Clemson Football: Ranking 10 Best Tigers from 2014 Regular Season

The Clemson Tigers pulled off another solid campaign, going 9-3 in the regular season. Another 10-win season would be an accomplishment for Dabo Swinney and his staff, considering the talent from last season they had to replace on offense.

The Tigers had many young guys step up on offense, and the defense continued to be led by a slate of seniors. Regardless of experience, all of these players helped contribute to the nine-win season.

Here are the top 10 Tigers for the 2014 regular season.

10. Jayron Kearse

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Jayron Kearse was a big part of Clemson’s secondary, which finished the regular season with the nation’s third-best passing defense. He had two interceptions, but it’s the 57 total tackles that stands out the most. That number is third-best on the team.

The sophomore also added five tackles for loss and three sacks. He was a big part of the Tigers’ success on defense, but those big guys up front deserve to be higher on the list. The ability of the front seven to fluster opposing quarterbacks really helped the back end of the defense.

I struggled with this spot, deciding between Kearse and Mackensie Alexander, but it was ultimately Kearse who had the better numbers. Alexander wasn’t targeted as much because of his ability to lock down receivers, but Kearse was the more physical of the two against the run.

9. Tony Steward

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Steward is another Tigers defender who was very active at the line of scrimmage this season. The senior recorded 10 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks, while also piling up 54 total tackles.

The Tigers rush defense—which ranks seventh in the nation—was very impressive this season, and Steward was an important contributor to that front seven.

8. Wayne Gallman

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Wayne Gallman didn’t get the starting job right away, but he broke away from the pack pretty quickly. The freshman back totaled 714 yards and four touchdowns, despite only carrying the ball 142 times.

He was the most consistent running back for the Tigers, and he really helped the offense down the stretch. He rushed for 100 yards or more in three of the last five games, including 191 yards in the season finale against South Carolina.

7. Garry Peters

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The preseason hype was centered around Alexander, but it was Garry Peters who was the most physical player in the secondary. Peters finished the regular season with 44 tackles, eight tackles for loss and two sacks.

Peters’ stellar senior season was capped off with a first-team selection on the All-ACC team.

6. Artavis Scott

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Artavis Scott, a freshman All-American, really helped the offense early in his career. He was the primary receiver used in the screen game, and this helped him rack up 68 catches in his first collegiate season.

He also totaled 851 yards and seven touchdowns. Scott was a huge part of the Tigers’ passing game, and he definitely deserves to be on this list.

5. Mike Williams

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Williams led the team in receiving yards and was the most consistent deep threat for the passing attack. Scott had more receptions, but Williams was the go-to guy when the Tigers needed a big play through the air.

Williams averaged 19.1 yards per catch and caught five touchdowns this season.

4. Grady Jarrett

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Jarrett didn’t have the kind of numbers that some of the other guys on this list had, but he was the anchor of that defensive line. Vic Beasley is the better pass-rusher, but Jarrett was the more physical of the two against the run.

He has been a very important player on the defensive line for the past three seasons, and his leadership this season helped him earn a spot on the first-team All-ACC list.

3. Deshaun Watson

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Deshaun Watson exploded on the scene as a true freshman, and he never looked back. Cole Stoudt didn’t help his case much for being the starting quarterback, but it was more of what Watson was able to do early in the season.

He stepped in against Florida State and put the Tigers in a position to upset the top-ranked Seminoles. He is so high on the list because he was arguably the most important player for the Tigers.

The offense ran much smoother with No. 4 behind center, and that was evident the last two weeks of the season. The Tigers scored only 28 points against Georgia State with Stoudt at quarterback, but they scored 35 the next week against South Carolina under Watson’s leadership.

2. Vic Beasley

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The senior defensive end was a very important player for the Tigers this season. He has established himself as one of the best pass-rushers in the nation, finishing this season with 11 sacks.

He broke the school career record for sacks, and he also added 18.5 tackles for loss. These totals helped Beasley become a finalist for the Hendricks Award.

1. Stephone Anthony

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Stephone Anthony was the most important player on Clemson’s defense this season. Beasley is the one who gets the most recognition, but Anthony is the anchor of the entire unit.

At middle linebacker, it all starts with No. 42. He led the Tigers with 73 tackles, and he also added 9.5 tackles for loss. The senior also recorded 2.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.

Anthony deserves to be No. 1 on this list because of the toughness he brings to one of the nation’s top defenses. Beasley was excellent at getting after the quarterback, but it was Anthony who was in on the most plays at the line of scrimmage.