Now that he’s revealed he’ll be playing a sixth and final season at Clemson, Xavier Thomas has certain expectations for both himself and the team in 2023.
Thomas, who used his COVID year to return this past fall, expected this season to be his last at Clemson, but being limited to just three games allowed him to redshirt. The Tigers’ veteran defensive end recently detailed with The Clemson Insider why he opted to return for one more year rather than heading off to the NFL, a decision that had a lot to do with his health after multiple breaks to the same bone in his foot cost him much of this season.
After undergoing a second surgery in November, Thomas is in a protective boot that he anticipates wearing until at least late February, he said, which would get him back on the field in time for spring practice. That’s when he hopes to start showing that he can be more than just a speed rusher off the edge, the trait the 6-foot-2, 260-pound Thomas is best known for on the football field.
“Really just continuing to work and really showing off my versatility this year,” Thomas said. “Playing all over the field and rushing from a lot of different positions. Standing up all across the line and just being able to really just go out there and really doing what I was going to be able to do this year. Obviously, the foot held me back.”
Thomas has 30 tackles for loss and 14.5 sacks in 49 career games for the Tigers, stats he added to in his limited snaps this season. He missed the first five games after initially suffering the injury during preseason camp before returning against Boston College on Oct. 8 with two sacks and a forced fumble on just six snaps.
Thomas saw his workload gradually increase in wins over Florida State and Syracuse, and he revealed the coaching staff was preparing more packages for him ahead of Clemson’s game at Notre Dame on Nov. 5. But he broke the same bone again during practice that week and didn’t play against the Fighting Irish.
After a frustrating season, he said he’s eager for a healthy one in which he’s able to show his full arsenal.
“It was unfortunate. But really just being able to show off all that I can do outside of just rushing off the edge,” Thomas said. “Going to be doing all the different things this year.”
Thomas isn’t the only significant contributor returning for the Tigers. Fellow defensive linemen Tyler Davis, Ruke Orhorhoro and Justin Mascoll as well as starting defensive backs Sheridan Jones and Jalyn Phillips are back from what was a top-30 defense nationally this season. Clemson’s offense is also in line to return more than half of its starters off an 11-win team, including quarterback Cade Klubnik, who took over that designation in the Orange Bowl and played in 10 games as a true freshman.
Because of that, Thomas said the expectations for a program that’s gone 12 straight seasons with double-digit wins aren’t being lowered. If anything, in Thomas’ opinion, they should be higher.
“The sky’s the limit, I would say. We’re getting a lot of guys back,” Thomas said. “Very talented and experienced in the defensive room, and a lot of guys on offense as well. We’ve got Cade, who got the experience throughout the later part of the season. So going into next season, that should be good for him and just the offensive morale overall, I would say.
“It’s going to be a great year. Expectations are definitely through the roof.”
Publisher Robert MacRae contributed to this story.
Dear Old Clemson has added the Tiger Sack Pack to our online store. Save by getting the Two Pack of signed cards from two of the nation’s top defensive ends, Myles Murphy and Xavier Thomas.
Now there is a new way you can support Clemson student-athletes. Purchase collectibles from Dear Old Clemson and the proceeds with go to support Clemson student-athletes. 
Dear Old Clemson is doing NIL the ‘Clemson way’, but we need your help to make sure we build a sustainable, repeatable model that will help keep Clemson competitive with the other top programs around the nation.
Dabo Swinney: “We need your assistance more than ever to provide meaningful NIL opportunities. Tiger Impact, Dear Old Clemson and other collectives allow student-athletes to utilize their voice and platform to maximize their NIL opportunities and strengthen their impact in the community.”
Graham Neff:
“Tiger Impact, Dear Old Clemson and other collectives need your support to help provide meaningful NIL opportunities for our student athletes. We are doing things the right way, the Clemson way with integrity as a non-negotiable and we fully support the mission of these groups.”
Join the Tiger Club or Lady Tiger Club to help these great student-athletes and help the Tigers compete at the highest level!
