Xavier Thomas 'Gave It All He Had' for Clemson

After suffering a setback with his foot injury, Xavier Thomas will miss the rest of the season for Clemson.

After suffering a setback with his foot injury, Clemson DE Xavier Thomas will miss the rest of the season.

Thomas, who broke his foot during fall camp, made his season debut against Boston College, registering two sacks in just six snaps, earning ACC Defensive Player of the Week honors.

"It just didn't work out the way everybody wanted it," head coach Dabo Swinney said on Tuesday. "He tried, man, he tried. He gave it all he had and it just wasn't meant to be."

Thomas then played in the wins over Florida State and Syracuse before reinjuring the foot in practice ahead of the Tigers' matchup with Notre Dame.

"We don't always understand why things happen, but it's certainly disappointing," Swinney said. "I'm just really proud of who he is, and just how mature he is, how he's grown. I mean he is a transformed person from when I met him at 16 years of age to who he is right now as a man and getting ready to be married."

Thomas will need surgery to ensure he is healed in time for the NFL Combine if he in fact chooses to go that route. However, he also has the option of returning to Clemson.

"He's gonna definitely going to have the surgery," Swinney said. "If he does go pro, it's going to be good for him because he needs to be at his best. And so it's just the best thing for him and where we are. And he gave it all he could and that's all you can ask."

"And then he'll make a decision, you know? I mean, because he's only 22. I mean, heck, you got guys playing college football at 25 right now. There's a bunch of 24-year-olds playing in college football. So he's still young and they are still all in front of him and he does have an option. I mean, if he wanted to, he could come back. I'd take him back, for sure. But he can go on and go pro too. I don't have any doubt he'll get drafted."

Thomas came to Clemson as one of the highest-ranked players in the 2018 recruiting class. After a stellar freshman campaign that saw him earn freshman All-American honors, his career has been filled with adversity. 

After earning third-team All-ACC honors during his sophomore season in 2019, his 2020 season was derailed due to illness, and Thomas appeared in just seven games, finishing with 11 tackles and 3.5 sacks. Last season, Thomas was once again a third-team All-ACC selection after recording 3.5 sacks and 5.5 TFL. 

Thomas was finally poised for his breakout season this year and was in what he described as the best shape of his career, before suffering the initial injury just prior to the season.

"Obviously, he's missed out on a lot of opportunity," Swinney said. "And in his mind, he hasn't been able to really be the best version of himself, but he's gonna be fine no matter what. But I'm just I'm really proud of who he is, and the type of man that he has become, and it's all part of his journey. So he's got a bright, bright future ahead of him on and off the field. He's got he got a lot more football to play."

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