Clemson offensive tackle Mitch Hyatt was a big piece of the foundation of the Tigers’ highly-touted 2015 recruiting class. The franchise tackle enrolled in January and participated in spring practice, allowing him to learn the offense and set himself up to contribute this coming season.
Mitch Hyatt has the chance to be an All-American at Clemson.
We are told that Hyatt has been hard at work during the offseason and now weighs more than 280 pounds. He has a frame that will support 300-plus.
You can expect to see Hyatt, No. 75, on the field quite a bit this season for Clemson at right tackle, opposite left tackle Isaiah Battle. Hyatt was challenged in Clemson’s Orange and White spring game with blocking defensive end Shaq Lawson, who could be an All-ACC player this season. Hyatt more than held his own, frustrating Lawson at times as he played most of the game.
With the Tigers loaded at receiver – Artavis Scott, Mike Williams, Deon Cain, Ray-Ray McCloud III, Charone Peake, Milan Richard and more- and running back- the challenge is to keep quarterback DeShaun Watson upright so he can distribute the football and most importantly, healthy. Hyatt is the type of offensive tackle that can do just that.
His presence on the edge also should help the Clemson run game. If you throw in Hyatt, fellow freshman Jake Fruhmorgen (who is playing guard) and an improved Tyrone Crowder, the Tigers running backs should have better opportunities to break a big play this season.
Finally, the intangibles are there for Hyatt. Enrolling early is paying off in terms of the young star developing leadership. Those I’ve spoken with say Hyatt’s work ethic and hard-edged style is respected by the entire offensive line, veterans and young players alike.
Hyatt’s head coach at North Gwinnett High, Bob Sphire, spoke about what made his star player special.
“(He is) tenacious,” Sphire said. “He only knows one speed and that is playing hard and with relentless intensity. Second, he has always been durable and comes to work every day to get better.”
Hyatt’s uncle, Dan Benish, was on Clemson’s 1981 National Championship team and worked with/trained his nephew.
“(Hyatt) has a big heart,” he said. “This makes him push himself to reach his goals and to make his coaches, family and friends proud of him. He loves his teammates and doesn’t want to let them down. His heart is also responsible for his outstanding work ethic.”
Benish also believes his nephew brings a great deal of knowledge of the game to the table, something that will help him see the field early.
“His football IQ is off the charts,” he said. “That means the game really slows down for him. This also makes him easy to coach. He doesn’t just want to be the best lineman on the field, he wants to be the best player on the field every time he steps on the field.”
So far, Hyatt is on his way to potentially doing just that. An outstanding freshman season should lead to Hyatt being one of the best tackles in the country for his entire Clemson career.
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'He wants to be the best player on the field'
Source: Clemson 24/7
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