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Clemson Commitment Cade Denhoff Shines in Senior Season Debut
LAKELAND, Fla. -- There was little doubt how Friday's season opener would go for Lakeland (Fla.) Christian after forcing two turnovers and scoring touchdowns with a short field against Tallahassee (Fla.) St. John Paul II.
The end result would be a 50-0 rout, thanks to a Vikings defense led by Clemson commitment Cade Denhoff. The senior registered a pair of sacks and saw action on offense as a tight end in the victory.
It looked like LCS was the more prepared team given the current climate of high school football in the Sunshine State.
"It's been kind of a weird offseason for me, for the team and a lot of guys," he told SI All-American after the win. "But we stayed pretty steady with it throughout the offseason, started working out in May, getting back to team workouts. COVID was weird but we were able to keep with it, we had a full summer and a lot of preparation for Week 1.
"We put up a 50-0 game so offense played really well, defense put a shutout up so that was really nice."
Denhoff, who was listed at 225 pounds as a junior, said he was up to 240-plus pounds to kick off the season. The extended offseason was a time the honorable mention national edge prospect took advantage of.
"Throughout COVID just kept my same routine," he said. "Training multiple times a week, working out with the team, running. I got into bass fishing a lot, I play a lot of golf."
The 6-foot-5 standout kicked off 2020 with the January commitment to ACC power Clemson and has never looked back. In the meantime he's developed a bond with several members of the Tiger class along with multiple coaches.
"Clemson, our commitment class has grown to about 14 or 15 commits," Denhoff said. "All of us are pretty tight, got a group chat. I talk to Zaire Patterson a lot, Marcus Tate, Barrett Carter, our linebacker commit. We talk in the group chat a lot.
"I talk to Lemanski Hall, defensive ends coach, a couple times a week. Coach (Brent) Venables, defensive coordinator, a couple times a week. Then Coach (Dabo) Swinney every once in a while. I keep up with Clemson all the time."
The relationship with Venables, who went to high school with Denhoff's mother, stands longer than with any coach who recruited him.
"Venables is the real deal, I love that guy," he said. "He's energetic, he knows everybody in your family. That's the same thing with all the coaches. He's really friendly, he loves on you and pushes you at the same time. There's a great balance there -- he's just wild."
Elite 2021 DE @cade_denhoff, whose mother went to high school with Brent Venables, talks commitment to @ClemsonFB. Tigers having a huge weekend on the trail:https://t.co/MXORlNcd7U
— John Garcia, Jr. (@JohnGarcia_Jr) January 26, 2020
Scout's Take
Denhoff looked noticeably bigger since SIAA saw him in the spring but it hasn't halted his overall athleticism or surprising versatility. He lined up as a stand-up edge, in a 4-point stance as well as at the second level as an off-ball linebacker throughout the game on defense. The mobility didn't slow his production, with downhill and pass rushing success on occasion. He pursued the football well and showcased strong linear speed on his marquee sack in which he chased a much smaller, athletic quarterback down from behind and finished with power.
The two-way talent, who held his own as a lead blocker to kick off his season, can still stand to improve his footwork and efficiency en route to his assignment. However, improvement in the strength and play-diagnostic department was a welcomed sight on Friday, evident on a tipped ball near the goal line during the opponent's best chance at finding the end zone. We think his frame will carry 260-plus pounds with relative ease at the next level, enabling him to play a balanced game on the edge and have the capacity to play inside down the line as needed.
Interview courtesy of Brian Smith.
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