When the college football season comes around, one thing is certain: there are players that nobody expects to stand out that play vital roles in a team’s season.
X-factors have been a part of the game since it began. Every team has a few throughout the season, and Clemson football is no stranger to them. Players like Tyler Brown, Shelton Lewis and Khalil Barnes were a few that made their mark throughout the season.
Similar to every season, there are plenty of players that can help the Tigers in ways that many fans don’t see. Here are six of those players that could be able to do that.
Bryant Wesco and T.J. Moore
Freshmen have dominated this list for Clemson over the last few years, especially at receiver. So, why not start with two of the most exciting prospects that the Tigers have had at receiver?
It’s been two straight seasons with the leading receiver being a freshman, Antonio Williams in 2022 and Tyler Brown a season ago. Each year, with players like Beaux Collins and Justyn Ross, there has been a freshman as a key asset in the Tigers’ receiving corps.
Fans know about Wesco already, who made an outstanding one-handed catch in the team’s spring game in April. A five-star recruit from Midlothian, Texas, he also received high praise from coach Tyler Grisham, saying that Wesco “could really help us.”
Grisham also spoke about Moore being a great student of the game, watching film whenever he can. With great hands and an ability to create separation early in his routes, the Tampa freshman provides a different receiver than Wesco, with both being able to make waves early for the Clemson offense.
The team is looking for their next big receiver to join the likes of Ross, Collins, Williams and Brown as a freshman standout. Only time will tell to decide who it will be.
Wade Woodaz
With the departure of Jeremiah Trotter Jr. to the NFL Draft, it leaves a new player to follow in the footsteps of the fifth round pick. Enter Wade Woodaz.
The junior provides incredible versatility to the linebacker room and in his first season as a starter, he did almost everything for the Tigers. He collected four sacks, six tackles for a loss and two interceptions as a sophomore.
Despite being in the shadow of Trotter and Barrett Carter, the Tampa linebacker still had a better season than most linebackers in the ACC. Now an upperclassman on this Clemson defense, do not be surprised if Woodaz erupts and has a better season in his second year as a starter.
Yes, the hype behind future starters Kobe McCloud and Sammy Brown is real, but with the spotlight coming on Woodaz this season, I do not expect him to back down.
DeMonte Capehart
Speaking of spotlight, Capehart finally has the ball in his court following the departure of Tyler Davis and Ruke Orhorhoro to the NFL Draft. The redshirt senior will only have one year to prove his worth before running out of eligibility, but has all the tools to be a NFL Draft prospect.
When looking at the line, most already know the impacts that Peter Woods and T.J. Parker provide. In the limited snaps that Capehart saw in his redshirt junior season, he made a great impact on the team. He had five tackles for a loss, one sack and a forced fumble, and with the mentorship of defensive tackles coach Nick Eason, don’t be surprised if the defensive tackle has a season like Parker and Woods.
Being a run game disruptor and an annoyance for opposing quarterbacks, a good season from Capehart could not only put him in NFL Draft conversations, but help Clemson be one of the best defensive lines in the country once again
Jay Haynes
It’s the first season without the combination of Phil Mafah and Will Shipley since the two stepped on campus in 2020. However, it only means another running back needs to break through and form a duo. For me, it was Jay Haynes.
Backs like Keith Adams Jr. and Jarvis Green also stood out, but Haynes provides a different type of speed that compliments the “power back” style that Mafah has. He showed it in Clemson’s win over Charleston Southern in Week 2, rushing for 28 yards off of four carries and a touchdown.
Not only does he show potential on the ground, but he has seen success in the incredibly limited snaps he saw through the air. He caught a seven yard touchdown pass as well, being an option in the backfield as a receiving back, if needed.
The redshirt freshman also returns kicks, which can always be an X-factor if the Tigers can find a solid returner. With the elusiveness and speed that Haynes provides, he could be a problem when returning kickoffs and giving his team good field position.
There are many different ways Haynes can impact this team, which gives him the nod on this list.
Cole Turner
The wide receiver corps will be the biggest X-factor in Clemson’s season next year, so adding another receiver to this list is not surprising. While players like Antonio Williams and Troy Stellato to this list are fair as well, I thought of Cole Turner to be a vital factor for the Tigers’ offense this season.
Turner missed most of the 2023 season with an abductor injury, which only saw him play against Duke and Florida Atlantic. However, what puts him on this list is the performances he had at the end of the 2022 season, especially in the Tigers’ ACC Championship game.
Being one of quarterback Cade Klubnik’s first full games under center, Turner caught three balls for 103 yards, one being a 68 yard heave from Klubnik that the freshman was able to bring down. He was one of only three others to have a 100-yard receiving game in his first two games, joining Justyn Ross and Artavis Scott. He also caught four balls for 51 yards against Tennessee in the Orange Bowl, making himself one of Klubnik’s reliable targets.
With Turner finally being healthy, the now-redshirt sophomore still has a lot to prove and has the talent to do so. He was one of Klubnik’s reliable targets two seasons ago, and with the disparity that the team needs in having a receiver be one of the best in the conference at the Vestavia Hills, Alabama, standout has shown flashes.
