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Game Day Hero [4426]
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People's memory of Big Dex at Clemson is a bit skewed b/c of his Pro success IMO
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Jun 16, 2025, 3:40 PM
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Was Big Dex a very good DT for us at Clemson? I definitely believe he was. However, I also think he actually underachieved when you consider the damage he has done to opposing OLs on the Pro level. He was never dominant like that while at Clemson, especially considering we played with 4 down lineman. He should have been tossing OLineman around like N. Suh use to do for Nebraska back in the day. He does it to pro guys now. I've seen Capehart ragdoll more dudes than Big Dex did while in college. Some will blame the scheme, but I'm not buying that because a DT overpowering his blocker fits every scheme. I know he had some injuries and he got suspended for Ostarine (which was BS I might add) in the playoffs in his final year, but even with that, if he was as good as most people reminisce he was, he would have been drafted way higher than 17th. He would have easily been top 3 with all of his physical gifts in a league that highly values potential.
Even though he was still very good, if you purely look at what he did in college, I don't believe he quite fits in the discussion of top 5 Clemson DTs of all time (maybe top 10 though). However, he is unquestionably top 2 or 3 as far as pure talent at the position.
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Ring of Honor [21292]
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Same as Brian Dawkins.
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Jun 16, 2025, 3:44 PM
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He was a very good Safety at Clemson but nobody had him pegged as a hall-of-farmer in the NFL.
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Clemson Conqueror [11112]
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Re: Same as Brian Dawkins.
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Jun 16, 2025, 4:09 PM
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Were you around to see Brian Dawkins play? Dawkins was an awesome college player and of course a legend in the NFL. I can honestly say I don't remember seeing Dexter play in the pros because the networks rarely cover the Giants.
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Ring of Honor [21292]
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Yes. I was there and saw him play.
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Jun 16, 2025, 4:29 PM
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And as I said, he was a very good Safety.
Nobody ever predicted he'd be one of the best ever
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All-In [10115]
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He wasnt Terry Kinard at the college level.***
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Jun 16, 2025, 6:31 PM
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Heisman Winner [80308]
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Clemson Conqueror [11753]
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Re: Same as Brian Dawkins.
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Jun 16, 2025, 5:08 PM
[ in reply to Same as Brian Dawkins. ] |
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Brian Dawkins was a spectacular college safety.
His modest physique, along with playing on mid-level Clemson teams (for the four seasons in which he played … 1992 / 93 / 94 / 95 … two were losing seasons and our 1993 disaster loss to FSU [I think it was something close to 60-0] badly tainted that year as well), most likely affected how NFL teams viewed his pro potential.
The rest is history.
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Heisman Winner [79434]
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Re: People's memory of Big Dex at Clemson is a bit skewed b/c of his Pro success IMO
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Jun 16, 2025, 4:02 PM
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Dex was very good on a good DL with other good players. I always wondered what happened to his brother who was a good rb and signed w UNC but I dont think ever played anywhere els unless I am mis remembering
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CU Guru [1597]
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Re: People's memory of Big Dex at Clemson is a bit skewed b/c of his Pro success IMO
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Jun 16, 2025, 4:26 PM
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I looked it up and didn’t find much info. Although I did fine a site where it tracked the timeline of the different teams he’s been on.
Devon enrolled at North Carolina in 2018 and redshirted that season. Then he entered the transfer portal May 1 of 2019 but I guess no teams picked him up. Because next on the timeline it said that he entered the transfer portal again July 31 2022 and was picked up that day by a division 2 school in John C. Smith University. He played 5 games for them in the 2022 season. After that there was nothing much about him.
The last thing on his timeline said that he reentered the portal on September 7 2022 but his John C. Smith playing stats say that he played with them in their September and October games. So it doesn’t really make sense that he entered the portal but still played on his old team after entering. It may just be a mistake the sight put up.
It doesn’t seem that he played any more college football after the 2022 season. It’s kinda sad that he didn’t have a career like his older brother.
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CU Guru [1597]
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Re: People's memory of Big Dex at Clemson is a bit skewed b/c of his Pro success IMO
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Jun 16, 2025, 4:03 PM
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I think what happened is that when he was at Clemson he was a bit overshadowed by some of the other defensive backs we had. Like Clelin Ferrell, Christian Wilkins and Austin Bryant were all great in their own right but when you have a lot of good players then some will unfortunately be overshadowed. Not saying that Dexter wasn’t popular at Clemson because he was but his popularity definitely wasn’t as big as it was now. I think it was because he was on a team with alot of defensive studs and when you’re on a team like that then you can sometimes get overlooked for the more flashier players.
Since he joined the NY Giants though he doesn’t have to compete with other defensive backs for popularity. Because he is arguably the best defensive linemen the Giants have ever had. At Clemson there was alot of good defensive players (So he sometimes got overlooked.) but the NY giants didn’t have any eye popping defensive linemen studs or even flashy defensive players either. So when Dexter got to NY he immediately stood out. Now he is one of the best players to ever put on a Giants uniform and I wouldn’t be surprised if he joined the NFL hall of fame one day.
All in all I’m proud of what Dexter Lawrence has become. He is a good man and a great player.
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Clemson Sports Icon [53685]
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Re: People's memory of Big Dex at Clemson is a bit skewed b/c of his Pro success IMO
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Jun 17, 2025, 12:07 AM
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Dex hurt his foot and missed out on the National Championship game. He was awesome when healthy!
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Hall of Famer [8460]
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Re: People's memory of Big Dex at Clemson is a bit skewed b/c of his Pro success IMO
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Jun 16, 2025, 4:06 PM
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Dexter came out in what is arguably the most talented DT draft class in history. Here are first round selections by year with highest pick number and avg pick number for the past 15 years.
Year -- 1st Round DTs -- High -- Avg
2025 -- 5 -- 5 -- 17
2024 -- 2 -- 16 -- 22
2023 -- 4 -- 9 -- 21
2022 -- 2 -- 13 -- 21
2021 -- 0 -- n/a -- n/a
2020 -- 2 -- 7 -- 11
2019 -- 6 -- 3 -- 15
2018 -- 3 -- 12 -- 18
2017 -- 0 -- n/a -- n/a
2016 -- 4 -- 12 -- 25
2015 -- 3 -- 12 -- 20
2014 -- 2 -- 13 -- 21
2013 -- 4 -- 13 -- 20
2012 -- 3 -- 11 -- 11
2011 -- 5 -- 3 -- 17
There were 3 DTs drafted ahead of Dex and all of them have been great in the NFL:
* Quinnen Williams (first team all pro, top-5 paid DT in the league)
* Ed Oliver (top-10 paid DT)
* Christian Wilkins (the name speaks for itself)
The other 2 DTs drafted in the first round behind Dex were:
* Jeffery Simmons (second team all pro, top-5 paid DT)
* Jerry Tillery (has underperformed)
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Paw Warrior [4613]
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Re: People's memory of Big Dex at Clemson is a bit skewed b/c of his Pro success IMO
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Jun 16, 2025, 4:32 PM
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He was a BEAST
one of the best
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Associate AD [1042]
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Re: People's memory of Big Dex at Clemson is a bit skewed b/c of his Pro success IMO
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Jun 16, 2025, 4:45 PM
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Dex was a monster when he was at Clemson, it just doesn’t show up in the stat sheet that well since DT is a thankless position, and that entire D-Line was loaded
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Varsity [141]
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Re: People's memory of Big Dex at Clemson is a bit skewed b/c of his Pro success IMO
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Jun 16, 2025, 5:23 PM
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I remember a coach (think it was Nick Saban) saying he was the biggest worry of them trying to plan against. When he would take up two offensive lineman it lets his teammates get sacks.
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Clemson Conqueror [11753]
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Re: People's memory of Big Dex at Clemson is a bit skewed b/c of his Pro success IMO
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Jun 16, 2025, 5:13 PM
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He ate opposing O Linemen in college like they were on the self serve section at the Golden Corral.
Same as what Demonte Capehart does today, only much better than DC.
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CU Medallion [19485]
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He played on good teams at Clemson for sure. Two national championships.
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Jun 16, 2025, 5:28 PM
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He has probably improved in the NFL with better coaching than he had while at Clemson. Likewise the entire Giants defense has great players. Nobody to pick on. Probably has a little more time to get to the QB than he did at Clemson.
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CU Guru [1572]
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Re: People's memory of Big Dex at Clemson is a bit skewed b/c of his Pro success IMO
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Jun 16, 2025, 5:33 PM
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Big Dex would have definitely been top 10 on my list , but I did not have him in my top 6(and you can go look it up) because he was about top 8-10 DL at Clemson, I can name 6-8 more DL all-time at Clemson better then Big Dex ..
Go Tigers!!
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Commissioner [1203]
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Re: People's memory of Big Dex at Clemson is a bit skewed b/c of his Pro success IMO
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Jun 16, 2025, 6:37 PM
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I'm going to disagree with you a bit on this one just from memory and the eye test, stats aside. People were afraid of him, even when he didn't have big stat things he changed what people would do.
Also as others have noted because Clemson was so loaded in those years on the DL, you would have noticed him more if we didnt have Wilkins and Ferrel, he would have had huge stats.
And my I add (in my opinion) but i fully believe it............the pretend drug test where big dex could not play against ND and Bama......the "controllers" took a look at that very deep team and said where can we weaken clemson and make them pay, they chose nose tackle and big dex for the bogus suspension...........but as we know now it was still men against boys as clemson made ND and Bama look silly.
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Campus Hero [13281]
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Re: People's memory of Big Dex at Clemson is a bit skewed b/c of his Pro success IMO
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Jun 16, 2025, 7:37 PM
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Underachieved is not accurate as players get better over time and he played well enough at CU to be a first rounder. Additionally, Dex had a foot or lower leg injury while at CU which lingered so he was playing on one leg for a year + of his three years on campus
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National Champion [7958]
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Re: People's memory of Big Dex at Clemson is a bit skewed b/c of his Pro success IMO
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Jun 16, 2025, 7:56 PM
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I knew he was our best defensive linemen on that front four.
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Head Coach [985]
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Our d line was that good because of dex
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Jun 16, 2025, 8:46 PM
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Teams had to double team him. Which left the rest of d line and lbs free to roam. The lbs couldn’t get caught up in the wash cause there was no wash to get caught in. He reset the line of scrimmage 2 yards in the back field each play. When he didn’t get double teamed he was at the qb exchange.
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Recruit [68]
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Re: People's memory of Big Dex at Clemson is a bit skewed b/c of his Pro success IMO
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Jun 16, 2025, 8:50 PM
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I agree. Michael Dean Perry was the greatest. I'd probably put Christian Wilkins @ #2. McGlockton @ 3. Fridge @ 4. Grady Jarret @ 5. Dex @ 6 maybe.
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Paw Master [16836]
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Re: People's memory of Big Dex at Clemson is a bit skewed b/c of his Pro success IMO
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Jun 16, 2025, 9:01 PM
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Didn't he miss games with injuries?
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Game Changer [1865]
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Round 1 Pick #17 and just a Jr...
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Jun 16, 2025, 10:57 PM
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doesn't support the narrative. Yes, he is putting up the most productive numbers ever for a Nose Tackle over a 3-4 year span but maybe it's just the linear progression of his development-
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CU Medallion [18294]
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He played with a screw in his foot, what were you expecting?***
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Jun 16, 2025, 11:13 PM
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Varsity [121]
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Re: People's memory of Big Dex at Clemson is a bit skewed b/c of his Pro success IMO
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Jun 16, 2025, 11:24 PM
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Big Dex is the reason Ferrell and Bryant got drafted as high as they did! He was the defensive lineman who consistently required the double team allowing the rest of the defensive line to win in one on one situations. His personality wasn't electric as Christian Wilkins and overshadowed bc of it. He also only played 3 years with one being an injury year. While his stats may not have been as gaudy as his peers that was mainly bc of his role on our defenses and the attention other teams gave him.
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Orange Beast [6195]
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Re: People's memory of Big Dex at Clemson is a bit skewed b/c of his Pro success IMO
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Jun 16, 2025, 11:52 PM
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Dex was great here. One of the best we've ever had. I believe it was his sophomore year that he had a pretty bad foot/toe injury that severely hampered his production that year. And then he had the positive Osterine(sp?) test that kept him from the Matty his junior year. Those two things made him slip down the draft a bit. The combination of his huge frame with the elite gracefulness and athleticism he has is unique.
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