Mark Packer discussed this week the decision by Xavier Thomas to return to Clemson during the Packer and Durham Show. Packer expects the Tigers to dominate on defense in 2022.
“For (Clemson coach) Dabo (Swinney), for a defense that was so good last year and is really going to be loaded this year, they get Xavier Thomas and K.J. Henry back,” Packer said. “Those were two guys that a lot of folks thought would just go on to the NFL. Man alive, they are going to be loaded on that side of the ball.”
The host sees similarities between what Clemson went through in 2021 and what N.C. State went through in 2020.
“I am just telling you, that team went through such an injury issue this year and they got all of these other guys that got all of this playing time,” Packer said. “I said this to you on the air: They kind of reminded me of what N.C. State went through two years ago when poor Dave Doeren was like, ‘Man, I don’t even have enough warm bodies to go out there. We are just going to put some guys out there that really aren’t ready yet, but it will pay dividends for us a couple years down the road.’ Well, that turned out to be spot on cause look where N.C. State is and all of the guys they have got coming back. Well, Dabo went through that year this year and still won 10 games. I’m just telling you, that defense is going to be lights out in ’22.”