The Clemson Tigers are flying on the heels of a National Championship but Dabo Swinney will be forced to place a great deal of talent from the title-winning squad. Quarterback Deshaun Watson and wide receiver Mike Williams are likely first round NFL Draft picks but, on Wednesday, word broke that Clemson will have to look elsewhere for help in the secondary due to an unforeseen reason.
TigerNet brings word that former four-star defensive back Adrian Baker will leave the program as a graduate transfer and he could end up at an FBS program depending on his chosen path of study. Baker, who ESPN ranked as a top-200 national recruit in the Class of 2013, missed the entire 2016 season with a knee injury but was reportedly set to compete for a starting job in the secondary next season.
With that said, Baker isn't a devastating loss, if only because Clemson returns a wealth of talent on both sides of the ball, regardless of defections. It will be interesting to see both how the secondary shakes out for the Tigers and where Baker lands after choosing his transfer destination. Still, this type of thing can be best for all parties and that wouldn't be a surprise in this case.
