Roster Update: Xavier Thomas to Dress Out for First Time in 2020

Clemson defensive end Xavier Thomas is available tonight against Miami for the first time this season while fellow end Justin Foster remains unavailable.

Clemson defensive end Xavier Thomas is available to play in tonight's top-10 showdown against Miami for the first time this season. 

The junior missed three games while working his way back from having COVID-19 and strep throat in the offseason, although he was supposed to dress out last week but missed coronavirus testing because of a death in the family. 

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said earlier this week he expected to have Thomas in uniform tonight. 

Originally expected to redshirt until the NCAA gave all players an extra year of eligibility, Thomas returned to practice last week and worked with the scout team. It's unknown how many, if any, snaps he'll see against No. 7 Miami, but he could be needed against a dynamic Hurricanes offense. 

Meanwhile, Justin Foster, Clemson's other veteran defensive end, will miss his fourth consecutive game. The senior has yet to be cleared medically to play, and Swinney hasn't elaborated on why Foster is still out. 

Other players who will be unavailable tonight include OL Kaleb Boateng, LB David Cote, S Peter Cote, WR Hampton Earle, DT Darnell Jefferies, LB Matthew Maloney, DT Ruke Orhorhoro, TE Luke Price and WR Justyn Ross.

Defensive tackle Tyler Davis will suit up for the second consecutive game and is expected to play after just watching last week. He suffered a knee injury in the opener against Wake Forest that sidelined him since. 

Also, receiver Joseph Ngata could get back to more regular playing time after dealing with an abdominal strain that's limited in the last two games and allowed Frank Ladson to move into the starting receiver role.