Clemson RB Embracing Position Switch, Aims to be Next Deebo Samuel

It’s not often that you see a player at a skill position make the switch going into their senior year, but the opportunity presented itself for former receiver Adam Randall. 

During his three years at receiver, the Myrtle Beach native showed flashes at wideout, recording 533 yards and two touchdowns across his collegiate career. However, it was two plays that switched Randall’s trajectory: a career-long 41-yard kick return in the ACC Championship that would later set up a game-winning 56-yard field goal and a 41-yard rush against Texas in the College Football Playoff. 

Despite playing the position at times in high school, Randall is confident that he could play many different positions in this Clemson system, due to his experience. 

“I’ve been a receiver for a long time, but it’s just another position on the offensive ball to me,” he said on Friday. “I think I could play all of them at this point in my career, being in the system for three years, so just having the opportunity to go out there, run out there and be one of those guys on the field.”

The running back room is wide open following the departure of Phil Mafah to the NFL Draft, but there’s a vast amount of respect from each player in the room for Randall and each other. 

Redshirt freshman David Eziomume sees the work that his teammate puts in while blocking out the outside noise. 

“I’m honestly proud of him,” Eziomume said. “He was a wide receiver, and for him to make that quick transition to running back is not easy. He’s also a taller running back, so I know he struggles with the same things as me, and I see him every day putting in the work. He's probably one of the top dogs in our running back unit, and I honestly respect him for that. He doesn’t listen to the naysayers.”

The addition is helpful for competition, according to other tailbacks.

“I definitely think it’s bringing the best out of all of us,” Jarvis Green said. “We are a competitive group, we compete for each other, but at the end of the day, we are a brotherhood.”

“That just shows how he’s committed to this team,” Keith Adams Jr. said. “I can give a lot of credit to his parents as well because a lot of your characteristics come from where you come from, and I feel like his parents did a great job of raising him and his brother, Austin. He’s just always been a great person and willing to do anything he can for this team.”

Randall is prepared from watching tape, examining the moves of Mafah and former Tiger Will Shipley, who played with Randall for two seasons. With blocking, which he didn’t have much knowledge of going into the Texas matchup, he is transferring that blocking at receiver over to tailback, looking for “home-run runs”.

“I watched film for everything when I was at receiver, just making sure I was on point and where I needed to have my block at and my assignment at while I was at receiver,” he said. “So, I just carried that vision over to being a running back.”

He's also making the effort to study up on some notable NFL players who made their mark both from the air and from the ground: Cordarrelle Patterson and Deebo Samuel.

Simply put, Randall is looking to “make the most of every opportunity” that he can receive, and Clemson is in a prime position to contend for a national championship. If the senior could play any position for this contending team, regardless of whether he began at receiver, he wants to opportunity to contribute. 

“We got a chance to win a national championship, sign me up,” he said. “It’s just another year. As long as I’m out there making plays, sign me up.”

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