Five Tigers turning heads during Clemson fall camp

CLEMSON — Believe it or not, fall camp is already winding down for Clemson.

The Tigers are working out Monday morning, and after Monday’s practice, there will only be two workouts remaining in camp.

There’s always a sense of urgency this time of year, and with the 2021 season-opener against Georgia, that’s certainly the case this season.

Several players have stood out through the first week-and-a-half of camp. Here are five Tigers who are turning heads:

Andrew Booth Jr.

The junior cornerback appears ready to be the lockdown guy in Year 3. Booth was impressive during 1-on-1s both days the media was allowed to watch, and he’s apparently continued that throughout camp. Dabo Swinney, Clemson players and even Booth himself have raved about the way he’s looking.

The Georgia native has all of the physical tools you look for in a corner. He’s long, athletic, fast, has quick feet and has been tough for Clemson receivers to make plays against during practices. The Tigers have one of the best group of receivers in the country, so that success should carry over to the regular season. Swinney said before camp the biggest thing he wanted to see from Booth was availability. He’s been available and is making his reps count.

Will Shipley

The freshman running back has a legit shot at winning the starting job and by all accounts does everything right. He wins every sprint (as Dabo Swinney said and we’ve seen with our own eyes). He is a 4.0 student who is usually studying his playbook or in the weight room, and he is already a leader on the team.

Shipley appears ready to play early and often during his freshman season. He should have a great year and great career for the Tigers.

Barrett Carter

Speaking of a freshman who doesn’t look like a freshman — meet Barrett Carter. The Georgia native wasn’t here for the spring, but you wouldn’t know it by looking at him. He seems to always be around the ball and has incredible ball skills. He’s effortlessly plucked the ball out of the air with one hand on more than one occasion during camp, drawings oohs and ahhs from his teammates.

Carter is already listed as a co-starter at the SAM/Nickel spot and is sure to immediately see playing time for the Tigers, whether on special teams or defensively. He’s 6-foot-1, 226 pounds, runs well for his size and looks like a star in the making.

Ajou Ajou

Perhaps the most talked about player this camp has been Ajou, and for good reason. He’s a physical freak who is fast and can really jump at 6-foot-3, 224 pounds. He made plenty of highlight reel plays when the media was allowed to watch, and as impressive as anything has been his consistency. He makes all of the routine plays but also makes the tough plays look easy.

Ajou has a chance to be a big part of Clemson’s deep receiving corps this year. He had a great spring game, carried that over to a strong summer and has upped his game to another level during camp.

Ruke Orhorhoro

Tyler Davis and Bryan Bresee are clearly the top two defensive tackles for the Tigers, but after that there were some question marks about depth and who could be the No. 3 guy. It appears that Ruke Orhorhoro is ready for that role. Orhorhoro has been mentioned by Swinney and Brent Venables as someone who has really stepped up.

The redshirt sophomore missed most of last season with an injury but is now healthy and making his presence known. Clemson doesn’t just have a strong starting defensive line. It’s a deep group, and Orhorhoro is a big part of that.