Signing Day Countdown: 4 recruits join in spring effort to fill OL experience gap

Clemson’s offensive line will be tested by a significant experience gap this season, as the Tigers try out replacements for five productive seniors during spring and preseason practice.

Returning starters Dalton Freeman and Brandon Thomas combined for 1,821 snaps last season. The next six players with game experience - one rising senior, a rising junior walk-on, and four rising sophomores – combined for just 182 snaps, with most of that coming in mop-up roles.

Gone from the mix are starters Landon Walker, Antoine McClain and Phillip Price, as well as regular-rotation backups David Smith and Mason Cloy. Those five players combined for 3,363 snaps last fall.

Next in line behind the group of six are eight untested players who’ll try to battle their way into the mix this spring: redshirt freshmen Ryan Norton, Shaq Anthony, Joe Gore and Spencer Region, as well as four early-enrolling first-year freshmen – Patrick DeStefano, Jay Guillermo, Oliver Jones and Isaiah Battle.

Given Clemson’s experience gap, Dabo Swinney says the importance of having four of the Tigers’ five 2012 offensive line recruits on the field this spring can’t be underestimated.

"Obviously we're going to have some transition in the trenches, on both sides,” said Swinney recently. “It's a huge, huge blessing to have them here in January and go through spring ball. That's like all of them being redshirted. That's huge for our program."

Looking ahead to 2013, Clemson already has one offensive lineman committed – R.J. Prince of Albemarle, NC – and currently has offers out to six other players.

Returning Starters (2)

Rising senior center Dalton Freeman: 14 starts, 1,044 snaps in 2011

Rising junior guard/tackle Brandon Thomas: 10 starts, 777 snaps

Other Experienced Players Returning (6)

Rising senior Matt Sanders: 8 games, 25 snaps

Rising sophomore Gifford Timothy: 7 games, 45 snaps

Rising sophomore Reid Webster: 6 games, 33 snaps

Rising sophomore David Beasley, 5 games, 30 snaps

Rising sophomore Kalon Davis: 12 games, 49 snaps

Rising junior Tyler Felt: walk-on, played 17 snaps as a RS freshman

Other Walk-on Players Returning (4)

Rising junior T.J. Buck

Rising sophomore Harrison Tucker

Rising junior Scott Wilson

Rising junior

Starters Lost (3)

Landon Walker, right tackle, 14 starts, 1,033 snaps

Antoine McClain, right guard, 14 starts, 921 snaps

Phillip Price, left tackle, 13 starts, 802 snaps

Others Lost (2)

David Smith, guard/tackle, 430 snaps

Mason Cloy, guard/center, 177 snaps

In The Pipeline (8)

Redshirt freshman Ryan Norton

Redshirt freshman Spencer Region

Redshirt freshman Joe Gore

Redshirt freshman Shaq Anthony

First-semester freshman Oliver Jones, 6-6, 320, Ninety Six, SC

First-semester freshman Jay Guillermo, 6-2, 285, Maryville, TN

First-semester freshman Isaiah Battle, 6-7, 265, St. George, VA

First-semester freshman Patrick DeStefano, 6-4, 275, Roebuck, SC

Committed For 2012 (1)

Javarius Leamon, 6-6, 295, Woodruff, SC

Remaining 2012 Targets

None

Committed For 2013

R.J. Prince, 6-6, 285, Albemarle, NC

2013 Early Offers (6)

Bryce King, 6-4, 290, Dillon HS, Dillon, SC

Tyrone Crowder, 6-3, 300, Richmond HS, Rockingham, NC

Brandon Kublanow, 6-3, 285, Walton HS, Marietta, GA

J.J. Gustafson, 6-5, 260, Jesuit Prep HS, Dallas, TX

Derwin Gray, 6-5, 265, Dunbar HS, Washington, DC

Some Others To Watch For 2013

South Carolina

Brenden Alford, 6-4, 320, Dillon

Taylor Chambers, 6-7, 280, Irmo

Justin Evans, 6-5, 280, Florence

North Carolina

Jacob Cannell, 6-3, 300, Indian Trail

William Cockman, 6-6, 350, Siler City

Mike Sutton, 6-3, 300, Cary

Brandon Smith, 6-7, 300, Kernersville

Cole Blankenship, 6-4, 280, Mocksville

Georgia

Jordan Harris, 6-5, 310, Hampton

Aulden Bynum, 6-5, 260, Valdosta

Michael Selby 6-2, 270, Sandersville

Andy Dodd, 6-4, 270, Lindale

DeAndre Wise, 6-2, 275, Alpharetta

Dylan Leach, 6-0, 260, Byron

Nhigel Phillips, 6-4, 350, Griffin

Florida

James Looney, 6-3, 260, Lake Worth

Austin Bland, 6-2, 260, Fort Lauderdale

Lucas Crowley, 6-3, 270, Ponte Vedra Beach

Austin Droogsma, 6-3, 300, Gulf Breeze

Others

Grant Hill, 6-5, 315, Hunstville, AL

David Gross, 6-5, 260, Montgomery, AL

B.J. Turner, 6-4, 265, Springdale, AL

Jacob Revis, 6-2, 290, Evansville, TN

Joey Bloomfield, 6-6, 300, Louisville, KY

Dorian Miller, 6-2, 290, Metuchen, NJ

Khaliel Rodgers, 6-3, 300, Bear, DE

Cameron Dillard, 6-3, 290, Canton, MI

Tristan Nickelson, 6-7, 280, Clear Falls, TX

2012 Clemson Targets Who Will Sign Elsewhere

Nick Davidson, Eden Prarie, MN – Stanford

Graham Shuler, Brentwood, TN – Stanford

Brock Stadnik, Greensboro, NC – South Carolina

Mason Zandi, Chapin, SC – South Carolina

John Theus, Jacksonville, FL – Georgia

D.J. Humphries, Charlotte, NC – Florida

Brandon Green, Ellenwood, GA – Alabama

Evan Goodman, Lakeland, FL – Arizona State