Dabo Swinney Already Impressed With Clemson’s Coveted Freshman Running Back
Clemson has had the fortune of stability in their running back room for the past few years, led by one of the program’s best in Will Shipley before Phil Mafah took over the reins last season.
They don’t have that luxury in 2025.
The Tigers have to find their guy, and with tons of players in the mix who are looking to emerge as the starter, this spring and summer is going to be an extended battle to determine who can fill the sizeable hole that was left behind by Shipley and Mafah.
Someone who could get action even as a true freshman is Gideon Davidson.
The four-star running back was the second-ranked player in Clemson’s 2025 class, and after showing up to campus with some lofty expectations on his shoulders, it seems like he has already impressed head coach Dabo Swinney early this spring.
“I mean, as advertised,” he said. “Physically, impressive. I mean, just further along than I thought he would be coming in. He doesn’t look like a high school kid. I mean, he looks like a kid that’s been in college about three years.”
That’s a great sign for getting onto the field early.
The biggest hurdle for young players, especially ones who enroll at high-end programs like Clemson, is having their bodies physically ready to compete against college players.
With Gideon being further along than expected in that category, the next step will be his performance in practice to put himself into consideration for a rotational role.
“He just looks great physically. Just what you’d thought he’d be. Really smooth athlete and a lot of confidence. Fast. So he’s done a nice job picking things up well. Proud of him,” Swinney added.
Gideon sounds like the real deal, and even though he was ranked fourth among running backs in the 2025 class by On3’s Industry Ranking, he could make an instant impact for the Tigers during the upcoming season.
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