I mean he's as dynamic a guy as we've signed."
Payton Page
At 6-foot-4 and 360 pounds, Page can absolutely anchor the Clemson defensive front over the next few seasons. He is ranked as the fifth-best interior defensive linemen in the country and No. 25 in the SI99. He had 55 career TFL in just three seasons of high school football.
Frame: A wide, yet well-distributed 6-foot-4 frame can carry 330 pounds well. Will have the chance to trim while getting stronger at the next level.
Athleticism: Quicker than his frame suggests, Page can gather and replace better than most his size and holds his own off of the football as well as laterally. The same can be said for his closing speed in short areas although his game is still mostly founded in the power department.
Instincts: Page has a great feel for coming off of his initial angle on a rush. He knows when to push and settle relative to his responsibility and can impact a drive in both elements. He gets on top of the blocker off of the snap and typically works from within his frame.
Polish: A physical force with developing technique, Page split double teams en route to 29 stops behind the line of scrimmage as a junior anyway. A wide base allows him to anchor with leverage and hold the point. He overwhelms blockers one-on-one so the counter game features strong hands and efficient power moves in his limited repertoire. At the prep level, he is simply bigger and stronger than the opposition.
Bottom Line: Page is a classic interior trenchman with staying power against the core of an offensive line. He can control the point of attack and push the pocket at will, the type of force that commands double teams and allows for the rest of the front seven to flourish. Still finding a way to get his, he has the chance to develop into a dominant force once his polish and pass-rushing ability improves.
Jake Briningstool
The 6-foot-5, 220 pound player out of Brentwood, Tennessee, committed to Clemson in January and is the highest rated tight end of the Dabo Swinney era. Briningstool is considered the fourth best tight end in the country and was named to the All USA Preseason high school team.
Briningstool had more than 25 college offers, including Alabama, Duke, Georgia, Michigan, Michigan State, South Carolina, Tennessee and Vanderbilt. He had 47 catches for 857 yards and nine touchdowns in 2019 to help lead his team to the Class 6A state championship game. It came one season after having 22 receptions for 256 yards as a sophomore.
Frame: Long frame, though has already packed on considerable weight in the past two years in high school.
Athleticism: The only question about Briningstool’s athleticism is how much of that will he maintain during his growth periods because he’s going to get heavier. So the questions become, does he become an even bigger weapon upon arrival?
Instincts: Physical. In the run game, after the catch, he’s trying to punish you every chance he gets. He adjusts well to the ball in the air and it doesn’t always have to look pretty, but he gets the job done. He’s fearless over the middle of the field.
Polish: He appears to block with physicality but this isn't someone who is fit for in-line tight end duties just quite yet, but he will be soon. Once Clemson’s strength and conditioning program gets ahold of him we will have a better picture.
Bottom Line: Tight ends running like Wideouts while being built like power forwards are becoming more and more prominent as the game of football continues to evolve, Briningstool is a prime example of these kinds of athletes. Expect it to translate eventually, even at a place like Clemson.
Beaux Collins
The SI All-American candidate is considered the nation's second-best receiver and is ranked No. 21 in the SI99, who will undoubtedly be an immediate impact wide receiver for the Tigers. During his junior season in 2019, Collins had 41 catches for 1008 yards with 14 touchdowns.
Frame: Big frame with good overall definition and impressive length. Fairly thick arms and torso. Tight waist with athletic-looking lower half.
Athleticism: Good release off the line with quick hands and feet. Capable of wiggling away from press coverage and can stem up defensive backs well on the perimeter. He has good play speed and can stack when attacking vertical coverage. He offers a big strike zone. Capable of plucking away from his body. Functions with good strength and can impact the run game as a blocker.
Instincts: Appears to have a release plan versus both press and off-coverage. Flashes a club/arm-over when threatened at the line. Good initial stemming and works with urgency in the route phase. Can use foot fire and square cuts at breakpoints. Alert and aware with a good feel for coverage voids - willing to break off routes in scramble phase to find space. Solid vision with the ball in his hands to acquire fair YAC.
Polish: Has lined up in the boundary, to the field, and in the slot to this point. Appears to have a good understanding of some subtle nuances of releases and route running, and is comfortable doing multiple things. Will need to learn how to alter his tempo in appropriate routes and continue being more consistent with his mitts at catch points. Should be ready to contribute early in his college career.
Bottom Line: Collins has the size, frame, length, speed and polish a program wants in a high school receiver prospect. He has played against elite competition at Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco, which has prepared him well for the college game. Aside from his physical tools, Collins has good instincts at the line and functional awareness, as well as a big catch radius. He’s a scheme-versatile receiver who is capable of becoming a core contributor to a college offense’s passing attack.
