NOTE: Kansas State has elected to advance players’ classification even though the 2020 season did not affect eligibility. Those who wish to take advantage of this extra year will be listed as a (“super”) senior again after their original eligibility would have been exhausted.
Goal No. 5: BE TOUGH. Mentally and physically.
#5 Justice Clemons
Redshirt Super Senior | 5-10 | 200 lbs. | West Columbia, Texas
- Position: Cornerback
- Previous College: Tyler (Texas) Junior College
- Projection: Co-Second-String
- Status: On Scholarship
Justice Clemons (b. April 25, 2002), who went by Justice James in 2023-24 but since has returned to his original last name this offseason, is a JUCO defensive back who transferred
to K-State late in the 2021-22 recruiting process from Tyler Junior College in Tyler, Texas, where he played with former Wildcat Kobe Savage.
Clemons redshirted and did not play during the 2022 Big 12 Championship season.
As Justice James, he played in 11 games as both a reserve cornerback and on special teams in 2023, and was in for 127 defensive snaps and 101 special teams plays during the season.
James came away with nine tackles that year, including three on special teams to tie for seventh on the team, and set a career high with three tackles against Baylor, a game in which he also carded his first career pass breakup.
He also registered his first career tackle for loss against SEMO, finished the season as a first-team Academic All-Big 12 performer and entered last season as our No. 3 overall cornerback.
Last season, James played in all 13 games, including starts against Colorado, Cincinnati and Rutgers, the latter coming the Rate Bowl. He registered 15 tackles on the season with a pass breakup at Iowa State.
James had a season-high two tackles against each of UT Martin, Tulane, Oklahoma State and Rutgers.
He saw action on 311 defensive snaps, including a career-high 47 against Arizona State, and also served as a member of the kickoff coverage and punt return units.
Now back to Clemons, he is set to be in the top-four/five rotation at the two cornerback spots again in 2025.
He played two seasons under head coach Thomas Rocco at Tyler, earning honorable mention all-conference honors as a sophomore. Clemons totaled 51 tackles, two tackles for loss, three interceptions and eight passes defended over his two-year career for the Apaches.
He had 36 tackles as a sophomore in 2021, including a career-high nine at Trinity Valley to go along with a forced fumble. Clemons also picked off two passes, including one he returned for a touchdown, against Northeastern Oklahoma A&M.
In 2020, he had 15 tackles with a sack during his freshman season. Thanks to his playing during the pandemic season (with a slight assist from Diego Pavia), he is using his COVID year to return in 2025 for a final season.
Clemons prepped under head coach Randy Lynch at Sweeny (Texas) High School, where he was an all-district selection who recorded 56 tackles, three interceptions and five passes defended over his three-year prep career for the Bulldogs.
All three picks came during his junior campaign in 2018, a year in which he set a career high with 21 tackles. He also had three passes defended, a forced fumble and fumble recovery as a sophomore in 2017.
Clemons starred on offense, as he was the district offensive Most Valuable Player, and he also competed in track and field in high school, finishing second in the state in long jump.
He selected K-State over offers from Central Michigan, Eastern Kentucky, Indiana State, Louisiana-Monroe, Middle Tennessee State, Prairie View A&M, Sam Houston State, Stephen F. Austin and Texas State. (Clemons’ only scholarship offer coming out of high school as a wide receiver prospect came from Illinois State.)
His primary recruiter was K-State assistant head coach, passing game defensive coordinator and cornerbacks coach Van Malone, now his position coach. Said Malone of him at this time of year in 2023:
Justice James has been really impressive. He’s really worked hard to understand where exactly he needs to be, and more than anything else, it’s been cool to watch him be right a whole lot of times. He’s really done a good job preparing himself.
Justice had been down on the depth chart, and now you’ve earned the right to advance yourself to move into a role where you get more responsibility.
And here’s an update from Malone earlier this month:
I’ve always had good trust in Justice Clemons. He’s gotten the most reps in that (cornerback) group. He keeps getting better day after day.
Head coach Chris Klieman agrees, saying at Big 12 Media Days last month, “Justice Clemons has played two years at a high level. …(he) has been in the program a long time and will be a valuable piece back there.”
James, who is majoring in sociology/criminology, is the cousin of two National Football League defensive backs and University of Texas alumni, Quandre Diggs and Quentin Jammer.
You can read more about his journey to K-State in this paywalled news story here.
