Prove It: Xavier Thomas
Editor’s note: This story continues a series that, for various reasons, is a “prove it” season for certain Clemson players. This week, we’ll take a look each day at a Tiger who faces a make or break year.
Brent Venables had no qualms about the play of Xavier Thomas during his sophomore season.
The Clemson defensive coordinator pointed out that his defense was pretty good in 2019. And it was, finishing third in the nation in points allowed. If the team had a weak link, it would've been exposed.
"He must have done (played well) or everybody would’ve found him and they would’ve exploited him if he hadn’t been so he did a great job last year," Venables said in March.
And he's not wrong. But at the same time, a five-star prospect and defensive end as athletic as Thomas is expected to have more than two sacks, and none after Week 3, in a season.
Yes, he was slowed by a concussion that cost him three games and plenty of practice time, something Venables noted is difficult to overcome for a young player.
Again, nobody is saying Venables is wrong.
"He doesn’t have to be Superman," Venables said. "He just needs to do his part."
Maybe so, but many people expected a superhero when the Florence native and IMG Academy product showed up in 2018. Thomas confirmed the belief that he could be a big-time edge rusher when he leveled Syracuse QB Eric Dungy to clinch a memorable, come-from-behind victory over the Orange his freshman season.
Clemson's change from a 4-3 scheme to a 3-4 affected every player up front in 2019, and Thomas himself admitted that he had an "entitled mindset" and needed to be humbled last season.
Still, the lack of production was concerning to many, and it leaves Thomas in need of a huge 2020 campaign to fulfill expectations set before he arrived on campus and increase his draft stock in what's his "money year."
It's not necessarily about numbers. Thomas doesn't have to be Vic Besley or Shaq Lawson or Clelin Ferrell. He just needs to prove that he can be effective with regular playing time and no setbacks.
Speaking of the latter, Thomas has spent some time in the doghouse of the coaching staff, and it's hard to ignore that being at least some of the cause for his lack of production.
That appears to have changed, though.
"He’s got a good attitude and a good awareness about what he needs to do to be a leader and to be accountable and all of those things," Venables said. "He’s done a good job coming back with the right mindset."
If Thomas puts it all together in 2020, not only will Clemson go back to its defensive persona of having a feared defensive front, it could also make him a first-round selection in the 2021 NFL Draft.
That's what he was projected to be coming out of high school, but you still have to prove it. If Thomas struggles and doesn't raise that level of potential with pro scouts, it wouldn't be a surprise to still seem him leave.
He's always felt like a three-year player, but everything he needs to live up to the hype is in front of him.
"He playing fast and he’s playing physical and playing within the confines of the defense," Venables said, "and doing all the little things that we’re asking him to do so far."
