Most of the players in Clemson’s 2020 signing class have already arrived on campus and started their college careers.
Fifteen of the Tigers’ 23 signees enrolled early in January, giving themselves a chance to get ahead of the game and enabling them to go through spring practice as they look to make an instant impact in the fall.
In the 12th installment of our Impact Freshmen series detailing Clemson’s midyear enrollees, The Clemson Insider takes an in-depth look at tight end Sage Ennis.
Hometown (high school): Graceville, Florida (Lincoln)
Height, weight: 6-4, 230
Prospect ratings/rankings: 3-star, No. 7 TE-H, No. 66 state, No. 188 regional (ESPN); 3-star, No. 18 TE, No. 57 state, No. 453 national (247Sports); 3-star, No. 26 TE, No. 95 state, NR national (Rivals)
High school stats/accolades: Scored nine touchdowns on just 23 carries as a goal-line Wildcat back as a junior in 2018 … recorded 113 receptions for 1,783 yards and 17 touchdowns over his career as a tight end … scored at least one touchdown of at least 50 yards in each of his three seasons playing the position … rushed for 13 touchdowns, giving him 30 total rushing and receiving touchdowns for his career … recorded 40 catches for 560 yards and seven touchdowns in 2019 … had four catches for 147 yards and two touchdowns plus a rushing touchdown vs. Navarre High … posted 81 rushing yards and 66 receiving yards in season opener … added six catches for 125 receiving vs. Chiles … finished 2018 season with 39 receptions for 596 yards and four scores … had best game against Raines with seven catches for 102 yards … played quarterback as a sophomore and completed 86-of-175 passes for 1,529 yards and nine touchdowns, including a 96-yard touchdown pass … completed 17-of-26 passes for 323 yards and two scores against Chipley … completed 12-of-20 passes for 326 yards and two scores vs. Lafayette … started at tight end as a freshman and registered 34 receptions for 627 yards and six scores … had career-best 18.4 yards per catch as a freshman … had five catches for 107 receiving yards against West Gadsden
Strengths: Ennis is an all-around athlete that will play tight end for the Tigers but had experience at quarterback, running back, defensive end and linebacker during his high school career as well. He also played a season of baseball at Lincoln in the spring of 2017 and ran sprints in track and field. Strong and well-built at 6-foot-4, 230 pounds, Ennis ran a 4.81-second 40-yard dash, clocked a 4.43 shuttle time and recorded a 31-inch vertical jump at a combine last February. A hybrid tight end, Ennis is both a physical blocker and a receiving threat with good hands and route-running ability that can be a mismatch against linebackers and safeties. He has the versatility to line up attached to the tackle on the line of scrimmage or split out wide. Ennis’s big body and ability to high point the football and grab contested catches should make him a desirable target in the red zone.
How he fits in: Ennis participated in the Dabo Swinney Camp for a day last summer and was easily the best tight end on the field. He showed the Tigers all they needed to see to extend a scholarship offer, and he subsequently committed to Clemson 12 days later over hometown team Florida State. Ennis enrolled early in January and enters a position group looking for more production in the passing game next season. There will be a lot of competition at tight end in the spring with Ennis, Braden Galloway, J.C. Chalk, Luke Price, Davis Allen and Jaelyn Lay. The Tigers are very high on Ennis and believe he has the skillset and potential to eventually develop into a tight end comparable to Jordan Leggett, Dwayne Allen and/or Michael Palmer.
Coach speak: Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney on Ennis — “Sage is long, really a long kid, a great athlete, great ball skills and as tough as they come. Super, super excited. I think we absolutely knocked it out of the park with Sage.”
Clemson tight ends coach Danny Pearman on Ennis — “Sage, he’s another kid who’s a raw, athletic kid who has a toughness quality to him that I like. He also has the ability to be a good route-runner. So, we look forward to getting him in our program. He’s already in school, and look forward to seeing him develop this offseason.”
TCI’s previous Impact Freshmen articles:
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