Sammy Brown Anchors Clemson Defense Ahead of Syracuse Trip

Clemson, S.C. — Junior linebacker Sammy Brown is again the constant on a Clemson defense getting ready for a noon road kickoff at Syracuse on Nov. 7.

He piled up 106 stops last fall and already has 51 tackles plus two sacks in 2026 for a Tiger team that is 5-3 and 3-2 in the ACC. The Orange sit at 4-4 and 2-4 in conference play.

Brown won ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2024, made first-team all-conference in 2025, and is on the Butkus Award semifinal list this season. Coach Dabo Swinney has praised him as the model of what the program wants.

Thursday ACC availability notes still had wideout Tyler Brown as questionable without spelling out an injury. He caught five passes for 74 yards in last week’s win at Florida State.

Syracuse lists starting quarterback Steve Angeli as questionable too. Clemson plans another availability filing Friday evening once the travel roster is set for the ESPN2 trip north.

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