The Clemson Tigers need more production from this 5-star player.
Back in December 2023, the Clemson Tigers secured a massive commitment from five-star defensive tackle Amare Adams, the second-ranked defensive lineman in the class of 2025.
Hailing from Jefferson, S.C., Adams was expected to eventually establish himself as a lynchpin in the trenches for Clemson, and following the departures of Peter Woods and DeMonte Capehart after last season, Adams was handed a golden opportunity.
Due to the Tigers not having a whole lot of proven depth on the interior, Adams was able to win a starting job, and thus far, he has managed seven tackles over the first four games of the campaign.
While Adams certainly hasn't been terrible (he had a key stop against North Carolina in Week 3), he has not been consistent enough, nor has he displayed the ability that initially made him a five-star recruit.
The Tigers are very thin up front right now. Markus Strong is out for the season, Kourtney Kelly has been sidelined and Devarrick Woods was abset in the win over California.
Adams is the primary defensive tackle on Clemson's roster at the moment, and he needs to play like it.
To be fair, he is still very inexperienced. Adams barely saw in the field in Year 1, finishing with five tackles thanks to being buried in a very deep Tigers defensive line. But in fall camp, head coach Dabo Swinney made it clear that he was looking for an alpha at DT.
The 6-foot-4, 305-pound Adams certainly has the traits to become just that, which is why he was the seventh-ranked player in his recruiting class overall.
But can Adams' ability actually translate into tangible production? It remains to be seen.
There is still plenty of time for the sophomore to improve, but Saturday's matchup against Miami is as good a time as any for him to make his presence known.
The Hurricanes boast the No. 1 offense in the country, and while guys like Will Heldt, Sammy Brown and Ashton Hampton will be the primary names looked upon to thwart Miami's attack, you can bet that Adams will have to play a major role.
Especially with the Hurricanes laying claim to an incredibly deep and versatile backfield averaging a hefty 6.3 yards per carry. Javian Mallory in particular has been a terror, having rushed for 226 yards and three touchdowns on nine yards per attempt.
We'll see if Adams can have a breakout performance in Week 5.
