Pro Football Focus: Clemson's Offensive Players
Corey Bodden • BlueAndGold.com
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(AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Notre Dame is set to face the No. 2 Clemson Tigers in the Cotton Bowl semifinal on Dec. 29 held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The No. 3 Fighting Irish will have quite the challenge in slowing down the undefeated ACC champions coached by Dabo Swinney.
Heading into the matchup, Blue & Gold Illustrated will have plenty of articles breaking down the contest and how the two teams match up.
In the first of two articles, BGI takes a look at how the Clemson offensive starters and key rotation players have graded out this year, according to Pro Football Focus. A snapshot of the Irish on the respective side of the ball will be provided as well to showcase the grades between the Clemson offense and Notre Dame defense and vice versa.
To begin, let's take a look at how the Clemson offense stacks up against the Notre Dame defense.
Note: Grades highlighted in light blue indicate an elite grade from PFF.
Overall, the group has graded out at 90.4 which is good enough for sixth in the country. On the flip side, the Tigers will face the sixth ranked defense in Notre Dame (94.3).
Upon first glance, one would likely notice the elite grade from PFF for Clemson starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who took over the starting job early in the season. Lawrence will face the 9th best coverage defense in the FBS with the Irish grading out at 92.9 in 12 regular season contests. Boston College was the top mark for the Tigers prior to the Irish at 18th nationally (91.7).
Both cornerback Julian Love and safety Alohi Gilmanhave earned elite grades from the service as well. Love has 15 passes defended on the year, which is tied for 7th nationally, while Gilman has two interceptions.
Another major matchup between the Clemson offense and Notre Dame defense will be in the trenches.
The Irish have four regular defensive linemen — Jerry Tillery, Julian Okwara, Khalid Kareem and Ade Ogundeji— graded higher than the entire Clemson starting unit along the starting offensive line group that allowed just three sacks, per PFF. Notre Dame defensive linemen have combined for 23.5 sacks this year.
Notre Dame has also graded out as the 35th best team in stopping the run with a 92.8 grade while Clemson is 3rd nationally on the ground earning a 92.0 mark through 13 contests. So, something will have to give in this areas as well.
Take a deeper looking into the Tigers individual offensive players, per the grading of PFF, below with starters and key rotational players included.
KEY
PFF Grade = The overall grade for offense or defense for that particular player. Other specific grades will be noted in each section.
PFF (Conference) Rank = Where the player ranks among their position for overall grade within the league.
Note: Conference rankings factor in number of snaps player; N/A = player did not meet threshold
* = Starter
QB TREVOR LAWRENCE*
2018 Stats: 2,606 yards, 24 touchdowns, four interceptions
PFF Grade: 90.0
PFF ACC Position Rank: 2nd
The true freshman has lived up to the high expectations bestowed upon him before his arrival at Clemson. Lawrence has performed well since officially taking over as the starter for the Tigers and posted two of his best three grades over the past month. PFF gave Lawrence a 93.0 mark against South Carolina after he threw for 393 yards and a score which bested his previous best of 83.2 in a victory over Duke (251 yards and two touchdowns).
Though he has a modest 58.5 grade in the run game, Lawrence has notched his best two grades of 72.7 and 69.2 in the last two contests versus rival South Carolina and in the ACC title game against Pittsburgh.
RB TRAVIS ETIENNE*
2018 Stats: 1,464 yards, 21 touchdowns
PFF Grade: 89.2
PFF ACC Position Rank: 1st
While Lawrence has played well, Etienne has taken pressure off the freshman with a stellar season for himself through 13 games. The sophomore will face Notre Dame coming off his second-best grade of 89.7 after rushing for 156 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries. His high-mark came earlier this year in a win over Georgia Southern (93.4) where he added 162 yards and two scores on 16 carries.
Etienne has been good in keeping Lawrence upright with a 71.7 pass block grade and 10 games with at least a 70.0 mark.
RB ADAM CHOICE
2018 Stats: 68 carries, 506 yards, seven touchdowns
PFF Grade: 78.6
PFF ACC Position Rank: 5th
Choice is another part of a talented backfield following Etienne. He does not have the numbers of Etienne as well, but has averaged 7.44 yards per carry. Choice is starting to peak this season with two of his top three grades came in Clemson's past two games against the Gamecocks (86.5) and the Panthers (74.9). In a 77-16 drubbing of Louisville on Nov. 3, Choice posted a top mark of 94.2 adding 43 yards on three carries to the team's efforts.
RB TAVIEN FEASTER
2018 Stats: 71 carries, 409 yards, six touchdowns
PFF Grade: 75.5
PFF ACC Position Rank: 6th
Feaster has the most carries of the running backs behind Etienne, but is not in the top three in rushing yards. In a win over South Carolina, Feaster rushed for 63 yards and a score on nine carries. His next two top grades came in wins over Georgia Tech (81.2) and Georgia Southern (78.0) earlier in the season.
Feaster hasn't fared well in the pass game with an overall mark of 49.2 and a blocking grade of 49.6.
RB LYN-J DIXON
2018 Stats: 56 carries, 536 yards, five touchdowns
PFF Grade: 83.8
PFF ACC Position Rank: N/A (not enough snaps)
Though he has not played the snaps of the three running backs above, Dixon has been explosive in his chances averaging nearly 10 yards per carry. Much of Dixon's damage though came in wins over Wake Forest (91.0) and Louisville (81.8) where he combined for 279 yards and three scores on just 14 carries.
Dixon may not be on the field as much against the Irish, but Clark Lea's defense will need to be ready when he gets a chance.
WR TEE HIGGINS*
2018 Stats: 52 catches, 802 yards, 10 touchdowns
PFF Grade: 88.4
PFF ACC Position Rank: 1st
Higgins has been a tough matchup all season for opposing defenses, and the wide receiver will be challenged likely facing the top-graded Power Five cornerback he's seen this year in Julian Love.
Higgins put together one of his best games of the year against South Carolina reeling in six receptions for 142 yards and a score. For the season, Higgins is averaging 15.4 yards per catch and will be key for Love and company to shut down.
In the run game, Higgins has recorded a 68.5 blocking grade.
WR AMARI RODGERS*
2018 Stats: 46 catches, 514 yards, four touchdowns
PFF Grade: 67.5
PFF ACC Position Rank: 25th
Despite a lower grade, Rodgers ranks second on the team in catches and third in yards and touchdowns. That is due to some inconsistency with seven games with a mark under 60.0, per PFF. During a blowout victory over Florida State, Rodgers recorded his best game of the year (84.4) catching six passes for 156 yards and two touchdowns.
Rodgers has been solid in run blocking with a 71.9 grade when called upon. He will likely see a healthy dose of Pride Jr. if the Irish shawdow Higgins with Love.
WR HUNTER RENFROW*
2018 Stats: 43 catches, 472 yards, one touchdown
PFF Grade: 71.3
PFF ACC Position Rank: 15th
The hero of the 2017 National Championship remains a threat for the Tigers ranking third in catches and fourth in yards. He will be a key in this matchup as a third down threat potentially going against Notre Dame's nickel cornerbacks, which have been up-and-down this season.
Like others above, South Carolina was a productive game for the former walk-on with five catches for 80 yards (80.2). The yardage tied his highest for the season (Boston College), but one three more receptions.
WR JUSTYN ROSS
2018 Stats: 34 catches, 699 yards, six touchdowns
PFF Grade: 86.7
PFF ACC Position Rank: 2nd
Even though Ross is not a starter, the true freshman has made a major impact in year one with the Tigers grading out as the No. 2 wide out in the conference behind Higgins. He ranks second in yards and touchdowns despite having the fourth-most receptions. Ross racked up 70 yards on just two catches in a the ACC title win over Pittsburgh.
The freshman has posted two games with at least a 90.0 grade in wins over Georgia Southern (90.2) and Duke (90.0) where he combined for seven catches for 179 yards and two touchdowns. Ross has graded out at 59.2 in run blocking.
WR DERION KENDRICK
2018 Stats: 15 catches, 210 yards
PFF Grade: 66.0
PFF ACC Position Rank: N/A
The depth at wide receivers for the Tigers continues with another freshman in Kendrick, who added his best game of the season against South Carolina with four receptions for 51 yards and a 91.4 grade.
But, Kendrick is not expected to be as big of a playmaker as other wide receivers on this list with eight games with just one catch or less this season. Kendrick has graded out at 67.6 this season to complement his efforts as a pass catcher.
WR DIONDRE OVERTON
2018 Stats: 13 catches, 187 yards, three touchdowns
PFF Grade: 78.4
PFF ACC Position Rank: N/A
Overton is next in line for pass catchers the Tigers could throw out against the Irish to wear down the defensive backs. It's been several weeks since Overton's top grade of 90.7 in a close win over Texas A&M in September (two catches, 20 yards, one score). His next two however have come in the past six weeks against Florida State (83.7) and Boston College (76.7).
Overton has been slightly better than Kendrick in run blocking (70.7).
TE GARRETT WILLIAMS*
2018 Stats: One catch, four yards
PFF Grade: 44.0
PFF ACC Position Rank: N/A
Williams is not a factor in the passing game and is much more of a blocker. He has graded out at 66.7 in pass blocking snaps with 10 games over 65.4 while facing a little bit of a drop in the run game (55.6).
OT MITCH HYATT*
2018 Stats: Zero sacks, 11 pressures
PFF Grade: 71.7
PFF ACC Position Rank: 3rd
The All-American tackle has performed like one this season allowing zero sacks and just 11 pressures, according to PFF. He will have his hands full on the edge with Okwara (79.6) and Kareem (77.1) aiming to create havoc in the backfield.
Hyatt has recorded four grades over 80.0 this fall with a top mark of 87.0 against Syracuse in pass blocking to go with his 65.2 run blocking grade. Keeping his sack-free status won't come easy against Notre Dame.
OG JOHN SIMPSON*
2018 Stats: One sack, six pressures
PFF Grade: 70.1
PFF ACC Position Rank: 8th
Simpson has been solid during the 2018 season next to Hyatt giving up just one sack and six pressures when it comes to statistics even though he has not graded out above 70.0. But, his top two marks of 69.8 and 68.8 came in the last two weeks against South Carolina and Pittsburgh, respectively.
Like Hyatt, Simpson has been better in pass protection at 84.5 with eight games over 79.0, but a modest 66.4 mark in run blocking with no game with a 70.0 grade or higher.
Simpson ranks in the top 10 in the ACC and will likely see Tillery consistently throughout the contest.
OC JUSTIN FALCINELLI*
2018 Stats: One sack, seven pressures
PFF Grade: 72.0
PFF ACC Position Rank: 2nd
Falcinelli hit his highest grade of the year in the regular season finale with an 81.4 mark against the Gamecocks. His next highest grade was 73.0 the previous week versus Duke.
The center has also been better blocking in the pass game at 76.9 compared to 69.6 in the run. Falcinelli has registered nine games with at least a 76.1 grade in protecting Lawrence while nearly hitting 70.0 (69.6) in the run.
He will have the tough task of facing Tillery at times, one of the nation's top-graded interior defensive linemen.
OG GAGE CERVENKA*
2018 Stats: Zero sacks, six pressures
PFF Grade: 73.4
PFF ACC Position Rank: 4th
Cervenka is the lone offensive lineman on this list that boasts a better grade in blocking for the run (75.0) than the pass (67.0). He joins Hyatt though in not allowing a single sack and is also tied for the team-lead among the regulars with just six pressures given up all season.
He will enter the Cotton Bowl coming off his top performance against the pass with an 80.2 grade in the win over the Panthers.
OT TREMAYNE ANCHRUM*
2018 Stats: One sack, six pressures
PFF Grade: 70.8
PFF ACC Position Rank: 6th
Anchrum rounds out the starting unit for the Tigers with each of the five members grading out in the 70's. The right tackle has been struggling against the run the past four weeks with four-straight grades of under 64.0 for a year mark of 66.6. But, the right tackle has been much better in pass protection at 79.6.
Like Hyatt, Anchrum will be tasked with trying to slow down the talented edge duo of Okwara and Kareem.
OG SEAN POLLARD
2018 Stats: Two sacks, seven pressures
PFF Grade: 67.6
PFF ACC Position Rank: 11th
Pollard has played quite a few snaps this season despite not being projected to start in the semifinal matchup with Notre Dame. Pollard has been fairly balanced this season with a 70.4 grade in pass protection and 66.3 in run blocking. In the pass game, Pollard recorded at least an 80.0 grade in six of his first eight games.
If Pollard does see action against the Irish, he will be matchup with Bonner if Pollard lines up at right guard.
POS CLEMSON GRADE POS NOTRE DAME GRADE
QB Trevor Lawrence 90.0 LB Te'von Coney 91.6
RB Travis Etienne 89.2 LB Drue Tranquill 78.9
WR Tee Higgins 88.4 SS Jalen Elliott 80.7
WR Hunter Renfrow 71.3 FS Alohi Gilman 90.4
WR Amari Rodgers 67.5 CB Julian Love 90.3
HB Garrett Williams 44.0 CB Troy Pride Jr. 75.4
LT Mitch Hyatt 71.7 LB Asmar Bilal 67.3
LG John Simpson 70.1 DE Julian Okwara 79.6
C Justin Falcinelli 72.0 DT Jerry Tillery 90.1
RG Gage Cervenka 73.4 NT Jonathan Bonner 71.7
RT Tremayne Archrun 70.8 DE Khalid Kareem 77.1
POS TOP RESERVES GRADE POS TOP RESERVES GRADE
RB Lyn-J Dixon 83.8 DE Daelin Hayes 70.0
RB Adam Choice 78.6 DE Ade Ogundeji 73.6
WR Justyn Ross 86.7 DT Kurt Hinish 68.0
WR Deiondre Overton 78.4 S Nick Coleman 62.5
WR Derion Kendrick 66.0 CB TaRiq Bracy 62.3
Corey Bodden • BlueAndGold.com
Click HERE to sign up for an annual subscription to BlueAndGold.com and get your FREE gift code for $99 in Irish apparel and gear!
(AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Notre Dame is set to face the No. 2 Clemson Tigers in the Cotton Bowl semifinal on Dec. 29 held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The No. 3 Fighting Irish will have quite the challenge in slowing down the undefeated ACC champions coached by Dabo Swinney.
Heading into the matchup, Blue & Gold Illustrated will have plenty of articles breaking down the contest and how the two teams match up.
In the first of two articles, BGI takes a look at how the Clemson offensive starters and key rotation players have graded out this year, according to Pro Football Focus. A snapshot of the Irish on the respective side of the ball will be provided as well to showcase the grades between the Clemson offense and Notre Dame defense and vice versa.
To begin, let's take a look at how the Clemson offense stacks up against the Notre Dame defense.
Note: Grades highlighted in light blue indicate an elite grade from PFF.
Overall, the group has graded out at 90.4 which is good enough for sixth in the country. On the flip side, the Tigers will face the sixth ranked defense in Notre Dame (94.3).
Upon first glance, one would likely notice the elite grade from PFF for Clemson starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who took over the starting job early in the season. Lawrence will face the 9th best coverage defense in the FBS with the Irish grading out at 92.9 in 12 regular season contests. Boston College was the top mark for the Tigers prior to the Irish at 18th nationally (91.7).
Both cornerback Julian Love and safety Alohi Gilmanhave earned elite grades from the service as well. Love has 15 passes defended on the year, which is tied for 7th nationally, while Gilman has two interceptions.
Another major matchup between the Clemson offense and Notre Dame defense will be in the trenches.
The Irish have four regular defensive linemen — Jerry Tillery, Julian Okwara, Khalid Kareem and Ade Ogundeji— graded higher than the entire Clemson starting unit along the starting offensive line group that allowed just three sacks, per PFF. Notre Dame defensive linemen have combined for 23.5 sacks this year.
Notre Dame has also graded out as the 35th best team in stopping the run with a 92.8 grade while Clemson is 3rd nationally on the ground earning a 92.0 mark through 13 contests. So, something will have to give in this areas as well.
Take a deeper looking into the Tigers individual offensive players, per the grading of PFF, below with starters and key rotational players included.
KEY
PFF Grade = The overall grade for offense or defense for that particular player. Other specific grades will be noted in each section.
PFF (Conference) Rank = Where the player ranks among their position for overall grade within the league.
Note: Conference rankings factor in number of snaps player; N/A = player did not meet threshold
* = Starter
QB TREVOR LAWRENCE*
2018 Stats: 2,606 yards, 24 touchdowns, four interceptions
PFF Grade: 90.0
PFF ACC Position Rank: 2nd
The true freshman has lived up to the high expectations bestowed upon him before his arrival at Clemson. Lawrence has performed well since officially taking over as the starter for the Tigers and posted two of his best three grades over the past month. PFF gave Lawrence a 93.0 mark against South Carolina after he threw for 393 yards and a score which bested his previous best of 83.2 in a victory over Duke (251 yards and two touchdowns).
Though he has a modest 58.5 grade in the run game, Lawrence has notched his best two grades of 72.7 and 69.2 in the last two contests versus rival South Carolina and in the ACC title game against Pittsburgh.
RB TRAVIS ETIENNE*
2018 Stats: 1,464 yards, 21 touchdowns
PFF Grade: 89.2
PFF ACC Position Rank: 1st
While Lawrence has played well, Etienne has taken pressure off the freshman with a stellar season for himself through 13 games. The sophomore will face Notre Dame coming off his second-best grade of 89.7 after rushing for 156 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries. His high-mark came earlier this year in a win over Georgia Southern (93.4) where he added 162 yards and two scores on 16 carries.
Etienne has been good in keeping Lawrence upright with a 71.7 pass block grade and 10 games with at least a 70.0 mark.
RB ADAM CHOICE
2018 Stats: 68 carries, 506 yards, seven touchdowns
PFF Grade: 78.6
PFF ACC Position Rank: 5th
Choice is another part of a talented backfield following Etienne. He does not have the numbers of Etienne as well, but has averaged 7.44 yards per carry. Choice is starting to peak this season with two of his top three grades came in Clemson's past two games against the Gamecocks (86.5) and the Panthers (74.9). In a 77-16 drubbing of Louisville on Nov. 3, Choice posted a top mark of 94.2 adding 43 yards on three carries to the team's efforts.
RB TAVIEN FEASTER
2018 Stats: 71 carries, 409 yards, six touchdowns
PFF Grade: 75.5
PFF ACC Position Rank: 6th
Feaster has the most carries of the running backs behind Etienne, but is not in the top three in rushing yards. In a win over South Carolina, Feaster rushed for 63 yards and a score on nine carries. His next two top grades came in wins over Georgia Tech (81.2) and Georgia Southern (78.0) earlier in the season.
Feaster hasn't fared well in the pass game with an overall mark of 49.2 and a blocking grade of 49.6.
RB LYN-J DIXON
2018 Stats: 56 carries, 536 yards, five touchdowns
PFF Grade: 83.8
PFF ACC Position Rank: N/A (not enough snaps)
Though he has not played the snaps of the three running backs above, Dixon has been explosive in his chances averaging nearly 10 yards per carry. Much of Dixon's damage though came in wins over Wake Forest (91.0) and Louisville (81.8) where he combined for 279 yards and three scores on just 14 carries.
Dixon may not be on the field as much against the Irish, but Clark Lea's defense will need to be ready when he gets a chance.
WR TEE HIGGINS*
2018 Stats: 52 catches, 802 yards, 10 touchdowns
PFF Grade: 88.4
PFF ACC Position Rank: 1st
Higgins has been a tough matchup all season for opposing defenses, and the wide receiver will be challenged likely facing the top-graded Power Five cornerback he's seen this year in Julian Love.
Higgins put together one of his best games of the year against South Carolina reeling in six receptions for 142 yards and a score. For the season, Higgins is averaging 15.4 yards per catch and will be key for Love and company to shut down.
In the run game, Higgins has recorded a 68.5 blocking grade.
WR AMARI RODGERS*
2018 Stats: 46 catches, 514 yards, four touchdowns
PFF Grade: 67.5
PFF ACC Position Rank: 25th
Despite a lower grade, Rodgers ranks second on the team in catches and third in yards and touchdowns. That is due to some inconsistency with seven games with a mark under 60.0, per PFF. During a blowout victory over Florida State, Rodgers recorded his best game of the year (84.4) catching six passes for 156 yards and two touchdowns.
Rodgers has been solid in run blocking with a 71.9 grade when called upon. He will likely see a healthy dose of Pride Jr. if the Irish shawdow Higgins with Love.
WR HUNTER RENFROW*
2018 Stats: 43 catches, 472 yards, one touchdown
PFF Grade: 71.3
PFF ACC Position Rank: 15th
The hero of the 2017 National Championship remains a threat for the Tigers ranking third in catches and fourth in yards. He will be a key in this matchup as a third down threat potentially going against Notre Dame's nickel cornerbacks, which have been up-and-down this season.
Like others above, South Carolina was a productive game for the former walk-on with five catches for 80 yards (80.2). The yardage tied his highest for the season (Boston College), but one three more receptions.
WR JUSTYN ROSS
2018 Stats: 34 catches, 699 yards, six touchdowns
PFF Grade: 86.7
PFF ACC Position Rank: 2nd
Even though Ross is not a starter, the true freshman has made a major impact in year one with the Tigers grading out as the No. 2 wide out in the conference behind Higgins. He ranks second in yards and touchdowns despite having the fourth-most receptions. Ross racked up 70 yards on just two catches in a the ACC title win over Pittsburgh.
The freshman has posted two games with at least a 90.0 grade in wins over Georgia Southern (90.2) and Duke (90.0) where he combined for seven catches for 179 yards and two touchdowns. Ross has graded out at 59.2 in run blocking.
WR DERION KENDRICK
2018 Stats: 15 catches, 210 yards
PFF Grade: 66.0
PFF ACC Position Rank: N/A
The depth at wide receivers for the Tigers continues with another freshman in Kendrick, who added his best game of the season against South Carolina with four receptions for 51 yards and a 91.4 grade.
But, Kendrick is not expected to be as big of a playmaker as other wide receivers on this list with eight games with just one catch or less this season. Kendrick has graded out at 67.6 this season to complement his efforts as a pass catcher.
WR DIONDRE OVERTON
2018 Stats: 13 catches, 187 yards, three touchdowns
PFF Grade: 78.4
PFF ACC Position Rank: N/A
Overton is next in line for pass catchers the Tigers could throw out against the Irish to wear down the defensive backs. It's been several weeks since Overton's top grade of 90.7 in a close win over Texas A&M in September (two catches, 20 yards, one score). His next two however have come in the past six weeks against Florida State (83.7) and Boston College (76.7).
Overton has been slightly better than Kendrick in run blocking (70.7).
TE GARRETT WILLIAMS*
2018 Stats: One catch, four yards
PFF Grade: 44.0
PFF ACC Position Rank: N/A
Williams is not a factor in the passing game and is much more of a blocker. He has graded out at 66.7 in pass blocking snaps with 10 games over 65.4 while facing a little bit of a drop in the run game (55.6).
OT MITCH HYATT*
2018 Stats: Zero sacks, 11 pressures
PFF Grade: 71.7
PFF ACC Position Rank: 3rd
The All-American tackle has performed like one this season allowing zero sacks and just 11 pressures, according to PFF. He will have his hands full on the edge with Okwara (79.6) and Kareem (77.1) aiming to create havoc in the backfield.
Hyatt has recorded four grades over 80.0 this fall with a top mark of 87.0 against Syracuse in pass blocking to go with his 65.2 run blocking grade. Keeping his sack-free status won't come easy against Notre Dame.
OG JOHN SIMPSON*
2018 Stats: One sack, six pressures
PFF Grade: 70.1
PFF ACC Position Rank: 8th
Simpson has been solid during the 2018 season next to Hyatt giving up just one sack and six pressures when it comes to statistics even though he has not graded out above 70.0. But, his top two marks of 69.8 and 68.8 came in the last two weeks against South Carolina and Pittsburgh, respectively.
Like Hyatt, Simpson has been better in pass protection at 84.5 with eight games over 79.0, but a modest 66.4 mark in run blocking with no game with a 70.0 grade or higher.
Simpson ranks in the top 10 in the ACC and will likely see Tillery consistently throughout the contest.
OC JUSTIN FALCINELLI*
2018 Stats: One sack, seven pressures
PFF Grade: 72.0
PFF ACC Position Rank: 2nd
Falcinelli hit his highest grade of the year in the regular season finale with an 81.4 mark against the Gamecocks. His next highest grade was 73.0 the previous week versus Duke.
The center has also been better blocking in the pass game at 76.9 compared to 69.6 in the run. Falcinelli has registered nine games with at least a 76.1 grade in protecting Lawrence while nearly hitting 70.0 (69.6) in the run.
He will have the tough task of facing Tillery at times, one of the nation's top-graded interior defensive linemen.
OG GAGE CERVENKA*
2018 Stats: Zero sacks, six pressures
PFF Grade: 73.4
PFF ACC Position Rank: 4th
Cervenka is the lone offensive lineman on this list that boasts a better grade in blocking for the run (75.0) than the pass (67.0). He joins Hyatt though in not allowing a single sack and is also tied for the team-lead among the regulars with just six pressures given up all season.
He will enter the Cotton Bowl coming off his top performance against the pass with an 80.2 grade in the win over the Panthers.
OT TREMAYNE ANCHRUM*
2018 Stats: One sack, six pressures
PFF Grade: 70.8
PFF ACC Position Rank: 6th
Anchrum rounds out the starting unit for the Tigers with each of the five members grading out in the 70's. The right tackle has been struggling against the run the past four weeks with four-straight grades of under 64.0 for a year mark of 66.6. But, the right tackle has been much better in pass protection at 79.6.
Like Hyatt, Anchrum will be tasked with trying to slow down the talented edge duo of Okwara and Kareem.
OG SEAN POLLARD
2018 Stats: Two sacks, seven pressures
PFF Grade: 67.6
PFF ACC Position Rank: 11th
Pollard has played quite a few snaps this season despite not being projected to start in the semifinal matchup with Notre Dame. Pollard has been fairly balanced this season with a 70.4 grade in pass protection and 66.3 in run blocking. In the pass game, Pollard recorded at least an 80.0 grade in six of his first eight games.
If Pollard does see action against the Irish, he will be matchup with Bonner if Pollard lines up at right guard.
POS CLEMSON GRADE POS NOTRE DAME GRADE
QB Trevor Lawrence 90.0 LB Te'von Coney 91.6
RB Travis Etienne 89.2 LB Drue Tranquill 78.9
WR Tee Higgins 88.4 SS Jalen Elliott 80.7
WR Hunter Renfrow 71.3 FS Alohi Gilman 90.4
WR Amari Rodgers 67.5 CB Julian Love 90.3
HB Garrett Williams 44.0 CB Troy Pride Jr. 75.4
LT Mitch Hyatt 71.7 LB Asmar Bilal 67.3
LG John Simpson 70.1 DE Julian Okwara 79.6
C Justin Falcinelli 72.0 DT Jerry Tillery 90.1
RG Gage Cervenka 73.4 NT Jonathan Bonner 71.7
RT Tremayne Archrun 70.8 DE Khalid Kareem 77.1
POS TOP RESERVES GRADE POS TOP RESERVES GRADE
RB Lyn-J Dixon 83.8 DE Daelin Hayes 70.0
RB Adam Choice 78.6 DE Ade Ogundeji 73.6
WR Justyn Ross 86.7 DT Kurt Hinish 68.0
WR Deiondre Overton 78.4 S Nick Coleman 62.5
WR Derion Kendrick 66.0 CB TaRiq Bracy 62.3
