PFF reveals 5 lowest graded Clemson players from matchup against Duke

While there were some bright spots for Clemson in its opener against Duke, overall it was a disappointing start to the season for the Tigers.

From fumbles, to drops, to interceptions, Clemson made too many mistakes in its season opener and it cost them in a 28-7 loss.

PFF grades every player in the country following each game, and its grades for Week 1 are in. Here is a look at the five lowest-graded players for the Tigers from the matchup against Duke:

OL Blake Miller — 43.5

It was an up-and-down performance by the Clemson offensive line. Yes, the Tigers rushed for 213 yards, but they also allowed a pair of sacks and didn’t always open up rushing lanes. Miller struggled in both run blocking and pass blocking, according to PFF. He graded out at 47.5 for pass blocking and 52.3 for run blocking. Miller played all 86 offensive snaps in the loss.

WR Adam Randall — 47.7

Expectations were high for Randall entering the season, but he had a rough outing in Week 1. The sophomore caught one pass for eight yards, while playing 29 snaps. In the passing game, Randall graded out at 48.3, while he had a 60.3 grade for run blocking. Randall was targeted only one other time against Duke and was credited with a drop by PFF.

OL Collin Sadler — 48.7

Sadler came off the bench in place of left tackle Tristan Leigh and played 25 snaps. While he did some nice things, he didn’t grade out well, according to PFF. Sadler had a grade of 58.2 for pass blocking and 45.2 for run blocking. This was his first time receiving extended playing time as Sadler redshirted last year and played only 23 snaps all season.

OL Mitchell Mayes — 52.2

Another offensive lineman who came off the bench on Monday, Mayes played 31 snaps against the Blue Devils. PFF graded him at 82.9 as a pass blocker and 46.7 as a run blocker. While he struggled in the running game, the pass protection number is elite. The senior was behind only center Will Putnam as far as pass blocking on the team.

DE Justin Mascoll — 52.6

Dabo Swinney was hopeful that Mascoll would take his game to another level in 2023, but he got off to a slow start on Monday. Mascoll played 46 snaps and registered six tackles, but he was graded as the worst defender for the Tigers. The senior graded out at 61.2 against the run, 54.7 in pass rush and 45.4 in coverage. He did grade out well as far as tackling, but he struggled to get in the backfield.

Other notable players who graded out poorly include Cole Turner (54.5), Jake Briningstool (54.8), Jalyn Phillips (55.2) and Barrett Carter (55.7).