When facing off against former five-star recruit Myles Murphy during spring practice, Clemson redshirt sophomore offensive tackle Jordan McFadden found out quickly that the highly touted true freshman defensive end is every bit as good as advertised.

McFadden was asked about Murphy after the Tigers’ practice Friday and had high praise for the 6-foot-5, 265-pound frosh who enrolled at Clemson in January.

“He’s a dog,” McFadden said of Murphy, a consensus top-15 national prospect coming out of Hillgrove High School in Powder Springs, Ga.

“I got to go against him in the spring a good bit, and he’s not a regular freshman, I would say. I don’t know how much he knows in the playbook and things like that, but physically, Myles Murphy is already a really good player and I think he’s only going to get better. He’s physically big, quick, very strong to be an incoming freshman and things like that. So, yeah, Myles Murphy is going to be a dog.”

McFadden, Clemson’s starting right tackle, also discussed some of the other freshmen who have impressed him in fall camp including running back Kobe Pace from Cedartown, Ga., who enrolled this summer.

“He’s a big body,” McFadden said. “He likes contact, he’s very physical. So, he definitely stood out to me.”

McFadden also mentioned a couple of the true freshmen offensive linemen that have performed well in camp — namely Walker Parks and Mitchell Mayes.

Mayes was able to participate in spring practice after enrolling early, while Parks arrived on campus this summer. Both still have a lot to learn, which is to be expected for freshmen, especially newcomers on the offensive line, but their physicality has caught McFadden’s eye.

“Some of the freshmen linemen – Walker Parks, Mitchell Mayes – are grinding physically, doing really well,” McFadden said. “It takes a while to get them to know everything like the back of your hand. But physically, those guys are doing pretty well.”

—photo courtesy Clemson Athletic Communications 

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