‘He’s Wired Differently’: Barrett Carter Raves About Sammy Brown

Clemson’s Sammy Brown has yet to play in his first college football game, but the talented true freshman linebacker has already made a big impression on Tigers senior linebacker Barrett Carter.

Carter, a 2022 All-American and 2023 All-ACC selection, raved about Brown on Thursday at the 2024 ACC Football Kickoff in Charlotte.

“First of all, he looks the part already,” Carter said. “Physicality-wise, I would say he’s probably stronger than all of us already. He’s 18, 19 years old, whatever he is.”

A former five-star prospect, Brown enrolled at Clemson in January as a consensus top-35 national prospect according to the major recruiting services. ESPN ranked him as the No. 2 inside linebacker and No. 13 overall prospect nationally in the 2024 class.

It didn’t take the 6-foot-2, 235-pounder long to make an impact in Clemson’s spring game on April 6, when he posted a game-high-tying eight tackles (six solo), a tackle for loss and a sack.

“Sammy, he’s wired differently, to say the least,” Carter said. “He’s come in just hungry and driven with no ego at all. He’s tried to pick my brain as much as possible just to learn the playbook and learn the ins-and-outs of how to be successful at Clemson.”

An all-state selection each of his last three seasons at Jefferson (Ga.) High School, Brown amassed 153 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, three blocked kicks and two interceptions as a senior. He posted outstanding numbers as a running back during his prep career as well, finishing with 4,491 rushing yards and 68 rushing touchdowns.

Brown received the 2023 High School Butkus Award, presented each year to the top high school linebacker in the nation, and also won the All-American Bowl’s Defensive Player of the Year award, among other honors.

Carter knows the potential Brown possesses and what he’s capable of, and he’s excited to see Brown display that for everyone else and show what he can do during his upcoming first season as a Tiger.

“I’m glad that we have him in his program. I like to take credit that he committed because I hosted him on his OV (official visit),” Carter said.

“I’m looking forward to him showing the world who Sammy Brown is, what he’s all about.”