The Bull is ready to be unleashed in Death Valley

TJ Dudley is ready to be a young leader on the defense.

by Nikki Hood - Staff Writer - Tue Jul 26 16:12:03 GMT-04:00 2022

CLEMSON – The Bull is ready to be turned loose in Death Valley, and if he has it his way, you will see him running over people on both defense and offense.

Freshman linebacker TJ Dudley, more affectionately known as 'Bull' by his teammates, was given his nickname by a high school coach after seeing him play running back, but at 6-2, 230 pounds, he's looking forward to wreaking havoc on opposing offenses.

However, a la Christian Wilkins, Dudley is already thinking about the day he might see the field in Clemson's patented 'Jumbo' package.

"It was my first year playing football, and I got it playing running back because I would just run over people and no juke moves," Dudley told TigerNet during Sunday's Dear Old Clemson meet and greet. "Coach gave it (the 'Bull' nickname) to me, and it stuck with me ever since.

"Maybe. I hope (I see the field on offense). I really do. I think I've got a little bit more vision now, so a little bit of both. I might switch it up. I might run you over one time and juke you the next time."

Dudley's journey to Clemson was about more than just the opportunities on the field.

"It's bigger than football. With PAW Journey and things like that, you can tap into other things because one-day football won't be there, and you never know when," Dudley said.

The opportunity to learn from Wes Goodwin, Clemson's first-year defensive coordinator, was also enticing.

"Coach Wes is a genius in the film room...He's a genius," Dudley said of Goodwin. "I want to be a sponge with everything he says and learn from him because he's got a lot of knowledge."

What kind of player and linebacker will Clemson fans see when Dudley takes the field in September?

"(My biggest asset is) probably leadership," he said. "I'm not scared to speak up when things are wrong. Also, my versatility - being able to play in space, in the box, everywhere. I can cover; go hit. You can put me in the box or outside in space. I think I'm a versatile linebacker. I'm not one-dimensional."

With fall camp just around the corner, Dudley is looking forward to learning from his older teammates.

"In fall camp, I'm looking forward to being a sponge and taking all of the knowledge I can from people like Trenton (Simpson), LaVonta (Bentley), Keith (Maguire) - people who have been in the system and been through it. I just want to be a sponge and learn everything I can," he said.