Tag: Baylon Spector

What They Are Saying: Tigers in the NFL, Week 5

There was plenty of buzz on Twitter about former Clemson stars in Week 5 of the 2022 NFL season. Check out what they are saying about some Tigers in the league: DEX BRINGS HIM DOWN : @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/BePkuvNKhs – New York Giants (@Giants) …

There was plenty of buzz on Twitter about former Clemson stars in Week 5 of the 2022 NFL season.

Check out what they are saying about some Tigers in the league:

–Photo for this article courtesy of USA Today Sports ImagesĀ 

Dear Old Clemson is excited to announce a limited edition football and poster signed by Clemsonā€™s Avengers.

Now there is a new way you can support Clemson student-athletes. Purchase collectibles from Dear Old Clemson and the proceeds with go to support Clemson student-athletes. VisitĀ Dear Old ClemsonĀ to find out how you can help!

 

Former Clemson LB excited, ā€˜very gratefulā€™ to make Bills 53-man roster

After being drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the seventh round of April’s NFL Draft, Baylon Spector did the best he could possibly do in the preseason to earn a spot on the team’s roster entering the 2022 campaign. So, at peace knowing that he did …

After being drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the seventh round of Aprilā€™s NFL Draft, Baylon Spector did the best he could possibly do in the preseason to earn a spot on the teamā€™s roster entering the 2022 campaign.

So, at peace knowing that he did everything in his power on the field, the former Clemson linebacker says he wasnā€™t too nervous in the days and hours leading up to Tuesdayā€™s 53-man roster deadline as he awaited word on whether or not he would make the team.

ā€œI just felt like I had put my best foot forward during training camp and preseason,ā€ Spector told reporters after Tuesdayā€™s practice. ā€œSo at the end of the day I felt like doing that, thatā€™s all I could do. So, I wasnā€™t too anxious. I was a little excited just to figure out what would happen, just knowing that I put my best foot forward.ā€

Spectorā€™s hard work paid off, and he was certainly excited when he found out Tuesday that he made the 53-man roster for the Bills following a strong preseason in which he racked up 24 total tackles ā€“ tied for the second most among all NFL players in preseason action.

ā€œItā€™s exciting. Thatā€™s what you work for your whole life,ā€ Spector said. ā€œYou put the work in, you go through camp like the unexpected, you just take it day-by-day and finally here it comes. So, itā€™s exciting. Very grateful.ā€

Spector knows plenty of other players werenā€™t as fortunate as him, and seeing others get cut keeps him grounded and provides additional motivation for the former Tiger team captain.

ā€œYou see other decisions, like wow, it truly is a business,ā€ Spector said. ā€œAs a rookie, you see other guys leave, other guys get cut and youā€™re like, it is a business. Itā€™s part of it, and thatā€™s where you learn. As a rookie, you see that part and it kind of keeps you humbled and keeps you working.ā€

A two-year starter at weakside linebacker in 2020-21 after spending several seasons as a key reserve, Spector concluded his Clemson career (2017-21)Ā credited with 210 career tackles (22.0 for loss), 9.0 sacks, four forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, three pass breakups and an interception over 53 games (21 starts).

Last season, the Calhoun, Ga., native ranked second on the team with 85 tackles, recording 4.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, a pass breakup, an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in 11 games (10 starts).

Spector and his Bills squad will travel to take on the defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams in the two teamsā€™ season opener at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. on Thursday, Sept. 8 (8:20 p.m., NBC).

–Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports ImagesĀ 

Time for Clemson fans to make sure the Tigers are competitive with South Carolina in NIL for baseball.

Come out to support Clemson baseball at Dear Old Clemsonā€™s event on September 30 at the Madren Conference Center.Ā  New head coach Erik Bakich will speak and most of next yearā€™s team will be on hand.Ā  Get your tickets today or sign up for the Orange level or higher of the Tiger Club to get free access to all Dear Old Clemson events.Ā Dear Old Clemson.

Clemson’s official depth chart for the Georgia Tech game

Clemson’s first depth chart for their matchup against Georgia Tech has been released.

As game day fast approaches, Clemson football released its depth chart Tuesday for their Labor Day opener against Georgia Tech.

The hype surrounding freshman tackle Blake Miller was reassured as Miller is officially listed as the Tigers’ starting right tackle for Monday’s opener, with previous starter Walker Parks shifting over to start at right guard. He will be the first true freshman to get the start at offensive tackles for the Tigers since Mitch Hyatt back in 2015.

At wide receiver, it looks like the Tigers still have some decisions to be made. Two receivers that have been dealing with injuries in camp, E.J. Williams and Beaux Collins, were listed as co-starters.

Co-starters look to be an early trend for the Tigers as on defense; there are multiple units listed with co-starters.

Here’s a full look at Clemson’s depth chart for their opening game against Georgia Tech (8 p.m./ESPN):

 

PFF stats back good preseason opener from Bills rookie Baylon Spector

PFF stats back good preseason opener from #Bills rookie Baylon Spector:

In the Buffalo Bills’ preseason opener, a lot of their 2022 NFL draft class impressed from top-to-bottom.

Sticking with the latter, among that grouping was Baylon Spector.

The linebacker who was Buffalo’s last selection at the recent draft in the seventh round had a positive outing. At the top, he had a game-high 10 tackles.

Spector was not perfect by any means. He was beat in coverage, but such things are expected from a Round 7 rookie.

What wasn’t expected was a sack that was waived off due to a penalty and other splash players near the line of scrimmage.

All things considered, some think the Bills might have gotten a diamond in the rough. It might be too soon for such claims, but if we’re staying focused on his first game, Spector even impressed Pro Football Focus.

Per their grading system, PFF said Spector had a tackling grade of 82.8 in Week 1 of the preseason. It was amongst the best marks the football analytics outlet handed out in the entire league.

Not a bad first day in the office:

[lawrence-related id=104276,103808,104226]

Twitter reacts: Spector’s strong start

Baylon Spector looked good in his first action with the Bills.

Former Clemson linebacker Baylon Spector got his first action with the Bills Saturday night in their first preseason game of the season against the Indianapolis Colts.

A seventh-round pick in the 2022 draft for the Bills, Spector was very active in his first appearance for the team logging a game-high ten total tackles.

Spector also added a pass deflection on a nice play getting to the quarterback.
It was a promising start to the season for Spector, who was seemingly all over the place, taking advantage of his first action in a Bills uniform.

Here’s a look at how Twitter reacted to Spector’s active first appearance.

Clemson linebackers ‘striving to be students of the game’ like Skalski and Spector

Clemson no longer has veterans James Skalski and Baylon Spector, but the next group of linebackers will try to carry on the duo’s legacy through their work on and off the field.

For the first time in a long time, Clemson fans will see a different linebacker core this upcoming season without James Skalski and Baylon Spector, but this year’s group is still trying to keep the same identity.

When Skalski and Spector left after 2021, their departures left gaping holes in the front seven, giving a handful of other players an opportunity to fill their shoes.

One of those players is redshirt junior Keith Maguire, who is one of the oldest linebackers on the roster and is competing for Skalski’s former spot at the Mike’ backer position.

Entering his fourth season with Clemson, Maguire knows it’s his time to shine without having Skalski and Spector on the field.

“When they left, you realize that you have to step up and take that lead,” Maguire said on Tuesday.

“Those two guys were obviously some of the best two linebackers you could have, so there was a level of it that you knew where your spot was. When they left, we all knew that both spots were open, and (starting) day one, everyone’s trying to compete, put their best foot forward and try to earn that spot.”

Maguire was credited with 15 tackles and a pass breakup in 2021, and was a three-star recruit out of high school.

His sentiments were shared by LaVonta Bently and Jeremiah Trotter, who are both competing with Maguire to start at middle linebacker.

Maguire said that the three of them have been splitting snaps in the middle, much like they did in the spring.

On the other hand, rising sophomore Barrett Carter figures to play significant snaps at multiple positions in 2022, including at all three linebacker positions and safety.

While Carter isn’t primarily competing for Skalski’s old position, he knows that the group has to take on the same identity that Skalski and Spector did.

“I think we’re all striving to be students of the game like they were,” Carter said. “Not only were they students of the game, but they translated it to the field, and they made the plays. I think we’re just trying to carry on that impact and that legacy that they left.”

The entire linebacker rotation remains very fluid up to this point, but head coach Dabo Swinney is confident that the Tigers have the talent to replace Skalski and Spector.

“They all can play,” Swinney said last week. “LaVonta Bentley, as a redshirt junior, that’s a bad dude right there. He’s a grown man. … But Trotter, Maguire, Bentley and Trenton Simpson, you can just throw them up in the air.”

[mm-video type=video id=01ga4njg9s5h2fhscecv playlist_id=01fvdd1xkgcx6zr5s5 player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01ga4njg9s5h2fhscecv/01ga4njg9s5h2fhscecv-b986443cf57373a2b201ddc3a947bee4.jpg][listicle id=2986]

Why this season is personal for veteran Clemson linebacker

If this upcoming season is anything for LaVonta Bentley, it’s personal. That’s a word that the redshirt junior linebacker made sure to not only emphasize but repeat, as he met with reporters following Tuesday’s practice. “It’s just a drive like it’s …

If this upcoming season is anything for LaVonta Bentley, it’s personal.

That’s a word that the redshirt junior linebacker made sure to not only emphasize but repeat, as he met with reporters following Tuesday’s practice.

ā€œItā€™s just a drive like itā€™s personal,ā€ Bentley said regarding his strong start to fall camp. ā€œThis yearā€™s personal, not just because of the players I had in front of me last year, just for myself. I feel like Iā€™m the oldest in the room, so I gotta be the leader and step up for the young guys and just be there for them.ā€Ā 

In order to become a well-rounded player, Bentley has focused on some of the finer details, even taking up yoga this summer. He knows that there arenā€™t many linebackers at the collegiate level that are doing what he does to get better, which also involves working on his pass-rush skills ā€” something he doesnā€™t do often ā€” with Kevin Swint and Tyler Davis.

ā€œJust the little things make a big difference,ā€ he added.

Bentley is one of the hardest working players on Clemsonā€™s roster and a lot of that comes from his drive. Bentley is self-driven by his why, which is being able to help his mother out, but also being that male figure in the household that his nieces and nephews can look up to.

His goal is to make it to the league and follow in the footsteps of Quinnen and Quincy Williams of the New York Jets, who both also hail from Betleyā€™s hometown of Birmingham (Ala.).

While heā€™s motivated by his why and his aspirations of playing at the next level, thereā€™s also a sense of urgency.

With James Skalski and Baylon Spector graduating to the NFL, the torch has officially been passed down to Bentley and Keith Maguire. Thereā€™s an expectation that theyā€™ll need to meet to keep the standard that those two set at the linebacker position and as Bentley said, ā€œkeep the flame lit.ā€

Itā€™s not just about replacing their production, but also the level of football knowledge that both Skalski and Spector had was like having two extra coaches on the field.Ā 

Bentley doesn’t expect that to change in their absence.

ā€œI feel (the knowledge) has been passed on,ā€ Bentley said. ā€œSo, some of the things that they were doing, the characteristics, have just been passed down to us. We’re doing the same thing that they were doing to us. Bringing the young guys in, going over the little detailsā€¦and the reason why they doing what they doing.ā€

Bentley has embraced his role as a leader. Heā€™s not focused so much on how the competition is going, but more so on how the group is coming together as a whole. Heā€™s ready for his opportunity and maintains that it doesnā€™t matter who runs out there first or second, as long as everyone knows what theyā€™re doing once they go out there.

Clemson drops and falls outside top 10 in ESPN’s college football rankings

Based on ESPN’s most recent college football rankings, Clemson will have to prove it belongs in the CFP discussion next season.

After missing the College Football Playoff for the first time since 2015, Clemson will have to re-earn a top 10 spot in rankings next season.

Led by one of the nation’s stingiest defenses, the Tigers finished the 2021 season with a 10-3 record, but compared to their previous appearances in the CFP, it was considered a down year by many.

With the drop in performance, ESPN doesn’t have the same level of optimism for next season as in years past, as it has Clemson at No. 12 in the country in the way-too-early top 25. In the top 11 and above Clemson, some notable teams are North Carolina State, USC, Oklahoma State, Utah and Michigan State.

Here’s what ESPN’s Mark Schlabach had to say about the Tigers dropping from their previous ranking at No. 11.

Previous ranking:Ā 11
2021 record:Ā 10-3 (6-2 ACC)
Returning starters:Ā 10 offense, 6 defense, 1 special teams
Key departures:Ā LBĀ Baylon Spector, LBĀ James Skalski, CBĀ Andrew Booth Jr., FSĀ Nolan Turner, CBĀ Mario Goodrich, WRĀ Justyn Ross
Key additions:Ā QBĀ Cade Klubnik, CBĀ Jeadyn Lukus, WRĀ Antonio Williams, OTĀ Collin Sadler, WRĀ Adam Randall, CBĀ Toriano Pride, CBĀ Sherrod Covil Jr.
Spring update:Ā Clemson has two new coordinators — Brandon Streeter on offense and Wes Goodwin on defense — and coach Dabo Swinney hopes the Tigers return to their old ways after slipping with three losses in 2021. QuarterbackĀ D.J. UiagaleleiĀ shed about 25 pounds in the offseason after struggling in his first season as the full-time starter. Uiagalelei left spring practice atop the depth chart, but he might continue to be pushed by Klubnik, an early enrollee, who looked good over 15 practices. Clemson’s defensive line had its way in the spring game against a thin offensive line. Randall, who was expected to help the wide receiver corps, might miss the season after suffering a torn ACL in his knee during the spring.

Clemson has a manageable regular season schedule in 2022, so if the Tigers can win at least 11 games in that stretch, they should return to a high position in the rankings.

[mm-video type=video id=01g3f782rqq5m7ewbh7z playlist_id=01fvdd1xkgcx6zr5s5 player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g3f782rqq5m7ewbh7z/01g3f782rqq5m7ewbh7z-f400efb8f9ddb8d5760dce147698caac.jpg][listicle id=1749]

Darien Rencher ‘just wanted an opportunity’ and now he has one

Tack on another undrafted Clemson player to receive an invitation to NFL camp.

Another former Clemson Tiger is getting his shot in the NFL after the Carolina Panthers extended an invitation to running back Darien Rencher.

After participating in Clemson’s pro day in March, Rencher relayed that he was actively pursuing a career in the NFL, and now he has a chance to make the Panthers roster.

Rencher spent the past six seasons with the Tigers, racking up 437 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 93 carries. He was also the recipient of the 2020 Disney Spirit Award, given toĀ college football’s most inspirational figure.

With the invitation, Rencher joins a large group of undrafted Tigers heading to NFL camps, including wide receiver Justyn Ross, linebacker James Skalski, cornerback Mario Goodrich and safety Nolan Turner.

“I just wanted an opportunity,” Rencher said on Twitter.

[mm-video type=video id=01g1vwgzwvw2p2dbemxp playlist_id=01fvdd1xkgcx6zr5s5 player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g1vwgzwvw2p2dbemxp/01g1vwgzwvw2p2dbemxp-297473a96b7980d2fca566d20edf4433.jpg][listicle id=1513]

Swinney weighs in on Clemson’s latest draft picks

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney watched two of his former players get scooped up during this year’s NFL Draft. First, it was cornerback Andrew Booth going to the Minnesota Vikings during Friday’s second round. Then linebacker Baylon Spector was drafted …

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney watched two of his former players get scooped up during this year’s NFL Draft.

First, it was cornerback Andrew Booth going to the Minnesota Vikings during Friday’s second round. Then linebacker Baylon Spector was drafted in the sixth round by the Buffalo Bills on Saturday.

Heading into his 14th year as the Tigers’ full-time coach, Swinney coached both throughout their Clemson careers. With Booth, Swinney said the first thing the Vikings are getting is a “great person with a great spirit to him.”

ā€œA guy that loves to play,” Swinney said in a statement. “From a football standpoint, theyā€™re getting a rare corner — long, explosive, fast, a physical tackler at the corner position, which is really not always the case, with great ball skills. Very instinctive guy, and I think a guy that helps the team right away.”

As for Spector, a two-year starter at weakside linebacker, Swinney noted his athleticism as well as the championship experience he believes Spector will bring to the Bills’ locker room after Spector spent five years at Clemson.

“Baylon Spector, as you saw at the (scouting) combine, can really run,” Swinney said. “You donā€™t see many guys his size that can run like that.

“Baylon is a true Will (linebacker) that can really cover and play on the edge but also can move in and play Mike. I think that heā€™s got outstanding Day 1 potential with his size, with his speed, with his experience and with his knowledge of the game but also his ability to be a Day 1 starter on special teams on all core teams.”

Clemson Variety & Frame is doing their part to help bring you some classic new barware and help one of the local businesses that helps make Clemson special.

Order your Nickā€™s barware and do your part to help.Ā  #SaveNicks