Clemson senior Adam Randall is set to rewrite his legacy in Tiger town this 2025 College Football season — not as a wide receiver, but as a force in the backfield.
After three seasons of catching passes from the signal caller, Randall is embracing a bold transition to running back, bringing a rare combination of size, speed and experience to the young position group.
The 6-foot-2, 225-pound wide out has spent his first three years at Clemson hauling in 48 receptions for 533 yards and two touchdowns. While these are solid numbers, a lot of fans expected more production over the course of his career due to his highly-touted high school career. Not to mention an ACL tear to start his collegiate career and inconsistent playing time hindered his ability on the field as well.
Coming out of high school, Randall was a four-star prospect and a top 20 wide receiver nationally after posting 2,493 receiving yards and 28 receiving touchdowns in his three-year varsity tenure at Myrtle Beach High School.
However, most don’t know he also saw a good bit of snaps out of the backfield.
As a junior in 2020, Randall was used at the position in four separate games, carrying the ball 11 times for 78 yards and one touchdown, previewing his adaptability and out-of-position strengths.
His best year at the position came in his final year, where he would reach a career-high in all running back statistics. The 225-pound receiver was utilized in eight games and racked up 45 carries for 325 yards and seven touchdowns with zero fumbles.
These performances foreshadowed Clemson’s 2024 loss in the College Football Playoffs, where Randall flashed his potential at the position with a 41-yard rush — marking his first touches since high school — sparking curiosity around a possible position change.
With the departure of star RB Phil Mafah, the starting running back spot is wide open, and the rising senior may throw his helmet in the mix of potential takers that include Gideon Davidson (FR), Keith Adams Jr. (RS JR), Jarvis Greene (RS SO), and David Eziomume (RS FR).
Clemson’s spring camp unveiled Randall as a legitimate threat at running back — coaches have praised his natural instincts, though technique is definitely his biggest work in-progress. Randall acknowledges that the finer points are difficult, but he is embracing the role with a clear goal: “why not give it a shot?” He acknowledged that this change could improve his chances of making the NFL and change the course of his Clemson career.
“I’m glad I’ve had the opportunity to have this spring, just to kind of take it slow and break it down and continue to learn the details,” he said. “Running with the ball isn’t the most difficult part. But all the other aspects that people don’t see in the game is what I’ve been trying to learn.”
Adam Randall
As the Tigers begin their new journey with the senior, Randall’s versatility could be the X‑factor in a crowded backfield. What was once a sideline move is now a strategic shift — one that may define not only Clemson’s offense in 2025, but the trajectory of Randall’s football path.
