Albert Huggins quietly started to come on for Clemson during the 2016 season.

The sophomore defensive tackle played in all but one game, logging 200 snaps during the regular season with 19 tackles, three tackles for loss and three sacks. He had his best game in one of Clemson’s biggest games, versus then-No. 3 Louisville on Oct. 1, when he recorded four tackles and sacked eventual Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson twice.

With All-American defensive tackle Carlos Watkins moving on, Huggins sees an opportunity for his role to increase next season.

“Yes it is (an opportunity),” Huggins told The Clemson Insider at Clemson’s media day before the Fiesta Bowl in December. “But at the same time, I have to go in there and stay focused and do my thing so it can work out like I want it to.”

When Huggins signed with Clemson as part of its 2015 signing class, it marked the first time Clemson inked the consensus top player in South Carolina since Da’Quan Bowers in 2008.

The Orangeburg native was rated as the No. 76 player and No. 6 defensive tackle in the 2015 recruiting class by Rivals.com. He tallied 208 tackles, 35 tackles for loss and 28 sacks during his high school career, and was a first-team All-American by Parade as a senior after posting 73 tackles, 10 sacks and three forced fumbles.

Huggins possesses tremendous upside, as the stats and accolades suggest, but it has taken time for him to adjust to the college game. He played in just five contests as a freshman in 2015, in part because he admittedly wasn’t serious enough about football and thus wasn’t working up to his full potential in his first year.

But his attitude changed ahead of his sophomore season, and the coaches noticed. He got on the field much more and impressed when he played, even drawing compliments from defensive coordinator Brent Venables in the media at various times throughout the season.

“I still have a lot of work to do,” Huggins said, “but the situation is I’ve gotten better.”

In addition to the mental gains, Huggins has improved from a fundamental standpoint. Used to overpowering offensive linemen in high school with his 6-foot-3, 280-pound frame, Huggins had to learn the proper technique necessary for success against same-sized offensive linemen at the college level.

That’s where guys such as Watkins and Christian Wilkins have helped him out.

“They’ve taught me a lot,” Huggins said. “Carlos, Christian — he came in with me — he’s teaching me a lot.”

Having taken the next step in his development and contributed during Clemson’s national championship season, Huggins is thankful to be in the position he is in.

“It was a blessing,” he said. “I’ve been in some fun games and actually got to say hey, I was a part of this.”

Looking ahead to next season and beyond, Huggins hopes to leave his footprint on Clemson’s program and accomplish enough to be remembered when his career is over.

“I want to leave my mark,” Huggins said. “That’s what everybody’s goals are, and that’s what mine are. Just being able to tell my grandkids that hey, granddad played here and he was a beast.”