Clemson football's defensive line nearing full complement of starters headed to NFL

CLEMSON – Clemson football’s fearsome foursome on the defensive line, members of which have been projected at one time or another as first-round NFL draft picks and are expected to turn pro after this season, has been together for three years.

Xavier Thomas and Myles Murphy on the ends. Bryan Bresee and Tyler Davis in the middle. That's a line that should end with an exclamation mark instead of a question mark.

They’ve started in the same game exactly twice.

Two. That’s it.

And those were rather meaningless games in the big picture of trying to win championships. It was last season, the second and third on the schedule, against South Carolina State and Georgia Tech, respectively.

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The Fab Four has almost never been in tune.

But it could happen soon.

It might not be this week, when fifth-ranked Clemson (3-0) plays Saturday (noon, ABC) at No. 16 Wake Forest (3-0). There is a strong possibility, however, of a reunion performance Oct. 1 at home against No. 11 N.C. State.

Thomas, a graduate student who injured a knee during spring practice, is reportedly nearing a return but not listed on the latest depth chart. Davis, a senior, got hurt in the season opener against Georgia Tech and hasn’t played since. He’s apparently ready. Bresee is expected to play Saturday, even after losing his 15-year-old sister, Ella, last week to brain cancer. He missed the 48-20 win against Louisiana Tech to be with her in her final days. Meanwhile, Murphy has kept the steady beat as far as trying to win a ring goes.

Clemson co-defensive coordinator Mickey Conn broke into a smile Monday and almost interrupted the question about what it’s going to be like when the linemen are fully healthy at the same time.

“It’s going to feel real good,” Conn said.

“It’s going to be what we expected it to be, the vision we had from the summer,” said defensive end K.J. Henry, who also could jump to the NFL after this season. “I think we’ve been a wrecking force so far, but the sky’s the limit when everybody’s healthy. That being said, the game we play, I don’t know if we’ll ever get everybody healthy, especially 100 percent. Nobody’s going to be 100 percent. But as we start to get guys matriculated back in, we’re just going to keep getting better and better.”

In the meantime, defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro has emerged as not only a candidate for a leading role at Clemson next season put as a possible NFL draft pick after this season. Defensive end Kevin Swint has become a standout as a junior. Sophomore defensive tackles DeMonte Capehart and Payton Page are coming on strong as well.

“It’s good for us to go out there and get that experience now,” Page said. “When Bryan and TD get back, my playing time will decrease. Right now, I have to get experience and confidence so when I get back in there, it’s going to click.”

“The great thing,” Conn said, “is these young players are getting an opportunity to get in there. And they’re good. Payton Page had two pressures (against Louisiana Tech). He’s getting a lot of knock-back. Capehart was getting a lot of knock-back. Those guys came in and answered the call.

“If we play, hopefully, a 15-game season, you’ve got to build that depth. You’ve got to build that confidence. I’m excited we got to do it here early.”

Todd Shanesy covers Clemson athletics for the USA TODAY Network.

This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: Clemson football expects healthy defensive line of NFL prospects soon