Report: Clemson defensive back Shelton Lewis suffers injury in scrimmage

Clemson defensive back Shelton Lewis left Saturday’s scrimmage with an injury, according to The Clemson Insider.

The sophomore cornerback suffered a lower leg injury and was seen on crutches at the scrimmage, The Clemson Insider reports. Dabo Swinney is expected to address the injury in the coming days.

Lewis was expected to be a starting cornerback for the Tigers this fall after playing a key role on the Clemson defense as a true freshman in 2023.

The Georgia native appeared in all 13 games last season, making two starts. He finished the year with seven tackles, seven pass breakups and a pair of interceptions.

Shelton Lewis signed with Clemson as a three-star cornerback in the class of 2023. The 5-foot-11 DB was ranked as the No. 705 overall player in the country in the class of 2023, per the On3 Industry rankings.

He came in and immediately impressed and was one of six true freshmen to appear in all 13 games for Clemson last season.

The Tigers need Lewis back healthy as soon as possible as they are set to open the season against No. 1 Georgia in less than three weeks. The Bulldogs have one of the best quarterbacks in the country in Carson Beck, who is sure to test Clemson’s secondary early and often, especially if a potential starter in Lewis is not available.

Dabo Swinney identifies where Corian Gipson stands out

If Shelton Lewis does indeed miss time, Clemson is going to need other players to step up. One potential candidate is freshman defensive back Corian Gipson.

Head coach Dabo Swinney recently shared that confidence is an attribute that Gipson can improve on moving forward. He also pointed out that he’s got a lot of knowledge and athletic ability that should help him develop into a good player during his time at Clemson.

“He’s still getting his confidence but just his size and his ability to run,” Dabo Swinney said of Gipson. “I mean, he’s athletic. He’s a very conscientious kid. He’s tough. He understands the game.”

Corian Gipson is coming to Clemson as a four-star recruit in the Class of 2024, according to the On3 Industry Ranking. He was the 12th-ranked cornerback overall in his recruiting cycle and he was the 94th-ranked player nationally. Gipson chose to go to Clemson over Texas, TCU, and several other schools.

Clemson lists Corian Gipson as 6-1 and 180lbs. That size should give him excellent length to take advantage of as a defensive back.

“So, I think the biggest thing is just…it’s been since last year at this time since he was playing football,” Swinney said. “He got hurt early last year. So, just really getting his confidence where he can really trust it and go cut it loose but there’s a lot to like about him for sure.”