Four Defensive Standouts From Clemson Tigers' Spring Game

The Clemson defense, on both sides, dominated the spring scrimmages. These were the four that stood out the most on Saturday.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney saw his defense shine in Saturday's annual spring game at Memorial Stadium. | Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Clemson fans were able to get their first look on the 2026 football team on Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium, with Team Orange defeating Team White 23-3 in the intersquad scrimmage. 

Head coach Dabo Swinney saw standouts from both sides of the ball during the penultimate spring session of the season, looking to get the most out of his group ahead of the summer months and fall camp. 

Below were my four standouts from Saturday’s viewing:

Vic Burley, Defensive Tackle

Furman University quarterback Trey Hedden (8) passses near Clemson defensive lineman Vic Burley (45) during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, S.C. Saturday, November 22, 2025. | Ken Ruinard / USA Today Co Inc SC / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Burley finished with 2.5 sacks in his team’s win on Saturday, being a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks Brock Bradley and Chris Denson over the four quarters. With the quarterback duo constantly having to move out of the pocket, the redshirt junior put a quick stop to any scrambling on Saturday. 

That’s what Swinney’s expecting out of Burley, who is looking for a starting spot on the defensive line after the departures of tackles Peter Woods and DeMonte Capehart to the NFL Draft. Now, the defensive tackle is taking the opportunity. 

“What I take away is more of it’s just my opportunity to shine,” Burley said. “Just like Coach Swinney said, I’ve been in the crockpot for a while, been cooking up, and now’s my chance. So, I took the spring as I got to show the world that I’m a big person.”

The opportunities will continue for Burley, and if he continues to answer the call, he will have a starting spot in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in September. 

London Merritt, Edge Rusher

Merritt was the other defender to have 2.5 sacks for Team Orange this weekend, being a threat everywhere on the field to disrupt the rhythm of the opposing team. For it being his first time in Death Valley, he thrived. 

The Colorado transfer added four total tackles, three tackles for loss and a quarterback hit to his Saturday resume, proving himself as a dangerous piece to defensive coordinator Tom Allen’s unit in 2026. A Freshman All-American last season, he will look to build on that for the remainder of the year. 

That’s caught the eye of Swinney as well, speaking on Merritt after the game 

“London Merritt, what a great addition,” Swinney said postgame. “C.J. Wesley, got a couple more guys coming this summer, so we’re just better. We’re just better across the board defensively.”

Donovan Starr, Cornerback

Another transfer, Starr is the only standout on this list that comes from Team White. He had the job of guarding the wide receivers who were considered on the first team on Saturday, and he caught the eye of Swinney. 

In the first quarter, Starr jockeyed with receiver Tyler Brown on a go route. When quarterback Christopher Vizzina threw the ball, Starr had gone with him so far that Brown went out of bounds, forcing an incompletion. After the play, Swinney credited Starr with excellent pass defense while telling Brown, “You’ve got to win your matchup.” 

Great rep from Auburn transfer CB Donovan Starr, getting WR Tyler Brown out of bounds on a one-on-one matchup.

Dabo Swinney calls out Brown, saying "You gotta win your matchup."

— Griffin Barfield (@BarfieldGriffin) March 28, 2026

If the Auburn transfer continues to win those matchups against Clemson’s elite receiving corps in the summer, he has a great chance to do that in the fall as a starter. 

Darien Mayo, Edge Rusher

Clemson defensive end Darien Mayo (49) catches a ball in a drill during the football practice at the Allen N. Reeves Football Complex at Clemson University in Clemson, S.C. Wednesday, March 5, 2025. | Ken Ruinard / staff / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Mayo is an early candidate to be a breakout star on this Clemson defense. His spring game performances consisted of a team-high six total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack, being a constant threat off the edge with Merritt on Saturday. 

With a 6-foot-7 frame, Mayo already has the edge on multiple edge rushers within the room. If he can bring the numbers similar to how he did this weekend at Memorial Stadium, it will be difficult for Allen and Swinney to keep him on the bench in 2026. 

“We know what Will Heldt and Jahiem [Lawson] can do,” Swinney said, “but man, I’m going to tell you, Mayo, the spring he’s had.”

The summer sessions will help determine that, but if Mayo stays the course, he will be a forced to be reckoned with in the ACC in 2026.