As he worked toward finishing his master’s degree at Clemson this spring, Matt Bockhorst often hung around the Tigers’ football facilities to watch the team practice. It gave the former Clemson offensive lineman a chance to observe the unit he left behind after last season.
Two youngsters in particular repeatedly caught Bockhorst’s eye.
“As far as a young guy’s standpoint. the one that stands out to me is Blake Miller,” Bockhorst told The Clemson Insider during a recent phone interview. “And really I would speak very, very highly of both Blake and Colin (Sadler). I think those guys are absolutely what we’re looking for.”
Bockhorst would know as well as anybody.
A former offensive line recruit out of Ohio, Bockhorst spent five seasons playing up front for Clemson before deciding to move on from football after last season. Bockhorst turned into a team captain and a multi-year starter after redshirting as a true freshman in 2017, lining up at center and guard for the Tigers.
Miller and Sadler could have the same start to their collegiate careers that Bockhorst had considering some of the depth Clemson already has coupled with the physical demands of the position. But after watching the young linemen during their first spring with the Tigers, Bockhorst wouldn’t be shocked if both true freshmen see the field this fall.
“I think they’ve got tremendous size and are really going to have the opportunity to help early on,” Bockhorst said.
If the spring was any indication, Bockhorst may be on to something.
Both are physically advanced for players their age at the position. Each stands 6-foot-6 while Miller already weighs 315 pounds. Sadler comes in at 295 pounds. Their body types project as tackles, though Sadler also repped at guard this spring.
By the time it was over, each had cracked the two-deep. And both were at the top of the depth chart for the spring game. Between injuries and Clemson coach Dabo Swinney deciding to hold some of his veteran linemen out, including starting tackles Jordan McFadden and Walker Parks, Miller got the start at left tackle for the White team while Sadler started at left guard for the Orange team.
Even when the Tigers are at full strength up front, there isn’t a ton of proven depth at guard or tackle, particularly with rising senior Will Putnam inside to center. Marcus Tate is back at left guard after starting multiple games last year as a true freshman, but Clemson lost three key interior linemen off last year’s team in Bockhorst, Hunter Rayburn (medical disqualification) and Mason Trotter, who practiced this spring but will miss most if not all of the fall for undisclosed reasons. Paul Tchio, who transferred to Georgia Tech, is also gone.
Things feel a little more situated on the edges with redshirt freshman Tristan Leigh making enough progress this spring to push to be Clemson’ No. 3 tackle, but Bockhorst said Miller already has a certain characteristic to his game that should continue to help him contend for playing time this fall.
“Blake really, really stood out to me, just how strong he is for how tall he is,” Bockhorst said. “You do not see a lot of really tall guys who are that powerful. Obviously, as with any true freshman, there are technique things that he’ll get better at and get better at fitting his hands. But, man, that guy is very legit, and both of them will be great players.”
