With so much talent returning on Clemson defense, don't forget Baylon Spector

CLEMSON — ACC Media Days are right around the corner, and Clemson football’s season opener against Georgia is, too. College football season will be here before we know it, and ClemsonSports.com is helping you get ready by counting down the 25 most important players for Clemson in 2021. Up next: No. 17 Baylon Spector.

Baylon Spector underrated part of Clemson defense

With so much star power returning on Clemson’s defense, particularly along the defensive front, it’s easy to forget that the leading tackler from last season is back as well.

Fifth-year senior Baylon Spector is flying under-the-radar heading into his final collegiate season, but he shouldn’t be.

The Georgia native and second-team All-ACC selection a year ago will once again be a dependable part of Brent Venables’ defense and a leader for the Tigers.

“He’s a great player,” Tigers coach Dabo Swinney said last season. “Their talent gets them here, and their skills develop. If you’ve got the work ethic, you’re going to make it. But you’ve got to put the work in. You’ve gotta go earn it. Baylon is the epitome of that.”

Spector, whose younger brother Brannon is a receiver for the Tigers, signed with Clemson in the class of 2017 as a three-star recruit and No. 45 safety in the country, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.

Baylon Spector redshirted his freshman season and played sparingly as a redshirt freshman in 2018, before being a key reserve at linebacker in 2019 — finishing with 45 tackles, including six tackles for loss. Spector had a breakout season last year, recording a team-high 72 tackles, including 10.5 tackles for loss, which was the second-most on the team.

Spector always seems to be around the ball, and he and fellow senior James Skalski have a chance to be one of the best linebacker duos in the country this season.

“He and Skalski, it’s a reflection of how they practice. I mean, I’m telling you, every single rep at practice is a game rep for those two guys. They put a ton of work in every week to get themselves ready to play,” Swinney said. “It’s just good to see them enjoy the fruits of their labor a little bit, because I know how hard they work. It’s the unseen grind.”

Baylon Spector missed this spring with an injury, which is another reason he’s flying a bit under-the-radar. But once the season begins, he’ll quickly remind the college football world just what he’s capable of.