Had 171 knockdowns in a school-record 3,361 snaps over 53 games (49 starts) in his career … tied for first in school history in starts and tied for fourth in games … started each of the last 49 games at center … two-time finalist for the Rimington Trophy … two-time First-Team All-ACC selection (media), the first Tiger center to do that … three-time Academic All-ACC selection … four-time ACC Academic Honor Roll member.
2012: Permanent team co-captain … one of six finalists for the Rimington Trophy … one of 50 candidates for the National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Award … first-team All-American by AFCA … second-team All-American by AP, Lindy’s, Phil Steele, Scout.com, and Walter Camp … honorable mention All-American by SI.com and Sporting News … First-Team All-ACC selection (media, coaches) … first-team All-ACC by CBSSports.com, CollegeFootballNews.com, ESPN.com, and Phil Steele … second-team Academic All-American by CoSIDA; he became the first Tiger Academic All-American since 2001 and the fourth Tiger in history to be named an All-American on the field and in the classroom in the same academic year … first-team Academic All-District by CoSIDA … Senior Bowl invitee … had 28 knockdowns in 959 snaps over 13 games (13 starts) … had a team-high five knockdowns in playing all 89 snaps against #25 Auburn at Atlanta, GA on Sept. 1; named ACC Offensive Lineman-of-the-Week … had two knockdowns in 36 snaps against Ball State on Sept. 8 … had two knockdowns in 52 snaps against Furman on Sept. 15 … had one knockdown in playing all 79 snaps at #4 Florida State on Sept. 22 … had one knockdown in 75 snaps at Boston College on Sept. 29 … had three knockdowns in playing all 93 snaps against Georgia Tech on Oct. 6 … had two knockdowns in playing all 67 snaps against Virginia Tech on Oct. 20; named team offensive player-of-the-game … had two knockdowns in 80 snaps at Wake Forest on Oct. 25 … had two knockdowns in 60 snaps at Duke on Nov. 3 … had one knockdown in 71 snaps against Maryland on Nov. 10 … had two knockdowns in playing all 102 snaps against N.C. State on Nov. 17; named ACC Offensive Lineman-of-the-Week … had two knockdowns in 52 snaps against #12 South Carolina on Nov. 24 … had three knockdowns in playing all 103 snaps against #7 Louisiana State in the Chick-fil-A Bowl on Dec. 31 … Lombardi Award Watch List member in the preseason … Outland Trophy Watch List member in the preseason … Rimington Trophy Watch List member in the preseason … Senior Bowl Watch List member in the preseason … preseason second-team All-American by Lindy’s … #2 center in the nation in the preseason by Lindy’s … preseason fourth-team All-American by Phil Steele … preseason First-Team All-ACC … preseason first-team All-ACC by Athlon, ESPN.com, Lindy’s, and Phil Steele.
2011: Honorable mention All-American by SI.com … one of six finalists for the Rimington Trophy … First-Team All-ACC selection (media) … first-team All-ACC by ESPN.com and Phil Steele … Academic All-ACC selection … ACC Academic Honor Roll member … had 41 knockdowns in a school-record 1,044 snaps over 14 games (14 starts) … second on the team in knockdowns … led or tied for the team lead among offensive linemen in snaps in every game … graded 91 percent in 64 snaps against Troy on Sept. 3 … graded 84 percent in 71 snaps against Wofford on Sept. 10 … had four knockdowns in playing all 94 snaps against #19 Auburn on Sept. 17 … played all 86 snaps against #11 Florida State on Sept. 24 … played all 68 snaps at #10 Virginia Tech on Oct. 1; named team offensive player-of-the-game … played all 82 snaps at Maryland on Oct. 15 … graded 88 percent in 67 snaps against North Carolina on Oct. 22 … graded 89 percent in playing all 67 snaps at Georgia Tech on Oct. 29 … graded 88 percent with four knockdowns in playing all 90 snaps against Wake Forest on Nov. 12; named ACC Offensive Lineman-of-the-Week … had six knockdowns in playing all 68 snaps at #13 South Carolina on Nov. 26 … graded 91 percent with five knockdowns in 68 snaps against #3 Virginia Tech in the ACC Championship game on Dec. 3 … had six knockdowns in 69 snaps against #22 West Virginia in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 4.
2010: Academic All-ACC selection … ACC Academic Honor Roll member … had 58 knockdown blocks in 811 snaps, second-most on the team, in 13 games (13 starts) … allowed just two sacks all season … led or tied for the team lead in snaps among offensive linemen in eight different games … had an 80.6-percent average film grade, third-best on the team … led the team in knockdown blocks in six different games … led the team in knockdown blocks in four of the last seven games … graded in the 80s in 10 games, including each of the last seven games … had an 82-percent grade and four knockdowns against North Texas … had seven knockdowns and a 77-percent grade at #15 Auburn … had eight knockdowns and led the team in film grade (84 percent) at North Carolina … had six knockdowns and an 82-percent grade against Georgia Tech … led the team in film grade at Boston College (84) and Florida State (84) … had seven knockdowns and an 80-percent grade against #23 N.C. State … had an 80-percent grade and four knockdowns at Wake Forest in front of his father, who played for Wake Forest in the early 1980s … won the Strength Training Award among centers for the spring practice.
2009: ACC Academic Honor Roll member … had 44 knockdowns … first freshman center to start for Clemson over the course of a season since 1943 (Ralph Jenkins) … first-team freshman All-American by CollegeFootballNews.com … named offensive Co-Rookie-of-the-Year along with Kyle Parker by the Tiger coaching staff … Academic All-ACC selection … first-team Freshman All-ACC by Rivals.com … started the last nine games, his move to the starting lineup coincided with Clemson’s six-game winning streak at midseason … played 547 snaps in 13 games, with nine starts overall, all at center … Clemson averaged 32.5 points per game and nearly 400 yards per game when he started … had an 80-percent film grade in the win over #8 Miami, he had a season-high eight knockdown blocks in that game … also graded 80 percent in the win over N.C. State … played 25 snaps as a reserve against Middle Tennessee, then did not play against Georgia Tech in Atlanta … played 11 snaps against Boston College and 12 against TCU in limited roles … went into the starting lineup in a 38-3 win over Wake Forest and graded 79 percent … had big game in win over Miami as stated earlier, then had 79 percent grade in a win over Florida State … had season-best 85 percent grade in win over Virginia in the team’s final home game … had eight knockdown blocks against Georgia Tech in ACC Championship game when the Tigers had season-high 323 yards rushing … played 47 snaps in the win over Kentucky and his 80 percent grade had a lot to do with Clemson’s 180 rushing yards and the 21-13 win.
2008: Red-shirted … ACC Academic Honor Roll member.
Before Clemson: Rated as the #13 offensive guard in the nation by Scout.com … #16 offensive guard in the nation by ESPN.com … #9 prospect in South Carolina and #13 offensive guard in the nation by Rivals.com … finalist for Mr. Football in South Carolina … Offense-Defense All-American Bowl Offensive Lineman-of-the-Year … Shrine Bowl pick … recipient of the Wendy’s High School Heisman in South Carolina … #8 prospect in South Carolina by SuperPrep … #39 offensive lineman in the nation by SuperPrep … All-American at offensive tackle … three-time all-area, all-region, and all-state selection on offense … two-time all-area and all-region pick on defense … two-time region lineman-of-the-year … offensive lineman-of-the-year by High School Sports Report and South Carolina Football Coaches Association … winner of the Carolina Panthers Community Captain Award … graded 92 percent while recording 67 knockdowns and 37 pancake blocks during his senior season … tied for the team lead with 83 tackles along with 16 tackles for loss and six sacks … all-region in track as a junior … coached by his father, Ben Freeman … recruited by Brad Scott … chose Clemson over Colorado, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Penn State, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
Personal: His father, Ben, played football at Wake Forest in the early 1980s … graduated on Dec. 22, 2011 with a degree in communication studies … born June 18, 1990.