Defensive end Xavier Thomas, the top-ranked prospect in the ESPN Jr 300, committed to Clemson Saturday morning. The Tigers now hold verbals from two of 2018's most heavily-recruited talents in Thomas and quarterback Trevor Lawrence, No. 3 in the Jr 300. How will Thomas change the Tigers?

What he brings: Thomas is a defender who possesses the tools to be an impact-type defender at the college level. His physical upside may be a bit limited, but that is not an issue as he already possesses good height with a thick, muscular build. The top-ranked player is not only a well-built prospect, but he's also a tremendous overall athlete who possesses excellent speed and range as well as good change-of-direction. One of his strongest assets is his explosiveness as he can fire off the ball, get up field and be a disruptive force. He is a powerful player with the strength to set the edge and is also fast enough to be a factor in backside pursuit. Able to be strong against the run, he can also be a menacing presence as a pass rusher. Not only does he possess a quick first step, but he flashes good bend to work a tight path as well as the ability to convert speed to power and push blockers back. A disruptive and talented player heading into his senior season at IMG Academy, he should continue to make strides in physical development and technique, increasing the chances for him to come in and potentially be an immediate impact player.

How he fits: This is a tremendous pick up for a Clemson program that has done a very nice job recruiting and developing defensive line talent under coach Dabo Swinney. After losing some talented pass rushers in recent years, the Tigers return much of their national championship winning D-Line in 2017, but could face some key departures on that unit not too far down the road. The need to prepare and restock is evident as Thomas is already the third D-Line commitment in the Tigers' 2018 class. While the other two are talented ESPN 300 caliber prospects, Thomas leads the group. The explosive defender still needs to develop and adjust to FBS football, but he demonstrates the ability to come in and quickly contribute at least as a pass rusher, and possesses the physical tools to be a well-rounded, every-down player. Listed as a DE with his size, build and athleticism, Thomas could offer defensive coordinator Brent Venables some versatility in how he uses him. Thomas can stand up and play some linebacker and, with his strength and first-step quickness, he could also come inside in passing situations to take advantage of matchups. This is a big pick up for Clemson and its defense as Thomas can not only be a premier defender but, while still a year away, he also shows the ability to quickly become a key contributor.

Reminds us of: Going back a bit, Thomas reminds us some of another South Carolina native and Clemson defender Da’Quan Bowers. The former No. 1 player in the 2008 ESPN 300, Bowers possessed greater length, but was listed at 6-foot-4, 265 pounds coming out of high school. Thomas is currently listed at 6-foot-3, 269 pounds. Bowers was also an athletic big man who showcased his abilities at times at running back and possessed a quick first step as well as the ability to be a disruptive pass rusher. There are differences between these two, and we could see Thomas potentially finding his footing and being a little more consistently productive quicker, but ultimately we feel the new Clemson DE commit is a bit reminiscent of the former Tigers defender.

How the class is shaping up: Following a top-10 class for the 2017 cycle, Clemson if off a to a big start for 2018. Thomas is the Tigers' seventh commitment overall and sixth ranked within the ESPN Jr. 300. He is the third defensive line commit joining DE Justin Mascoll and in-state DT Josh Belk. The class also includes Lawrence as well as Thomas' IMG teammate LB Mike Jones Jr.