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1st Rounder [699]
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If you were going to rate our top 5 DT's if all time, who would they be?
Jun 15, 2025, 9:59 PM
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....?
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Paw Warrior [4668]
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Re: If you were going to rate our top 5 DT's if all time, who would they be?
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Jun 15, 2025, 10:06 PM
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Oh that's TOUGH!
I know The Fridge and Christian Wilkins have to be in the top 5 if not 1&2 overall. After that...it gets really difficult.
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Ring of Honor [21257]
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Re: If you were going to rate our top 5 DT's if all time, who would they be?
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Jun 16, 2025, 9:06 AM
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Since 1980...
1. Dexter Lawrence
2. Christian Wilkins
3. William Perry
4. Chester the molester
5. Brentson Buckner
6. MD Perry
7. Carlos Watkins
8. Nick Eason
9. Trevor Pryce
10. Austin Bryant
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Dynasty Maker [3588]
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Re: If you were going to rate our top 5 DT's if all time, who would they be?
Jun 16, 2025, 11:39 AM
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Austin Bryant was a DE
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Rival Killer [2968]
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Re: If you were going to rate our top 5 DT's if all time, who would they be?
Jun 16, 2025, 12:36 PM
[ in reply to Re: If you were going to rate our top 5 DT's if all time, who would they be? ] |
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Since 1980...
1. Dexter Lawrence
2. Christian Wilkins
3. William Perry
4. Chester the molester
5. Brentson Buckner
6. MD Perry
7. Carlos Watkins
8. Nick Eason
9. Trevor Pryce
10. Austin Bryant
Michael Dean Perry would knock the last 4 down and also Jim stuckey.
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Clemson Conqueror [11710]
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Re: If you were going to rate our top 5 DT's if all time, who would they be?
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Jun 16, 2025, 5:49 PM
[ in reply to Re: If you were going to rate our top 5 DT's if all time, who would they be? ] |
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1. Christian Wilkins - because he (a) played all 4 years in era when he’d gone Round 1 as a Jr. -&- (b) played DE ‘taking one for the team’ one year -&- (c) Tigers won TWO national championships. IMO, C.Wilkins is tied for the greatest Clemson FB player of all time.
2. Fridge Perry - in that era, W.Perry was physically superior to every other DT and physically outmatched every other O-Lineman the moment he set foot on campus. He destroyed opposing OLs and we won our first national championship with him. He changed the game of college FB.
3. Chester McGlockton - his size and strength were obvious, but my goodness could he RUN! Everyone remembers his Fr year bowl game strip sack / fumble recovery TD vs Major Harris’ West VA team. Not talked about as much, I remember watching him in his last game with us as Cal blew us out in Orlando. McGlockton chased down the Cal QB for what (to my recollection) was a ~ 16 yard sack. I could never understand why he didn’t get drafted until late in NFL round 1. Seeing that he quickly became an All-Pro DT, I suspect that the rest of the NFL teams felt, in retrospect, as I did.
4. Dexter Lawrence - not a bunch of showy stats, but OMG did he destroy opposing teams’ interior OLs. He gets extra credit because we won 2 Nat championships while he was murdering opposing OGs and Centers.
5. Michael Dean Perry - he was the original prototype for Grady Jarrett. His ability to hold his ground (leverage + strength) vs bigger opposing O-linemen, combined with his quickness and speed to live in the opposing team’s offensive backfield, were unmatched.
Trevor Pryce didn’t make the list because he only played one year for us. Among the others listed here (above), three of them played 4 years and the other two played 3 seasons.
Jeff Bryant deserves to be on your honorable mention list, along with Grady Jarrett and Jim Stucky (as others had already noted).
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Orange Elite [5357]
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All-In [10827]
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Hall of Famer [8560]
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Re: If you were going to rate our top 5 DT's if all time, who would they be?
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Jun 15, 2025, 10:06 PM
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Just off top of my head Chester mcglocktin, Michael dean perry, Dexter Lawrence, Christian Wilkins & any number of others like stuckey, Dan Benish, Nick Eason
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1st Rounder [699]
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Re: If you were going to rate our top 5 DT's if all time, who would they be?
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Jun 15, 2025, 10:10 PM
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Chester
Michael Dean Perry
Dexter Lawrence
Christian Wilkins
Then that 5th is tough. Does Trevor Pryce get some consideration?
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Hall of Famer [8560]
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Re: If you were going to rate our top 5 DT's if all time, who would they be?
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Jun 15, 2025, 10:17 PM
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I said Nick Eason but was meaning Trevor Pryce. How about DJ Reader? Fridge was a NG in our D back then.
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Orange Elite [5357]
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Re: If you were going to rate our top 5 DT's if all time, who would they be?
Jun 17, 2025, 3:39 AM
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Trevor Pryce was awesome, but played DE. Transfer from Michigan.
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Ultimate Tiger [35649]
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Offensive Star [334]
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National Champion [7968]
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Top TigerNet [32102]
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Re: If you were going to rate our top 5 DT's if all time, who would they be?
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Jun 15, 2025, 10:14 PM
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Da Fridge
Chester
Michael Dean Perry
Dexter Lawrence
Christian Wilkins
Raw talent that really never trained is hands down William Perry.
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Tiger Spirit [10088]
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I support this list. Any list without Fridge is not credible.***
Jun 16, 2025, 7:16 AM
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National Champion [7968]
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Re: I support this list. Any list without Fridge is not credible.***
Jun 16, 2025, 11:03 AM
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I was at Clemson at the time of the Perrys. Micheal Dean was better.
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Tiger Spirit [10088]
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Maybe. Both should be on list. Just saying that some list
Jun 16, 2025, 12:25 PM
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here don’t list the Fridge, and I think that is not accurate at all.
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National Champion [7968]
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Re: Maybe. Both should be on list. Just saying that some list
Jun 17, 2025, 7:47 AM
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Fridge could blow up the OLine when he chose too. He didn’t choose to always. He set the Clemson record for TFL. MDP always gave best effort, but wasn’t the massive man that Fridge was, but he was quicker and effort was always top level. He left Clemson as all time leader in sacks and TFL.
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All-Pro [728]
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Re: If you were going to rate our top 5 DT's if all time, who would they be?
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Jun 15, 2025, 10:20 PM
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Grady J was unreal, motor never stopped.
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Game Day Hero [4412]
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Re: If you were going to rate our top 5 DT's if all time, who would they be?
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Jun 15, 2025, 10:24 PM
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If you factor in pro success, you might probably have to go heavy with some of the modern day guys:
- Grady Jarrett
- Dexter Lawrence
- Christian Wilkins
- William "Refrigerator" Perry
- Chester McGlockton
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Paw Warrior [4730]
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Re: If you were going to rate our top 5 DT's if all time, who would they be?
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Jun 15, 2025, 10:31 PM
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In no specific order:
Lou Cordelione
Jim Stuckey
Jeff Bryant
William Perry
Michael Dean Perry
Brenton Buckner
Christian Wilkins
And several people over multiple eras that are very close to the group above.
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Paw Warrior [4730]
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Re: If you were going to rate our top 5 DT's if all time, who would they be?
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Jun 15, 2025, 10:34 PM
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In no specific order:
Lou Cordelione
Jim Stuckey
Jeff Bryant
William Perry
Michael Dean Perry
Brenton Buckner
Christian Wilkins
And several people over multiple eras that are very close to the group above.
My Bad. Lou Cordileone was more of an Olineman than D Lineman.
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Orange Immortal [65874]
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It's easy to forget Stuckey.
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Jun 16, 2025, 8:28 AM
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He was first team All-American, fist round draft pick, and was a starter for the 49ers for many years, played in a few Super Bowls.
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Hall of Famer [8423]
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Orange Blooded [2431]
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Game Day Hero [4412]
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As pure college guys
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Jun 15, 2025, 10:36 PM
[ in reply to Re: If you were going to rate our top 5 DT's if all time, who would they be? ] |
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I don't think Big Dex makes the list. He was good at Clemson, but he was nowhere as good or dominant as he should have been based on what he's been doing in the pros. Reader's a similar guy to Dexter. He was pretty good in college, but he's been way more impactful and dominant as a pro.
The sneaky best DT combo was Grady Jarrett and Deshawn Williams. By the end of the year when we played LSU in the bowl game, they were the most disruptive pair of DTs I had ever seen at Clemson (even though Wilkins and Lawrence were more physically gifted and talented). They were literally whipping people at the line of scrimmage with pure quickness and technique. Coach Brooks was "in his bag" that year.
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National Champion [8089]
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i don't know... maybe not in sacks but did you ever see anyone running up the
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Jun 16, 2025, 8:01 AM
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middle while he played? He dominated the middle and I assume he was coached that way. It was cle, austin bryant, and CW42's job to get the qb.
One of the main reasons we were so good was big Dex controlling the middle gaps. Alabama with Bo Scarborough and Derrick Henry of all teams couldn't run up the middle on Clemson. Was the reason we beat them as much as we did. They are so used to controlling the line and wearing defenses down but that wasn't possible against us.
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CU Medallion [20539]
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Clemson Sports Icon [59924]
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William,Michael,Christian,Dexter,Jeff.......If you know,you know....***
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Jun 15, 2025, 10:33 PM
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null
Message was edited by: Spud®
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All-Pro [757]
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Re: If you were going to rate our top 5 DT's if all time, who would they be?
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Jun 15, 2025, 11:17 PM
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Don’t know about top 5, but I’d put Michael Dean number 1 and the Fridge number 2. Both ACC players of the year. For an all-time Clemson Dline, I’d have those 2 at DT and move Wilkins to DE along with Bowers.
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National Champion [7838]
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Re: Very... Very ..Hard To List ---
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Jun 15, 2025, 11:36 PM
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Perry Brothers = William and Michael Dean
Brentson Buckner
Christian Wilkins
Chester McGlockton
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Oculus Spirit [39655]
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Re: If you were going to rate our top 5 DT's if all time, who would they be?
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Jun 16, 2025, 5:14 AM
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Christian Wilkins
Chester McGlockton Dexter Lawrence
William Perry
Grady Jarrett
Brentson Buckner
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Valley Protector [1427]
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Jeff Bryant
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Jun 16, 2025, 6:23 AM
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So glad to see some have not forgotten Jeff Bryant. Somehow through the years he has kind of been forgotten when we bring up great players. I think in those late 70s years Steve fuller got so much of the press and people like stuckey on defense but Jeff Bryant was a beast and had a long NFL career in Seattle
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CU Medallion [20997]
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Re: Jeff Bryant
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Jun 16, 2025, 8:50 AM
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A great one. Drafted #6 and had a long and strong NFL career starting a decade for Seattle when Seattle was one of the worst teams in the league. Underappreciated for sure. And a DE.
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1st Rounder [643]
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Re: If you were going to rate our top 5 DT's if all time, who would they be?
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Jun 16, 2025, 7:51 AM
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Grady Jarrett
Chester McGlockton
Michael Dean Perry
Dexter Lawrence
Rob Bodine
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Hall of Famer [8220]
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Re: If you were going to rate our top 5 DT's if all time, who would they be?
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Jun 16, 2025, 7:55 AM
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There's been a bunch of them.
Christian Wilkins is number 1 in my opinion.
His leadership was unbelievable. Played big in the biggest of games and man was he in some big ones.
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Valley Protector [1484]
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Re: If you were going to rate our top 5 DT's if all time, who would they be?
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Jun 16, 2025, 8:08 AM
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I seen Chester McGlockton single handly destroy West Virginia and Major Harris in the 1989 Gator Bowl , one of the most dominated forces you will ever see...
Then second William the Refrigerator Perry making great offensive lineman look like elementary school players, UGA Game 1981 and the 1982 Orange Bowl against Dave Remington... Then after that, it's toss up between Christian Wilkins , Grady Jarret , Trevor Pryce , Jim Stuckey , William Devane ...
Go Tigers!!
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Orange Immortal [65874]
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Agree about McGlockton.
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Jun 16, 2025, 8:26 AM
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There are a few stories about how naturally strong and dominant he was. I don't want to mess it up, but one had to do with how he hated to lift weights, said he didn't need to. One day he showed up in the weight room, loaded up the bar with some incredible amount of weight, benched it for multiple reps, got up and walked out with everybody's jaw on the floor. Or something like that. Multiple pro bowls/all-pro in the NFL.
Next would be the Perry brothers;both were dominant in their day. Then would have to be Wilkins, then Big Dex.
And that's leaving out some truly great ones.
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National Champion [7968]
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CU Medallion [20997]
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#1 is William Perry
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Jun 16, 2025, 8:45 AM
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Perry dominated in his freshman year when under 320 lbs to the extent that Clemson wins the national championship with Perry dominating supposedly all-time best college center Dave Rimington throughout the game. The story is Rimington had more holding calls vs Perry than he had all season. Perry set conference and NCAA leg press records with little training. A natural in a steroid era.
After an All-American career at Clemson, Perry wins the Super Bowl as a rookie as the dominant athlete defensive lineman on the best defensive team maybe ever in the NFL - a team full of Hall of Famers. He dominated the Bears so much, Ditka would not let other OL and DL compete often against Perry in practice due to risk of injuring the whole team. His ability to dunk at barely 6 feet and well over 300 lbs and his speed and quick twitch power were amazing. Ditka realized Perry was an unstoppable force and played him at FB. A few years later, Ditka said the chicken population of SC was halved every time Perry went home to Aiken, and drafted Nose Guard Chris Zorich to replace him. Zorich could not. Perry was too big to move but also too big and naturally strong to be moved.
Perry was a natural, and with some eating discipline and work ethic, he would be an NFL Hall of Famer himself.
Love Christian Wilkins, an all-time great and the best leader in Clemson history. Also possibly even better player Dexter Lawrence. And of course perennial All-Pro Michael Dean.
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CU Medallion [20539]
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Re: If you were going to rate our top 5 DT's if all time, who would they be?
Jun 16, 2025, 11:19 AM
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Fridge. Michael Dean Perry. Christian Wilkins. Dexter Lawrence. Grady Jarrett
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Dynasty Maker [3588]
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Re: If you were going to rate our top 5 DT's if all time, who would they be?
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Jun 16, 2025, 11:38 AM
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1. The Fridge
2. Dexter Lawrence
3. Christian Wilkins
4. Grady Jarrett
5. Chester McGlockton
Honestly 1 is definitely The Fridge and the rest are 2A, 2B, 2C, and 2D. They were all great.
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CU Medallion [18271]
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Jeff Bryant, MDP, Chester, Wilkins, Dex in no certain order***
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Jun 16, 2025, 11:22 PM
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