2023 Clemson Football Season Preview: Safety - Mukuba, Phillips, Mickens, and More

[Reinhardt]

Looking Back at 2022 Clemsons passing defense had a down season last year and the safeties were part of the Mukuba had an excellent freshman campaign in 2021 that saw him named to PFFs AllACC 2nd Team. Expectations were understandably skyhigh for his sophomore campaign. Unfortunately, a dislocated elbow and several other injuries knocked his year off kilter. His PFF grade tanked and opponents hit on big plays all too often. He still played 579 snaps, but he was compromised by injury and it showed on the , RJ Mickens was still exceptional. He led all Clemson safeties in PFF grade and interceptions 3 Jakarrion Kenan Jersey. Jalyn Phillips led the group in snaps with 670 and proved to be quite reliable. Sherod Covil got 158 snaps as a true freshman and was a valuable contributor. Tyler Venables played 24snaps and posted a very low PFF grade in the process. As with Mukuba, he wasnt 100% healthy and it likely hurt his 2023Clemsons top three safeties by snap count all return, giving them a very veteran group. Andrew Mukuba is the biggest name and there is an expectation that he can exceed the high bar he set as a freshman now that he is healthy. He is up 10lbs from the 185lbs he played at last season which will hopefully help keep him healthy and allow him to be a bit more physical. PFF is betting on a bounceback season and has him as a preseason thirdteam Phillips used his COVID year to come back and try to elevate his game from steady and reliable to NFL draftworthy. Well see if he takes that jump, but even if he doesnt he is a valuable contributor. PFF also has him as a preseason thirdteam AllACC Mickens returns and while he isnt listed as a starter at safety, they have to find a way to get him on the field as much as possible. He played 524 snaps last season and finished fifth in the ACC in PFF grade. At 210lbs, he is Clemsons biggest safety. PFF has him on their preseason secondteam AllACC roster. With the lack of depth at linebacker, we may see all three safeties on the field together with one of them at the nickel and only two linebackers. Andrew Mukuba has taken snaps at nickel in Fall Camp. However they find snaps for him, RJ Mickens is a key player for this those three, there is strong depth at safety thanks to sophomore Sherod Covil and freshman Khalil Barnes https://www.clemsontigersfansshop.com/293-Sherrod_Covil_Jr_Jersey. Covil was a fourstar. 9202 from Chesapeake, VA regarded for his physicality. He should get an extended opportunity to showcase that in a reserve role this season. Khalil Barnes of course was the star of the Clemson Spring Game, snagging the gamewinning interception. He is another former fourstar. 8941 and joins Clemson from Bogart, GA near Athens. As a recruit, 247Sports listed him at 185lbs, but he just weighed in at 199. Assuming that is good weight, he could be a guy that makes meaningful contributions right away, especially on special all that depth, it isnt the worst thing that Tyler Venables is headed for a redshirt. Unfortunately, he tore his hip and was going to have to play through injury if he took the field this year. Instead, hell use his redshirt https://www.clemsontigersfansshop.com/307-Cj_Kubah_taylor_Jersey. He came to Clemson in 2020 so he will be a redshirt senior in 2024 and still have a COVID waiver in his back pocket if he wants to play in 2025. In the event that Mukuba, Mickens, and Phillips all leave after this season, Venables will be critical in 2024 along with the aforementioned Covil and Griffin redshirted last season and adds to the depth. He was a threestar out of Montgomery, AL who played just four defensive snaps last season. The safety room is rounded out by true freshmen Kylen Webb from Tampa, FL, Rob Billings from Milton in the Atlanta suburbs, and walkon Carson Donnelly.