When it came to dishing out first impressions of offensive linemen Tristan Leigh and Marcus Tate, Clemson offensive tackle Jordan McFadden had a common refrain. "He's big. He's massive," McFadden said of the 6-6, 290-pound Leigh, before adding the freshm an is eager to learn, always in the weight room. All that, too. The subject turned to Tate, just a hair shorter, at 6-5, 290, and an affable McFadden somewhat smiled, again noting, "He's another big one, as well." McFadden is by no means a small man, lis ted at 6-2, 310 pounds himself. But in some ways, the junior from Spartanburg finds himself looking up to these freshmen, as he would in any room occupied by the nation's best offensive tackles. The bar for entry to the tackle position seems fixed somewh ere around 6-4 nowadays.But the Tigers have McFadden repping at left tackle as fall camp opens, putting him in line to replace Jackson Carman, now of the Cincinnati Bengals. Carman was one of those prototypes, standing 6-5, 330 pounds, built with both the length and strength to ward off the opposing team's best pass rushers. Even so, the Bengals now have Carman listed as a guard. Where McFadden lacks in height, he benefits in other areas, though. Just look at his wide, beefy arms as he strolls th e sideline, helmet in hand, and the ends of his fingertips hang just above his knees. Those levers, along with quick feet, should allow McFadden to get hands on opposing edge rushers before they turn the corner for quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei. "He's got the length of a 6-4 guy," Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. "Great technician, great fundamental guy. He's just a great athlete. He can play any position on that field. Left tackle, right tackle, left guard. We've never asked him to snap, but he can play anywhere." - Charleston Post Courier
rSr/2023  OG Jordan McFadden, Clemson
News Source: Charleston Post Courier
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