Clemson’s defense was forced to reload after losing several talented players to the NFL draft. They lost three out of four of their starting defensive linemen — Shaq Lawson, Kevin Dodd and D.J. Reader . In addition, they also lost three out of four of their starting members in the secondary — Mackensie Alexander, T.J. Green and Jayron Kearse.
Despite these losses, Clemson’s defense has ranked near the top in almost every major category. They are currently ranked 19th versus the run, 17th versus the pass, fifth in sacks (49) and ninth in forced turnovers (7 fumble recoveries, 20 interceptions). Let’s take a look at some of the impact players we can expect to see in their defensive front-seven.
Carlos Watkins (#94)
Position: Defensive Tackle
Class: Redshirt Senior
Height: 6’3
Weight: 305
Hometown: Mooresboro, North Carolina
2016 Statistics: 44 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, one fumble recovery
Player Analysis: It might come as a surprise to some when they hear that Carlos Watkins isn’t an elite pass-rushing prospect. Yes, he has 10.5 sacks on the season, but there are still some red flags when watching his tape that makes analyst wonder if he will be able to continue that level of production in the NFL.
Still, we aren’t here to talk about Watkins’ potential as an NFL prospect. We are here to talk about his potential as an impact player for Monday’s national championship game against Alabama.
Watkins is an extremely physical defensive tackle that does an excellent job of controlling the line of scrimmage. This is a direct result of Watkins’ upper-body strength and the power that comes with it. When trying to move him in the run game, opposing blockers would be wise to maintain a low pad level and solid leg drive if they want to dig him out of his gap responsibility in the run game.
Moving him out of his gap isn’t likely, but it is possible because Watkins has a recurring issue with his pad level, and as a result, he can lose the leverage game from time to time. Don’t get carried away, however. He is still a force against the run, and Alabama’s ability to establish an inside run game will be a huge factor in determining what kind of success the team has offensively.
Against the pass, Watkins is sort of an anomaly. He has 10.5 sacks this season, but when you watch him on tape, it’s sometimes hard to understand why. He isn’t an overly explosive athlete. It’s not like he is a fast-twitch, pass-rushing terror like Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald or Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Gerald McCoy. Watkins has extremely powerful hands, but they aren’t as active as they should be. He is mainly a threat as a bull-rusher, but that has led to a very productive season for him.
No matter which way you look at it, 10.5 sacks are hard to ignore.
Dexter Lawrence (#90)
Position: Defensive Tackle
Class: Freshman
Height: 6’5
Weight: 340
Hometown: Wake Forest, North Carolina
2016 Statistics: 59 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks, two fumble recoveries, two blocked kicks
Player Analysis: When former nose tackle D.J. Reader left for the NFL draft, a lot of people wondered who would be inserted into the starting lineup next to Carlos Watkins. Well, Dexter Lawrence answered that question in a big way.
Lawrence is a former five-star prospect who was ranked in the top five overall for both Rivals and 247Sports in the 2016 recruiting class. The hype seemed out of control when Lawrence got onto Clemson’s campus, but he quickly proved that the talent matched the hype.
There are some people who are convinced that Lawrence was built in a lab. The guy is 6’5 340-pounds and yet, he has only 18-percent body fat. Even as a true freshman, he is already benching 225-pounds 32 times despite his incredibly long arms. For sake of reference, the most reps of 225-pounds at the 2016 NFL combine was 34 reps which was done by former Arizona State offensive guard Christian Westerman. My point is that Lawrence’s combination of size, physique, strength and movement skills does not grow on trees.
The emergence of Lawrence has quickly made Clemson-faithful forget about D.J. Reader. As good as Carlos Watkins has been against the run, Lawrence can be — and even has been — better. One weakness for Lawrence is that he can sometimes get lazy with his pad-level when offenses sustain long drives that wear him out.
When looking at Lawrence as a pass-rusher, it’s easy to see that he has some ability. He can push the pocket, but he also shows violent, active hands — especially for guy his age. He’s racked up seven sacks this season, and that’s not all that surprising when you consider how well he moves.
It’s only a matter of time before Dexter Lawrence is a household name. He has the mental and physical makeup to be a future first-round draft pick.
Washington’s defensive line was big, strong and productive. While it was originally thought that would cause the Crimson Tide’s inside run game to struggle, quite the opposite happened. The inside run game created the most production for Alabama’s offense during the first round of the college football playoffs. While it’s possible for the Tide to replicate that success, definitely don’t expect it against Clemson’s stout interior.
Ben Boulware (#10)
Position: Linebacker
Class: Senior
Height: 6’0
Weight: 235
Hometown: Anderson, South Carolina
2016 Statistics: 110 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, one interception, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery
Player Analysis: Ben Boulware isn’t going to blow anyone away with his size or athleticism. He is, however, a lot more capable than most people would give him credit for.
Boulware doesn’t have elite speed, but he doesn’t really need it. He is very instinctive, and those strong recognition skills go a long way in allowing him to be an extremely productive linebacker for Clemson’s defense. Despite his short arms, you are always going to see Boulware tackle with sound technique. He’s shows a willingness to mix it up and get physical with opposing offensive linemen, and that has gone a long way in building the identity of Clemson’s defense: being physical.
Boulware is a tough guy with a nasty attitude on a football field. One of the first things you’ll notice about him is his fiery passion that I’m sure will be on display when the lights come on next Monday. Expect him to always be around the football, but don’t be surprised if Alabama tries to exploit Boulware’s limited athleticism.
With Clemson’s elite duo at defensive tackle, trying to make plays off-tackle could be critical in this game. Boulware made a few plays in last year’s national champion game — he still only managed four total tackles — but it wouldn’t be surprising if Sarkisian pressed Boulware’s physical limitations.
That’s a strategy that could backfire, but this Clemson defense is hard to attack so it’s going to be a matter of taking what the defense gives them. Boulware isn’t as physical or instinctive as former Wisconsin linebacker Chris Borland, but he does seem to show similar characteristics. Don’t be surprised to hear his name called early and often come Monday night.
Clint Lamb is a columnist for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “follow” him on Twitter @ClintRLamb.
