How do you rank the 25 most important players on a squad’s roster?
It is not easy. However, I rank them based on their past performance, experience and who is behind them on the depth chart, as well as their level of talent.
Here is my ranking of the 25 most important players on Clemson’s 2020 football roster. Here is No. 19 on the list.
No. 19: Jordan Williams
Class: Redshirt junior
Position: defensive tackle
Height: 6-4
Weight: 310
Bio: Williams played in 15 games last year, while recording 31 tackles and 5.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage. He also had 2.5 sacks and broke up two passes from his defensive tackle position. Williams has played in 27 games in his Clemson career and has 44 tackles. Had a career-high five tackles against Louisville and one of his 2.5 sacks was an 8-yard loss against South Carolina.
Why No. 19: Williams will be competing for one of the Tigers’ two defensive tackle spots. He can play both, which provides experience depth for the interior of the line. His experience is invaluable, as he and fellow defensive tackle Nyles Pinckney, a senior, are the veteran leaders on a defensive line that is incredibly talented but is young. Williams will be able to help younger players, such as true freshman Bryan Bresee, come along slowly and grasp what they are doing instead of being throw into the fire and forced to learn the hard way. Last spring, Williams was forced to sit out practice with an injury, which forced him to take on more of a leadership role and be more of a coach on the field. He said that experience helped him grow and develop last season and this past spring as well.
They said it: “Last year, I had to take on a different kind of role, more as a coach or a student of the game and had to watch more and look at it from a different angle. Now that I was able to look at those things and adjust to them last season, I have more knowledge this spring to focus on the little things that can help me be a better player.”—Jordan Williams from this past spring
25 most important Clemson Tigers of 2020:
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