Demonte Capehart, Clemson Tigers DL 'Starting Our Own Legacy'

Once a top recruit out of the 2020 class and one of the Clemson Tigers’ most hyped defensive line prospects in recent history, Demonte Capehart is getting one final chance to live up to that billing.

After an underwhelming 2024 season riddled with injuries, limiting him to just seven regular-season appearances, the South Carolina native was granted an uncommon NCAA waiver to play a fifth year with the Tigers. It's a much-needed reset for Capehart, who was expected to take a significant leap last season but never could find his rhythm.

Now healthy and with a renewed sense of urgency, Capehart returns to a reloaded Clemson defensive front with something to prove.

"I just was appreciative of the opportunity to come back, improve my game, and perfect my craft," Capehart said this week at media availability. "Of course, I wanted an opportunity to get better because I know last season wasn't really what I hoped for, so I'm very appreciative of the opportunity they gave me to come back."

With a new-look defensive line around him, Capehart is embracing both leadership and competition. He praised the recent arrivals of Purdue transfer Will Heldt and true-freshman Amare Adams, expressing confidence in what each brings to the group.

"It's a great addition," Capehart said about Heldt. "The front we have, we value each other, we're like a brotherhood. We love each other – you gotta bleed with each other before they can open up."

And when asked about Adams, Capehart lit up.

"Amare's gonna be a heck of a player, he's violent – he reminds me of me – he's dominant, but he's way more athletic than me," he explained. "Honestly, he's a force to be reckoned with… When he hits, he doesn't stop; he's so violent, his feet never stop moving. He's a punisher, I love him, 'My brother from down south,' that's what I call him."

How Capehart talks about his teammates compared to himself speaks enough about his character, telling the media how he still has things to work on, even if it's just the basics.

"[I'm working on] footwork, hand placement, technique, a whole lot – still got a lot of stuff I got to work on throughout this camp," he said. "Technique and fundamentals, that's the biggest part of my game. I know how to play football, just technique and fundamentals."

He closed his press conference with a clear message: this group isn't interested in riding the coattails of past greats – they're ready to etch their legacy in Clemson history.

"We appreciate [The Power Rangers], but we're starting our own legacy," Capehart said. "We got a lot of work to do, and we are just ready to go show people because we can't talk our way into nothing, we gotta go do it."

"There is no limit to what this team can do if we come to show up and work every day," He continued. "There is no limit."

For Capehart and Clemson’s front seven, the time for talk is over. With a clean slate and a chip on their shoulders, they’re not chasing the past or even current expectations; they’re coming to leave their own mark.