Why Clemson Fans Could See More of This Freshman Cornerback Moving Forward

Ahead of the bye week, it was announced that starting nickel Corian Gipson would be out for the remainder of the season due to a knee injury that he re-aggravated during the Miami contest.

Now, sophomore Auburn transfer Donovan Starr will fill his role, with head coach Dabo Swinney describing him as someone who’s “made a move these last couple of weeks.”

However, the 18-year head coach also noted that this transition opens up more opportunities for other players at the position, including true freshman Marcell Gipson Jr., who was the lone cornerback signee in the Tigers’ 2026 class.

“Marcell was another guy that I would say was on the rise in camp and on his way to being a guy that probably would have gotten to play early, like game one,” Swinney said on Tuesday.

However, he then suffered a rib injury, which caused him to miss much of fall camp and prevented him from participating in any football activity, including practice. Over the last few weeks, though, he’s been fully healthy, and Swinney carries a lot of optimism about the young talent.

“This is definitely creating more opportunity for him at corner and our TIGER position,” he finished. “So he’s a guy that we’re gonna need down the stretch.”

As it stands, he’s not listed on the two-deep depth chart, with senior Misun Kelley listed as the backup at TIGER behind Starr and the backup cornerback behind Elliot Washington. Senior Branden Strozier is listed as the other backup cornerback behind projected first-rounder Ashton Hampton.

Nonetheless, it wouldn’t be surprising if Gipson sees his first collegiate defensive snaps over the next few weeks, based on Swinney’s comments.

For those who don’t know much about the freshman, Gipson was a three-star prospect out of South Oak Cliff in Dallas, Texas. While spending three years on varsity, he was a three-time first-team all-district selection and earned first-team all-state honors as a junior in 2024, both as a defensive back and as a kick returner.

He also helped the Golden Bears win a 5A D2 State Championship as a senior, with the program finishing No. 21 in the country and No. 1 in Texas.

Gipson is now the third member of his family to play Division I football. His father, Marcell Gipson Sr., spent five years at Wyoming from 2006 to 2010, and his uncle, Tashaun Gipson, also played four years there, from 2008 to 2011, before going on to a 12-year NFL career.

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