It appears Clemson could be without one of its best defensive players in Monday night’s College Football Playoff national title game.
According to multiple reports, Tigers redshirt sophomore cornerback Mackensie Alexander has been dealing with a hamstring injury. Alexander confirmed the injury ESPN’s Marty Smith and said he will test out the hamstring before the game to see if he can play against Alabama.
The Post and Courier is reporting that Alexander hurt the hamstring during Clemson’s Nov. 14 win over Syracuse. The issue also flared up during Clemson’s semifinal win over Oklahoma on Dec. 31.
Alexander, an All-American, is the team’s best corner and is expected to matchup with Alabama wide receiver Calvin Ridley (83 catches, 1,031 yards, 7 TDs) in Monday night’s game.
Alexander isn’t the only Clemson defender that could be limited against the Tide. Defensive end Shaq Lawson suffered a knee sprain against Oklahoma and has been limited in practice throughout the week. Lawson leads the nation with 23.5 tackles for loss.
Both Lawson and Alexander are projected first round picks. Lawson has already told reporters he plans to declare for the draft. Alexander is expected to do the same before the Jan. 18 deadline.
For more Clemson news, visit TigerIllustrated.com.
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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
