ESPN Names Sleeper Player, X Factors, Biggest Question for Clemson

Ahead of the upcoming college football season, ESPN went through its post-spring top 25 rankings and named one “sleeper” for every top 25 team , as well as the X factors for every team .

Clemson (9-4, 4-4 ACC in 2023) is ranked No. 16 in ESPN’s post-spring top 25.

For the Tigers, ESPN’s “sleeper” pick as an under-the-radar player who’s poised to break out is junior linebacker Wade Woodaz:

The talk at linebacker around Clemson largely centers on three players: The one who left (Jeremiah Trotter Jr.), the one who stayed (Barrett Carter) and the one who just arrived (five-star recruit Sammy Brown). The name missing from that conversation is Woodaz, who has racked up 5.5 sacks, two picks, 11.5 tackles for loss and a ton of big reps over two years with the Tigers and will be stepping into a full-time starting role in 2024.

Dabo Swinney raved about Woodaz’s work this offseason, and he made a point of noting that, for all the buzz surrounding Brown, it’s clear who’s ahead on the depth chart today.

A defensive weapon whose versatility has led to his usage at both linebacker and safety, Woodaz enters 2024 credited with 51 total tackles, three pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery along with the aforementioned 5.5 sacks, 11.5 tackles for loss and two interceptions over 27 games (six starts) since his arrival to Clemson in 2022.

Last season, the 6-foot-3, 230-pounder tallied 31 tackles (6.0 for loss), 4.0 sacks, two interceptions (returned a combined 94 yards with one touchdown) and a fumble recovery across 13 games (five starts).

Meanwhile, ESPN cited Clemson’s true freshman receivers – Bryant Wesco and TJ Moore – as the biggest X factors that could “make or break” the Tigers’ season:

It’s no secret Clemson has struggled to develop receivers in recent years. Highly ranked prospects like Joe Ngata, Frank Ladson Jr., E.J. Williams Jr., Ajou Ajou, Beaux Collins and Dacari Collins have come and gone without blossoming into stars (or, in several cases, contributing virtually nothing at all). On the other hand, freshmen have largely led the way — Collins in 2021, Antonio Williams in 2022 and Tyler Brown last season — though their development hit a wall after that for varying reasons. That certainly hasn’t helped Clemson’s oft-criticized quarterbacks. In 2024, however, there’s a chance to turn that trend around. Brown returns following a strong freshman campaign, and Antonio Williams should be healthy. Troy Stellato and Adam Randall get another shot to prove their value. But the real excitement comes from two freshmen: TJ Moore and Bryant Wesco. Both were ranked as top-50 recruits by ESPN, and Wesco turned heads as an early enrollee, scoring in the Tigers’ spring game. If they make an impact as freshmen, it could be the key to a rejuvenated passing game — and a trip to the College Football Playoff.

Moore, who was ranked by ESPN as the No. 12 receiver and No. 50 overall prospect in the 2024 recruiting class, enrolled at Clemson this summer. Across his junior and senior seasons at Tampa (Fla.) Catholic, Moore tallied 92 receptions for 2,293 yards and 30 touchdowns while averaging 96 receiving yards per game. He registered 100 receiving yards in 12 games over his final two years.

Wesco, who enrolled early at Clemson in January, was ranked by ESPN as the No. 7 wideout and No. 28 overall prospect in the country for the 2024 class. Wesco recorded 109 receptions for 1,903 yards and scored 29 touchdowns during his prep career at Midlothian (Texas) High. He posted 36 catches for 619 yards and 13 touchdowns in just seven games as a senior after hauling in 56 passes for 1,072 yards and 12 scores as a junior.

ESPN also weighed in on the biggest question mark for the Tigers heading into this season, pointing to the quarterback position and junior Cade Klubnik, who is entering his second full season as Clemson’s starter:

Here’s a mind-boggling stat: From 2015 to 2020, Clemson had the ACC’s best Total QBR against FBS opponents. From 2021 to 2023, the Tigers ranked dead last. Cade Klubnik isn’t responsible for all of that, and there are certainly other factors at play (O-line, wide receiver), but if there’s one big overarching issue that has kept Clemson from the playoff the past three years, it’s the quarterback. Klubnik had his share of strong moments in 2023, but he also made some questionable decisions against Duke and Florida State that likely cost the Tigers wins.

Klubnik and backup Chris Vizzina struggled in the Tigers’ spring game, adding more concern from an already nervous fan base. Of course, Klubnik was also a former five-star recruit, and Dabo Swinney has continued to sing his quarterback’s praises. Could he take a big leap forward in his second full season as the starter? If he does, it could be Clemson’s ticket back into national title contention.

A former five-star prospect and former Texas Gatorade Player of the Year, Klubnik had an up-and-down season as a first-year starter in 2023, but also flashed his potential during a year that he finished with a 64 percent completion percentage, 2,844 passing yards and 19 passing touchdowns with nine interceptions, to go with 182 rushing yards and four rushing scores.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney believes Klubnik will take a big step forward in the upcoming campaign.

“He was a first-year starter, and we’re just so quick to crucify people, if you will, if they’re not some Johnny All-American the first time they step on the field,” Swinney said this week . “And if that was the standard, for especially a quarterback, there’s some of the best quarterbacks that have played college football, and even in the NFL, would’ve never happened. Guys get better, and it’s a developmental game.

“If you’re made of the right stuff – and you’ve got to have the talent – but if you’ve got the talent and you’re made of the right stuff, the right type of character, football character, work ethic, will to improve, then you’re going to get better, and he’s got all that. So, we expect him to take another big step for us, and he’s really not that far.”

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