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. 11 on the list.
No. 11: Cade Stewart
Class: Redshirt senior
Position: center
Height: 6-3
Weight: 305
Bio: Stewart has been a backup the last three seasons at the position while logging in 698 career snaps in 37 games. He played in 13 games last season, recording a career-high 335 snaps. He played in six games in which he recorded at least 27 snaps. He had a season-high 40 against Boston College, while getting 32 against Charlotte and 30 against Wake Forest. He had 28 snaps in the Tigers’ win over the Gamecocks, while also tallying 28 in the ACC Championship Game against Virginia. He had 27 snaps in the win over NC State.
Why No. 11: This might seem a little high for a guy who has not started a game in his previous four years at Clemson, but remember, other than quarterback, the center position is the second most important position on any offense. The center is responsible for making all the blocking calls and making sure everyone up front understands their assignment and that it is communicated properly to them. Stewart has been in the system a long time. He has worked with quarterback Trevor Lawrence and he is trusted by offensive line coach Robbie Caldwell. Those are the reasons, plus his leadership on and off the field, why he came out of the spring as the projected starter heading into fall camp.
They said it: “We have some good ones. I am excited about Cade, first of all. I think Cade is one of the more powerful guys we have had in our offensive line. He has done a nice job for us and he is ready to step in. I think he is going to be great.” –Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney
25 most important Clemson Tigers of 2020:
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