Looking Ahead: Five Freshman To Watch In 2020
Much has been made of the elite level recruiting class Clemson signed this cycle. It was not only the best class of head coach Dabo Swinney's career, it was the best class in the history of the program.
The loaded class was rated best in the country by ESPN, third nationally by 247 Sports, and was highlighted by one of the best hauls in the history of recruiting across the defensive line.
Now that the shortened spring is over it is time to start looking ahead to fall camp and the 2020 season, and which players from that loaded recruiting class can have an instant impact as true freshmen.
Here are five freshmen to keep an eye on:
DT Bryan Bresee: All eyes will be upon the nations top overall player next season. Bresee is the kind of generational talent that is going to come in and compete for immediate playing time. The only real question is whether the 6' 5" 300 pound Bresee is starting or coming off of the bench in a reserve role. He is talented enough to play on the outside as well, despite his size, and gives defensive coordinator Brent Venables another versatile weapon on the defensive side of the ball.
DE Myles Murphy: At 6'5" and 265 pounds, Murphy was the number one SDE in the country and the seventh best player overall. The five star recruit immediately makes the Tigers pass rush better, an area that Clemson struggled with last season. While junior Xavier Thomas may be penciled in as the starter on the strong side, he will be pushed by Murphy, and pushed hard.
WR E.J. Williams: The four star wide receiver prospect comes to Clemson from Phoenix City, Alabama, the same school WR Justyn Ross attended. The 6' 3" 190 pound Williams was an early enrollee and will have the opportunity to earn playing time. While the Tigers are still loaded at wideout, they won't have quite the depth they normally do. Clemson loves to cross train their receivers, and Williams could see his share of snaps in a reserve role.
RB Demarckus Bowman: A five star back out of Lakeland, Florida, Bowman was the third best running back prospect in the country. The Tigers have one of the most crowded running back rooms in the country, and while there is little to no shot of Bowman cracking the two deep, he is to good to not be used. It will be interesting to see how the coaches work him into the rotation. However, Bowman didn't enroll early, meaning he will have a lot to learn in a short amount of time.
QB D.J. Uiagalelei: The five star, number one quarterback in the nation, is what some might call a physical specimen. At 6' 5" and 245 pounds, Uiagalelei is easy to spot, and has a cannon on his shoulder. However, like Bowman, there is no way he is winning the starting job from Trevor Lawrence. With Chase Brice having transferred to Duke, that leaves the backup job open. If this is Lawrence's final season, as most assume, the coaches will want to get Uiagalelei as many meaningful snaps as possible.
