Top Three for 2023: Key playmakers set to lead on both sides of the ball

Clemson's new offensive scheme will need a big season from sophomore Cade Klubnik.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Mon Jul 17 07:00:21 GMT-04:00 2023

This is it—the top three players for Clemson in 2023.

We are looking at what we think are the Top 30 players for the Tigers this season. This list looks at a few different factors – the depth chart being the most important part – but also how valuable that player is to the team, how much depth is at that spot, and how much that player will contribute this season.

The next installment has Nos. 3, 2, and 1 and features two of the best linebackers in the country and the quarterback. Not a lot of surprises in those three. And why those two linebackers? Arguments can be made for one or both being further down the list. Still, we have a feeling the offense will lean on this defense at times this season, and while Clemson’s defensive line features depth and the secondary has some ballers, those two linebackers will be the linchpins of the defense.

Without further ado:

No. 3, Jeremiah Trotter Jr., LB

Trotter has proven himself to be one of the country's most physical and dependable linebackers.

The talented All-American and NFL legacy who enters 2023 credited with 114 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, seven pass breakups, a forced fumble and an interception (which he returned 35 yards for a touchdown) in 737 defensive snaps over 27 career games (14 starts).

His numbers from a year ago are impressive: He led the team in tackles (92) and tackles for loss (13.5), tied for the team lead in sacks (6.5) and added six pass breakups, a forced fumble and an interception (returned 35 yards for a touchdown) in 678 defensive snaps over 14 games (all starts). He was one of only three Power Five players in 2022 to reach at least 13 tackles for loss, six sacks and return an interception for a touchdown, joining two-time Nagurski Award winner Will Anderson Jr. of Alabama and national championship participant Dee Winters of TCU; Trotter was the only member of that trio also to produce a forced fumble.

“For my game, I think I’m very versatile,” Trotter told Max Chadwick of PFF.. “I feel like I don’t have a major weakness in my game. If you need me to cover a running back or tight end, I can do that. If you want to blitz me, I can blitz. If you need someone who’s physical in the run game and taking on linemen, I can do that. That’s a part of my game that separates me from a lot of linebackers.”

That all-around skillset helps make Trotter the top returning linebacker in college football and a projected top-10 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. While he appreciates the hype, Trotter is focused on the here and the now.

“It’s definitely a blessing,” Trotter said. “It’s definitely exciting when you think about it. But I don’t let those rankings get into my head too much. I don’t want to stop doing what I did to get to this point. Of course, in my mind, I’m the best around. I know the work I’m putting in is paying off, so I just need to put my head down and keep working.”

No. 2, Barrett Carter, LB

Carter made the transition to WILL (weakside linebacker) while Trenton Simpson was dealing with injuries last season, and it didn’t take long for the move to become permanent.

Head coach Dabo Swinney says Carter is, “One of the best pure football players I’ve had in 20 years”

The All-American enters 2023 credited by the coaching staff with 103 career tackles (11.5 for loss), 5.5 sacks, nine pass breakups, two forced fumbles, two interceptions and a fumble recovery in 1,011 career snaps over 25 games (14 starts). In 2022, he joined Butkus Award winners Nakobe Dean and Isaiah Simmons among recent Power Five players to post at least ten tackles for loss, five sacks, multiple interceptions and multiple forced fumbles in a single season.

Carter said he thought Clemson’s defense was good last season. Just not good enough.

“Definitely. Even if we have the No. 1 defense in the country, I still think that we have so much room for improvement and that’s just the mindset we all have,” Carter said. “We're always striving to get better, but definitely have some good things from last year and have a lot of things we can work on. We just have a long way to go to get to where we want to be and that’s to a national championship. So, we just got to watch the film and correct the mistakes.”

Carter then said he thinks he is part of the best linebacker tandem in the country.

“I think that's our mindset every day. We don't really pay attention to what everyone wants to say,” he said. “So I guess we'll leave that to the people to decide, but as far as like, our confidence, our mindset, that's just how we step out on the field every day.”

He said their relationship off the field is a plus.

“I think the brotherhood that we have off the field. This is my roommate. Right? Regardless if we walk off the field mad with each other we're going to the same place, so we have to make up eventually. Just having that bond off the field. It really allows us to communicate better on the field and just lead everyone and helps us perform better.”

No. 1, Cade Klubnik, QB

Clemson’s offense will go as far as Klubnik takes it this season. He only started one game last season, the Orange Bowl, but played the majority of the game against North Carolina in the ACC Championship after replacing DJ Uiagalelei.

He enters 2023 having completed 61-of-100 career passes for 697 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions in 224 snaps over ten games (one start). He also rushed 42 times for 139 yards and two touchdowns as a freshman in 2022.

However, Klubnik has a new offense to work with under Garrett Riley, one that will better showcase his skills.

“Just super excited for what he’s going to bring and what he’s already brung. Just kind of a fresh start for this offense and a fresh start for this program,” Klubnik said. “I love the offense. It’s efficient and it’s productive. It reminds me a lot of my high school offense, less plays but just doing less and doing it better and I’m loving it and I’m loving the style, just the freedom in the offense.”

Riley comes to Clemson after having plenty of success in his career so far, most recently as the offensive coordinator of TCU and taking the Horned Frogs to the National Championship. His credibility as a successful coach is one of the many reasons Klubnik and the rest of the team are excited about their new coordinator.

“Just credibility, what he’s done in the past few years is exciting, and you take a guy like (former TCU QB) Max Duggan, who has a pretty good career, and makes him a Heisman Trophy finalist,” Klubnik said. “Just what he can do with any type of quarterback, it (excites) me and see what he’s able to do with this offense.”

One main difference between Riley and the previous offensive coordinator, Brandon Streeter, is efficiency. Klubnik explained that under Streeter, the Tigers would come into games with about 80 play calls; with Riley, this number is now down to about 30. Riley’s offensive scheme is about running a few plays but doing them to perfection.

“So, just being able to run less plays and getting really, really good at it,” Klubnik said. “(Riley)’s even said, ‘It doesn’t matter if they know what the play is. We’re still going to be able to beat them at it.’”

He told us after the spring game that he was ready to improve his leadership skills and lead the team over the summer.

"I can’t wait to lead this offense and lead this team throughout the summer,” Klubnik said. "We were just talking as a team a second ago and Coach Swinney says, ‘We’ll hit you up in August.’ First day of fall camp we want to see the best … I’m just excited to push guys to places they’ve never been before, in a good way. Just encourage guys and lead them. I’m just so excited for the guys we have coming back. Just going into the summer excited for skills and drills, excited to get to work.

"Summer is just really when a team transforms."

Summer workouts are when player leaders step to the front.

"I'd say the summer is a time for us to get to work. It's very player-led. Skills and drills we're having pretty much two to three practices a week just as players,” Klubnik said. “No coaches are out there so just a time for leaders to step up on the offense and the defense. I think that really makes the team because it's guys having to be pushed and push themselves for the first time ever so it's really good for the guys that haven't had a full summer yet."