Clemson defense starting ‘all the way over’ as it works to replace multiple stars

Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables is no stranger to rebuilding a unit during the offseason.

In 2015 the Tigers had to replace eight starters off of the No. 1 defense in the country – one more than the Tigers must replace off of last year’s national championship squad.

But Venables has yet to face a rebuild job quite like this during his time with the Tigers.

It is not just the talent that Clemson is losing (the Tigers had nine defenders at last week’s NFL combine and could have four first-round picks in the upcoming NFL draft in Christian Wilkins, Clelin Ferrell, Dexter Lawrence and Trayvon Mullen). But it is also the leadership and personalities that the Tigers will be without this…