Kendall Joseph

Veteran linebacker who has grown into a reliable cog in the middle of the defense … entered 2018 with 222 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, 30 quarterback pressures, two interceptions for 37 yards, two pass breakups, four caused fumbles and a recovered fumble in 1,672 snaps over 34 games (26 starts) in his career … his 222 tackles entering the year were third among active ACC players … No. 57 player in the nation in the preseason by Sports Illustrated and No. 99 player by NFL.com … preseason first-team All-ACC by Athlon, Phil Steele and Street & Smith’s.

2018: Posted two tackles in season opener against Furman … added six tackles and a sack at Texas A&M … posted three tackles vs. Georgia Southern … missed the Georgia Tech game with an injury but returned to lead Clemson with 12 tackles in a comeback win vs. Syracuse.

2017: Third-Team All-ACC selection … third-team All-ACC by Phil Steele … had 87 tackles, five tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, 10 quarterback pressures, an interception for 37 yards, two pass breakups, two caused fumbles and a recovered fumble in 679 snaps over 12 games (11 starts) … ninth in the ACC in tackles per game … had a team-high eight tackles and a tackle for loss in 25 snaps against Kent State on Sept. 2; named team co-defensive player-of-the-game … had six tackles and 0.5 tackles for loss in 62 snaps against No. 13 Auburn on Sept. 9 … had two tackles and a pass breakup in 55 snaps at No. 14 Louisville on Sept. 16 … had a team-high nine tackles and tackle for loss in 54 snaps against Boston College on Sept. 23; named team co-defensive player-of-the-game … had 10 tackles, a tackle for loss and pass breakup in 59 snaps at No. 12 Virginia Tech on Sept. 30 … had eight tackles in 54 snaps against Wake Forest on Oct. 7 … had 12 tackles and a team-high four quarterback pressures in 87 snaps at Syracuse on Oct. 13 … had seven tackles and a caused fumble in 56 snaps against Georgia Tech on Oct. 28 … had seven tackles in 70 snaps at No. 20 NC State on Nov. 4 … had four tackles and 0.5 tackles for loss in 44 snaps at South Carolina on Nov. 25 … had a team-tying-high seven tackles and a 37-yard interception return in 46 snaps against No. 7 Miami (Fla.) in the ACC Championship Game on Dec. 2; named team co-defensive player-of-the-game … had a team-tying-high seven tackles, a tackle for loss, caused fumble and recovered fumble in 67 snaps against No. 4 Alabama in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1; named team co-defensive player-of-the-game.

2016: Earned defense’s Most Improved Award … second-leading tackler with 124 stops over 15 games (15 starts) … tied for team lead with 13.5 tackles for loss, while adding 3.5 sacks and 16 quarterback pressures … posted team-high 14 tackles in win at Auburn to open the season, three were for loss … added a sack against the Tigers … named ACC Linebacker of the Week for his performance … posted seven tackles, including two for loss, and an interception in win over Troy … had a tackle for loss at Georgia Tech … tallied 11 tackles in 100 snaps against No. 3 Louisville … posted 10 stops in the road win at Boston College … leading tackler with 10 in overtime win over NC State … defensive player of the game by coaches following an 11-tackle, 1.5 sack effort at Wake Forest … led the way with 11 tackles in ACC Championship Game against Virginia Tech … posted eight tackles, one for loss and a caused fumble in 31-0 shutout over Ohio State … notched nine stops, including 2.5 for loss, in National Championship Game against Alabama.

2015: Had 11 tackles in 63 snaps over seven games … also had four quarterback pressures … posted a tackle in 14 snaps in his first game against Wofford … played 20 snaps and contributed two tackles and three quarterback pressures at Miami … sat the Wake Forest game due to concussion suffered in practice … came up with a critical fourth-down stop on a running play in the Orange Bowl win over Oklahoma.

2014: Redshirted.

Before Clemson: Rated as the No. 18 inside linebacker in the nation by ESPN … No. 17 player in South Carolina by 247Sports.com … Shrine Bowl selection … led Belton-Honea Path High School to an 11-2 record and the third round of state playoffs as a senior … had 118 tackles, three tackles for loss, two interceptions, a recovered fumble and blocked punt as a senior … had 205 yards and six touchdowns on 47 carries as a senior … had 139 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks as a junior … had 115 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, two sacks and one caused fumble as a sophomore … three-time state weightlifting champion; also played basketball and ran track … coached by Russell Blackston at Belton-Honea Path High School … recruited by Chad Morris.

Personal: Graduated Dec. 21, 2017 with a degree in health science … born Nov. 19, 1995.

*Courtesy Clemson Media Guide