Gideon Davidson is getting quite the high praise before playing a single snap.
The Clemson football program won't mind as long as Davidson lives up to the comparison.
In a new article out Monday, ESPN's Billy Tucker compared the freshman running back to Tigers legend Travis Etienne.
"The reigning Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year, Davidson was the No. 3 running back in the 2025 class after rushing for over 7,000 yards in his career," Tucker writes. "He immediately backed up the accolades with a strong spring practice. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney has used words such as 'special' and 'natural' when describing his true freshman with a verified track speed of 10.6. Davidson's vision, explosiveness and ability to cut in tight windows are reminiscent of former Clemson running back Travis Etienne. The 6-foot, 200-pounder has the physical maturity and running style to make an immediate impact, which is needed as running back is one of the few inexperienced areas for a team with legitimate national title aspirations."
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Tucker is right that Clemson has legit title goals.
The Tigers have opened up at No. 4 in the preseason AP Poll.
Much of that ranking is based on the returning passing game, led by QB Cade Klubnik, who has potential to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
But if the Tigers want to have offensive balance, they'll need a running back to break through on an inexperienced depth chart.
Davidson seems like a prominent candidate. He was unstoppable in his high school career and earned his top-notch recruiting ranking.
Running back is often a position in which freshmen can break through right away. The top RB recruits are ready to get on the field and show off the burst and strength beyond their years that made them a top recruit in the first place.
Davidson can be that guy at Clemson. They need it.
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