Year after year, if there’s one thing you know the Clemson football team is going to have, it’s an outstanding defensive line.
Clemson’s defensive lines have been historic during the Dabo Swinney era, boasting unending talent and awesome consistency. While each line is different, with some stronger than others, you’re not going to find a line at Clemson that isn’t one of the best in the country.
Recently, PFF released their Top 10 defensive line rankings for the 2024 season. Clemson ranked lower than you’d typically see them, ranking No. 9 in the country.
Clemson finds its way into the top 10 of this list thanks to two outstanding true sophomores. Peter Woods was third among FBS defensive tackles in pass-rush win rate (17.1%) and seventh in run-defense grade (88.6). His 87.6 PFF grade was the third-best we’ve seen by a true freshman interior defensive lineman since we began charting college football in 2014. The only two above him were Dexter Lawrence and Ed Oliver in 2016, who each currently make over $15 million a year from their respective teams.
T.J. Parker was one of the Tigers’ starting edge defenders as a true freshman and excelled as a run-defender. His 83.0 run-defense grade was eighth among Power Five edge defenders last season.
Clemson has superstars in Woods and Parker, getting them in the top 10, but expectations seem lower for the rest of the Tigers’ offensive line. It’s understandable based on the lack of production and experience we’ve seen outside of those two, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be production from others in 2024.
Think about Parker last season. He was a highly touted recruit but not one who was expected to have such an extreme impact. Halfway through the season, he’s the Tigers’ best pass rusher. At Clemson, it can come from anywhere.
Someone other than Woods and Parker will step up.