Tigers might have to lean on a true freshman at center

Clemson has not had a highly touted center since bringing in Dalton Freeman back in 2009. By midseason in 2009, Freeman had taken over at the position, one he did not lose the rest of his career.

By the time he graduated in 2012, Freeman became an All-American and was first-team All-ACC as a junior and as a senior. Freeman played a big role in guiding the Tigers to their first ACC Championship in 20 years in 2011.

He finished his career as the all-time leader in games played and snaps by a Clemson player.

With this latest signing class, head coach Dabo Swinney and Robbie Caldwell went out and inked Ryan Linthicum, the No. 1-ranked center nationally from Damascus, Md. He enrolled at Clemson in…