Clemson's Mike Reed Still Sorting Out Pecking Order at Corner

Cornerbacks coach Mike Reed said after a recent practice that he's yet to put together a depth chart at corner.

Mike Reed is faced with the unenviable task of having to replace two all-conference corners in 2022.

However, with experienced players like Sheridan Jones, Fred Davis II, Malcolm Greene and Nate Wiggins, Reed has a number of talented, battle-tested options, which in turn has created a lot of competition. 

"Nobody sneaks in at any position, you know," Reed said recently. "I have not made a roster, or depth chart right now. These guys are competing every day."

The Tigers also signed a trio of corners in the 2022 recruiting class, with Jeadyn Lukus and Toriano Pride already on campus, and Myles Oliver set to join the team in the summer. With so many options, and with the plan already being that each will see playing time, Reed is in no hurry to name starters.

"Who knows who's going to start," Reed said. "One may be better working with another guy, who knows. I have to find the best two, the best four, the best five, the best six because if you notice, I play all my guys. Nobody actually redshirts as a corner, my guys come in and they play." 

With Andrew Booth Jr. and Mario Goodrich now both gone, Jones is now the veteran of the group. Through the first portion of spring practice, the senior has done everything that Reed expected, meeting every challenge head-on that comes along with being a leader.

"He's taken the leadership role, he's taken the step which I anticipated," Reed said. "It's a process that most all the corners since I've been here have been able to take. Each year, the load gets heavier and heavier for them. Because as you move up, you become a leader. And that's one of the beauties about playing guys early is they're not new to it when it happens."

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