Three Opposing Players Clemson Can't Afford to Ignore vs. North Carolina

We're just a few days away from Clemson's ACC opener vs. North Carolina, and that means it's time for some scouting on both sides of the ball.

Clemson is heading into its ACC opener this weekend against North Carolina. Here are the top three players to watch. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Clemson Tigers bounced back last weekend for their home-opener against Georgia Southern, defeating the Eagles 22-7.

While there's still plenty of room for growth, especially offensively, this weekend marks the beginning of ACC play for the Tigers, and there's a handful of opposing players that the program needs to keep an eye on heading into the contest.

With that being said, Clemson Tigers on SI has created a list of three opposing players that head coach Dabo Swinney and his team cannot afford to ignore entering the Week 3 matchup.

TE Jelani Thurman

The clear-cut top player to look out for in North Carolina's offense so far this season has to be transfer tight end Jelani Thurman.

Under newly hired offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino, who arrived by way of Arkansas, the Ohio State transfer has thrived with the Tar Heels early this season. Just two games in, the 6-foot-6 tight end has already surpassed his three-year production with the Buckeyes, hauling in a team-high eight catches for 165 yards and a touchdown.

While the Clemson defense boasts star linebacker Sammy Brown, who will primarily be assigned to Thurman, the junior tends to struggle in coverage at times, allowing over 300 yards and one touchdown during the 2025 season.

Obviously, this raises a big question about whether Brown can contain him; however, there will surely be help on the back end from safety duo Jerome Carter III and Corey Myrick.

This matchup is, in my opinion, the biggest to watch during the contest.

WR Jordan Shipp

Similar to Thurman, Shipp has been one of the best players for North Carolina and head coach Bill Belichick through the first two weeks of the 2026 season. 

This, however, doesn't come as much of a surprise to Tar Heel fans, as the junior led the team in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns last season, totaling 60 catches for 671 yards and six touchdowns. 

In 2026, he's hit the ground running yet again, logging seven receptions for 96 yards across two contests, including a 71-yard performance against TCU.

The 6-foot-2 wideout will primarily match up against Clemson cornerback Ashton Hampton, who boasts a similar frame and has excelled to start the year, totaling three pass breakups and one interception while allowing just five catches for 58 yards.

DT Xavier Lewis

We couldn't put together this list without including at least one defensive player, especially with Clemson's offense ranking among the bottom five in all of college football. That said, sophomore Xavier Lewis has quickly risen to the top of North Carolina's defensive ranks, earning his spot on the list.

Originally, the 260-pound defensive lineman committed to Austin Peay before accepting a preferred walk-on spot with the Tar Heels heading into 2025. He performed well for a walk-on true freshman, totaling eight tackles and half a sack across 11 game appearances. However, he took a huge leap ahead of his second year with the program.

After being placed on scholarship entering the 2026 season, Lewis dominated as a starter in the team's season-opener vs. TCU, recording seven tackles, four and a half for a loss and two sacks in the 15-10 victory. He then followed that up with another two-sack performance against FCS program East Tennessee State last weekend. 

Entering this weekend, Lewis is by far the most standout defensive player and could cause havoc on a struggling Tigers offensive line, which allowed 11 tackles for a loss and committed six penalties against Georgia Southern last weekend.

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