Dabo Swinney Is Hiding a Secret Weapon, and LSU Should Be Terrified

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Dabo Swinney Is Hiding a Secret Weapon, and LSU Should Be Terrified originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
As the humid South Carolina summer inches closer to kickoff, all eyes are on the established stars at Clemson. Quarterback Cade Klubnik's continued development, the explosive potential of receivers like Antonio Williams and Bryant Wesco, and the disruptive force of defensive linemen Peter Woods and T.J. Parker are all fueling championship aspirations in Death Valley. But in a program known for trusting its youth, a pair of true freshmen are already generating significant buzz and are expected to be more than just sideline observers.
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With the highly anticipated season opener against LSU looming, CBS Sports has identified the nation's top incoming freshmen ready to make an immediate impact, and two of Dabo Swinney's prized recruits have landed in the top 10. This infusion of young talent could be the key to Clemson's return to the College Football Playoff conversation.
© Ken Ruinard / staff / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Leading the charge for the Tigers' newcomers is four-star running back Gideon Davidson, who clocked in at an impressive No. 3 on the list. With the unfortunate ACL tear to leading returning rusher Jay Haynes, the door is wide open in the Clemson backfield, and Davidson appears poised to sprint right through it.
"No blue-chip running back from the 2025 class enters a better situation for early playing time than Davidson," wrote Chris Hummer of CBS Sports. "Everyone else in the room has even less experience or...is new to the position...That's what makes Davidson so intriguing."
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The Lynchburg, Virginia native, ranked as the No. 4 running back in the nation by On3, has already turned heads in practice. Swinney, not one for empty praise, has been effusive in his assessment of the early enrollee.
"He's physically impressive," Swinney remarked during spring ball. "Just further along than I thought he would be coming in. He doesn't look like a high school kid. He looks like a kid that's been in college about three years. He's really thick. Strong. Explosive."
On the other side of the ball, the Tigers boast another potential game-changer in five-star defensive tackle Amare Adams. In Swinney's system, which famously shies away from the transfer portal, freshmen who are ready to contribute often get their chance. Adams, a force in the trenches, is expected to be one of those players.
Hummer noted, "Swinney plays more freshmen than any other blueblood coach...Adams will be one of those freshmen." He highlighted Adams' "massive, powerful" frame and his ability to "consistently [generate] backfield pressure," projecting him as a key rotational piece alongside star defensive tackle Peter Woods.
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The local product from South Florence High School was rated the No. 2 defensive lineman and No. 7 overall player in his class by 247Sports. With injuries to other linemen during the spring, Adams was thrown into the fire and proved he could handle the heat.
"He's gonna help us. That's what we've seen," Swinney stated definitively. "He's big and he moves people and he knows how to win. He can destruct blocks. He's twitchy. He's smart. Big, strong, destructive human being."
While the veterans will undoubtedly lead the charge when Clemson and LSU square off under the lights on August 30th, the emergence of Davidson and Adams could provide the critical depth and dynamic playmaking that separates a good season from a championship one. The countdown is on, and in Clemson, the future is now.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 15, 2025, where it first appeared.