Pair Of Clemson LB Commits Make SI All-American Top Ten
As SI All-American gets closer to releasing the first-ever "SI99," which ranks the 99-best 2021 high school recruits in the nation, the recruiting service is ranking the 10 best prospects by position.
On Monday they ranked the 10 best linebacker prospects in the 2021 recruiting class and two Clemson commits made the cut.
At No. 5 is Jeremiah Trotter Jr., the four-star prospect from Pennsylvania. At 6-foot and 210 pounds, Trotter is considered the nation's top inside linebacker in the 247 Composite and comes in at No. 33 overall.
SI All-American's Take:
"Perhaps the safest bet among all off-ball prospects in the class of 2021, the NFL legacy has classic tackle-to-tackle traits from a physicality and polish standpoint. Trotter has tone-setting downhill ability from efficiency to block-shedding and especially finishing while on the move. His subtle quickness in small windows affects the timing of his plays in the backfield as well as an occasional pass rusher with great strength, leverage and motor. While most at home versus the run, Trotter has an understanding of the game that enables him to affect the coverage unit as an underneath defender, capable of conservative man coverage skill as well as deeper zone roles with anticipation and timing with the ball in the air. Also a physically impressive prospect from a frame and build standpoint, Trotter has the physical and mental makeup to captain the vaunted Clemson defense before his time in Death Valley is done."
Coming in right behind Trotter at number six is Barrett Carter, the four-star prospect from Georgia. The 6-foot-1, 220 pound Carter is considered the fourth-best outside-linebacker in the country by the 247 Composite and the No 44 player overall.
SI All American's Take:
"Carter offers a counter to Trotter in play style and overall game. He flashes on the edge and in space with short-area explosion and true pop on contact. Natural navigational skill on the edge as well as inside allow for efficient movement towards the ball carrier with snap quickness to avoid being cut off. He is strong enough to play the front-side shoulder against more athletic blockers and quick enough to outflank them given play flow. Plus scraping skill and instincts allow for easy stops in the backfield while some polish exists as a pass rusher on third down. We don't have as wide a sample of Carter in coverage scenarios compared to others on the list, but he has the speed and savvy to prove effective as a sub 'backer on the occasion he isn't asked to green-dog, spy or supplement the pass rush."
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