Who starts in 2024? Way-too-early depth chart for Clemson football offense

In less than seven months, the Clemson football team will be suiting up for a marquee season opener against Georgia in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

But who trots out first?

With coach Dabo Swinney’s roster mostly set for 2024 — outside of seven summer enrollees, everyone is on campus and taking classes as of this month — here’s an early stab at Clemson’s two-deep depth chart for Week 1.

As a reminder, the Tigers are currently at capacity with 85 scholarship players in the fold and aren’t expected to sign any more 2024 recruits during next week’s national signing day after signing 22 in the December early period.

Quarterback

QB: Cade Klubnik (Christopher Vizzina)

Swinney and Clemson remain all in on Klubnik, as evidenced by their decision to (a) not sign a high school quarterback for the 2024 class and (b) also pass on bringing in a veteran from the transfer portal. Nobody can doubt Klubnik’s talent, and he pulls out a ridiculous, NFL-worthy throw every game. But he still has room to grow physically (Swinney wants him to add another 10-15 pounds) and must improve his decision-making, especially in critical moments.

Vizzina is the only other scholarship quarterback on the roster and will get a chance to prove himself as QB2 in spring ball. Don’t rule out walk-on Trent Pearman pushing him for the spot. Paul Tyson, last year’s third-stringer, will be a student coach who could play in an emergency.

Running back

RB: Phil Mafah (Jay Haynes)

Clemson has its first undisputed RB1 since Travis Etienne in 2020. After sharing the backfield with NFL-bound Will Shipley his first three seasons, Mafah gets it all to himself in 2024. The sky’s the limit for the bruising senior, was dominant as a lead back last year against Notre Dame (36 carries, 186 yards, two touchdowns) and Kentucky in the Gator Bowl (11 carries, 71 yards, four touchdowns). As for workload concerns? Mafah hasn’t missed a game the past two years.

True freshman David Eziomume is interesting, but Haynes (two touchdowns on 14 snaps) gets the RB2 nod over Keith Adams Jr. because he’s a quicker, more dynamic change of pace option. Adams played some fullback last year in jumbo packages and could reprise that role.

Wide receiver

Outside WR: Troy Stellato (Cole Turner)

Slot WR: Tyler Brown (T.J. Moore)

Outside WR: Antonio Williams (Adam Randall)

Brown was Clemson’s most productive wide receiver as a freshman (52 catches, 531 yards, four touchdowns last season) and is best out of the slot. One can’t forget Williams, a 2022 Freshman All American who redshirted in 2023 but had a gutsy performance in the Gator Bowl. Stellato (38-321-1) gets an early nod for the third spot because of his chemistry with Klubnik, but Turner (who’s 6-foot-1 and remarkably good at jump balls) could operate as a fourth starter.

Make this a Week 6 depth chart instead of Week 1 and you might see Moore, a newly minted five-star recruit, in a starting spot. Slot guys tend to make earlier impacts than outside guys at Clemson, so here’s to assuming Moore will have a better year than Bryant Wesco Jr., another tantalizing freshman talent. Randall (22-250-0) seems committed to riding it out at Clemson.

Tight end

TE: Jake Briningstool (Josh Sapp)

This one’s pretty straightforward. Briningstool isn’t an elite blocker, but he’s an excellent receiving tight end and had 50 catches for 498 yards and a team-high five touchdowns in 2023. He’s one of Klubnik’s favorite targets and, as such, should put up big numbers as a senior.

In a deep room that’ll have five guys on scholarship for 2024, Sapp is the backup who’s proven the most. Clemson thought enough of Olsen Patt-Henry to play him in six games last year instead of redshirting him, so he’s another option.

Offensive line

LT: Tristan Leigh (Collin Sadler)

LG: Collin Sadler (Trent Howard)

C: Marcus Tate (Ryan Linthicum)

RG: Walker Parks (Harris Sewell)

RT: Blake Miller (Zack Owens)

New offensive line coach Matt Luke is putting in work on the recruiting trail for 2025, but he has a big challenge with his current position group, which was injured and inconsistent last year. The return of starting guards Marcus Tate and Walker Parks should help, and one positive of so many offensive line combinations last year was that seven guys got starting experience.

Still, this group is a toss-up to project and a potential weak spot for 2024. Two-year starting right tackle Miller will have a spot. Same for Parks and Tate. Center is an open competition with Will Putnam graduating, and it’s possible a guard shifts over to the spot (as Putnam himself did). It wouldn’t be surprising to see Howard, Sewell or true freshman Elyjah Thurmon break through.

Clemson football 2024 schedule

• Aug. 31: vs. Georgia (at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta)

• Sept. 7: vs. App State

• Sept. 14: OPEN

• Sept. 21: vs. NC State

• Sept. 28: vs. Stanford

• Oct. 5: at Florida State

• Oct. 12: at Wake Forest

• Oct. 19: vs. Virginia

• Oct. 26: OPEN

• Nov. 2: vs. Louisville

• Nov. 9: at Virginia Tech

• Nov. 16: at Pitt

• Nov. 23: vs. The Citadel

• Nov. 30: vs. South Carolina