5 Best Clemson NFL Players
Clemson went from a solid ACC program to a national power in the span of a decade, and the NFL draft boards reflect it. These five Tigers are ranked on what they did in Death Valley, with title game performances and ACC award seasons weighted heaviest. Two of them played in three straight national championship games.
1. Trevor Lawrence
Quarterback · 2018 to 2020
Lawrence won a national championship as a true freshman, throwing for 347 yards in a blowout of an undefeated Alabama team, and went 34 and 2 as a starter. He finished with 90 touchdown passes against 17 interceptions and added 18 rushing scores, and he never lost a regular season game in college. He was a top two Heisman finisher twice and played his best football in the biggest games. Jacksonville took him first overall in 2021 as one of the most hyped quarterback prospects in twenty years.
2. C.J. Spiller
Running Back · 2006 to 2009
Spiller finished his career with 7,588 all purpose yards, an ACC record, and was the 2009 conference Player of the Year. He scored 51 total touchdowns as a rusher, receiver, and return man, including seven kickoff return touchdowns, which tied an NCAA record. He was a genuine track sprinter who never seemed to need a lane wider than a shoulder. Buffalo drafted him ninth overall in 2010.
3. Travis Etienne
Running Back · 2017 to 2020
Etienne is the ACC's all time leading rusher with more than 4,900 yards and he won conference Player of the Year twice, which no other running back in league history has done. He averaged 7.2 yards a carry for his career and scored 78 total touchdowns while also developing into a genuine receiving threat as a senior. He was the home run element of two national championship game offenses. Jacksonville took him in the first round in 2021, reuniting him with Lawrence.
4. Terry Kinard
Safety · 1979 to 1982
Kinard won the Nagurski Trophy in 1982 and was a two time consensus All American on the 1981 national championship team. He finished with 17 career interceptions and was known for closing speed that turned routine throws into turnovers. Sports Illustrated named him to its all century college football team, which tells you how he was regarded. The Giants drafted him in the first round in 1983.
5. Christian Wilkins
Defensive Tackle · 2015 to 2018
Wilkins started as a true freshman on a title game team and left four years later with 192 tackles, 40.5 tackles for loss, and two national championships. He was a unanimous All American in 2018 on a defensive line that sent four players to the NFL, and he was the one offenses had the hardest time moving. He also won the Campbell Trophy as the top scholar athlete in the sport. Miami drafted him 13th overall in 2019.
Who Just Missed the Cut
DeAndre Hopkins, Sammy Watkins, Gaines Adams, Vic Beasley, Tee Higgins, Isaiah Simmons, and Levon Kirkland all have real cases. Watkins set the ACC freshman receiving record and Simmons won the Butkus Award while playing five different positions. This list favored sustained multi year dominance and championship impact.
Clemson by the Numbers
Clemson has produced two national championships in the modern era and more than 30 first round NFL draft picks, with a heavy concentration in the last ten years. The defensive line pipeline is the strongest, with the 2019 draft class alone producing multiple day one and day two picks. Running back and receiver have been the most consistent offensive sources.
Why Death Valley Translates
Clemson has run pro concepts on offense and a multiple front defense that asks a lot of its linemen, so players arrive in the NFL with real schematic literacy. The program's facilities and strength program are among the best in the country and players show up to combines physically developed. Playing in College Football Playoff games every January also means scouts have tape of these players against the best rosters in the sport.
Test Yourself on Clemson Players
Reading about them is one thing. Naming them on sight is another. CollegeGuessr shows you an NFL player and asks which college he came from. Build a streak, post your score on the Big Board, and see how your football knowledge holds up.