Under-the-Radar Star Fueling Clemson’s Playoff Hopes

Sammy Brown may have won ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year last season, but he's managed to go under the radar heading into his sophomore season.

Clemson linebacker Sammy Brown (47) catches a ball in a drill during the first football practice at the Allen N. Reeves Football Complex at Clemson University in Clemson, S.C. Friday, February 28, 2025. | Ken Ruinard / staff / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

CLEMSON, S.C.-- After winning ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year on a team that reached the College Football Playoff, Sammy Brown would be one of the most talked-about players on most programs heading into his sophomore season.

However, the Clemson Tigers have four upperclassmen that are projected to be first-round picks, so Brown has somehow flown under the radar despite his impressive freshman season.

The Commerce, Georgia native doesn’t seem too worried about who’s paying attention. This offseason, Brown focused on improving his game and strengthening bonds with teammates, spending time rafting, fishing, and golfing together away from football.

Now with a full year of college ball under his belt, the rising sophomore says getting to know his teammates beyond the surface level has been just as important as anything he’s done on the field.

“When you can really relate to a guy off the field, it makes you so much tighter on the field because I know the guy next to me is my brother and willing to die for me even if we aren’t playing football,” Brown said. “That confidence makes the world's difference”.

With time and experience comes comfort, but Brown appears to adapt quickly. Less than six months removed from high school, he was already leading the team in solo tackles and finished the year with 80 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss and five sacks.

As he enters his second season with the Tigers, he is now under the mentorship of former Clemson star linebacker Ben Boulware, a former national champion and ACC Co-Defensive Player of the Year who knows a thing or two about what it takes to be a dominant linebacker at this level.

With Boulware now stepping in as the Tigers’ linebacker coach, Brown explained that his experience in the program helps him relate to the players he coaches

“It’s really easy to learn things from him 'cause he’s played the game at the highest level. He has things in his game that he can relate to us with. He knows what its like to be in our shoes," Brown said. “Another thing is just intensity. He’s a very intense person if you can tell. From when he played, it’s exactly the same”.

Boulware was nicknamed the “Junkyard Dog” during his time with the Tigers, and built a reputation as an intense, vocal leader. While Brown may not have the same fiery personality, he says he’s embracing the challenge of stepping up as a leader within the program.

“I've taken a step forward with that. The confidence in knowing what I'm doing plays a big a role in that,” Brown said. “Once I've got that mastered, I can really focus on being a leader and bringing those guys along.”

While he may not receive the same national attention as the Tigers’ older draft prospects, Brown could prove to be the unsung hero of this defense as they chase another CFP run.