Clemson football injury report for Wake Forest game: Defense missing big pieces

Clemson football's defensive backfield is without three key players against at Wake Forest.

Safety Andrew Mukuba and cornerbacks Sheridan Jones and Malcolm Greene won't be available when the fifth-ranked Tigers (3-0, 1-0) play Saturday (noon, ABC) against No. 16 Wake Forest (3-0, 0-0) in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. In addition, defensive end Xavier Thomas, who was hopeful to make his return after foot surgery in August, did not make the trip. Reserve defensive tackle Tre Williams is out with injury as well.

The good news for Clemson is that All-ACC defensive tackles Tyler Davis and Bryan Bresee are both available. Davis suffered an undisclosed injury in the season-opener against Georgia Tech and has not played since. Bresee missed last week's game against Louisiana Tech after the death of his 15-year-old sister, Ella, to brain cancer.

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In Clemson's past 29 games, the trio of Davis, Bresee and Thomas, all expected to be top NFL draft picks, has been on the field together only six times. The Tigers are 6-0 in those games.

Thomas has started 19 games in his career and has 112 tackles and 12½ sacks. He has suffered through illness and injury for the past two seasons and returned for a fifth season to help Clemson return to the ACC championship game but also to raise his stock for the NFL draft. He was once considered a first-round pick.

Mukuba, who injured an elbow last week in practice, will play in a brace when he returns to the field, which could be next week at home against N.C. State. Cornerback Nate Wiggins, who had a stinger (neck and spine injury), is available today but could be limited. Clemson is likely to go with freshmen Jeadyn Lukus and Toriano Pride Jr. at corner along with Fred Davis. Jaylyn Phillips, R.J. Mickens and Tyler Venables will handle things at safety.

Todd Shanesy covers Clemson athletics for the USA TODAY Network.

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson football defense missing key pieces with injury at Wake Forest