CLEMSON, S.C. (WSPA) – Clemson has been one of the premier programs in all of college football for nearly a decade. That made joining the Tigers an easy decision for Greenville’s Collin Sadler.
Porter: “I think one of his greatest strengths, to me, is his speed [and] his flexibility,” said Greenville Head Coach Greg Porter. “He’s strong…He don’t look like he weighs 300 pounds…That’s the intriguing thing, to see someone that size that can run that fast and be that strong.”
A rare combination of size and speed paired with a relentless work ethic turned the senior offensive lineman into a top college prospect.
“Great players put in work behind the scenes when the lights are off and it’s just you and a bar,” said Sadler. “That’s really the biggest thing for me is just putting in work outside of ball.”
“It didn’t take long,” added Porter. “In 2019 I had him captain a few games and I think he was a sophomore. But nobody was really questioning it because his work ethic on and off the field is an example, it’s a standard that I try to share with all of our guys. ”
That standard is what attracted Clemson to the 6’6″ 295-pound, four-star lineman. And it didn’t take long for Sadler to make his decision, committing to the Tigers last fall.
“I felt like my timing was perfect,” Sadler said. “Of course I was a little bit earlier than most of the other people ranked around where I am, but I knew where I wanted to go early on. So everything’s calmed down and I’m just enjoying school at this point.”
Sadler made the line calls as a left tackle his junior season, and figures to do the same as a senior. Now with a renewed focus, he’s dedicated to taking on an even bigger role as he and his teammates battle for the ultimate prize.
“The biggest part of my game that I’m trying to work on is my leadership…just preparing these guys coming up…Team goals are more important than my personal goals at this point. We’re out here chasing a state championship, and I’m not leaving high school without any hardware.”
That sentiment rings true throughout the locker room as Greenville missed the postseason last year. Sadler added his goal is not to be a specialist in college, but rather someone that can play all five positions on the offensive line.
