Clemson pros rated among the top players from the NFL season

Trevor Lawrence debuted on the PFF top-101 players list this week. (USA TODAY/Kirby Lee)

by TigerNet Staff - Thu Feb 23 13:40:16 GMT-04:00 2023

Four Clemson pros made the Pro Football Focus' ratings of the top-101 players from the 2022-23 season.

Dexter Lawrence paced the group at No. 15 overall after an All-Pro campaign with the New York Giants.

"Unfortunately for Lawrence, his worst game of the season came in the playoffs against the best offensive line in the game (Philadelphia), but outside of that performance, he was virtually unstoppable," said PFF's Sam Monson. "His domination of Minnesota the week prior is a big reason the Giants made it to the Eagles game. Lawrence racked up 70 pressures, including the playoffs, and 42 defensive stops."

Also named in the top-50 is Cincinnati's DJ Reader, at No. 41 overall.

"Few players put together the kind of highs that Reader did this season, and injury prevented him from having one of the very best seasons in the entire league. He produced 32 pressures from 310 pass-rushing snaps and was a brick wall against the run," said Monson.

Another former Tiger defender was ranked 58th with Miami's Christian Wilkins.

"Miami fielded a dramatically improved defensive front this year, and Wilkins was one of the biggest drivers of that. Wilkins had 33 total pressures and was one of just two interior defenders to play more than 1,000 snaps, with Super Bowl champ Chris Jones the only player to top him in workload," said Monson.

Clemson's lone offensive rep was in Jacksonville with Trevor Lawrence at No. 94 overall and the seventh QB rated after his sophomore campaign.

"After the disaster that was the Urban Meyer tenure in Jacksonville, Lawrence first turned the corner in Year 2 and then went on to play as well as any quarterback in the league by the end of it. From Week 9 onward, only Joe Burrow and Patrick Mahomes earned better PFF grades," Monson said.

Also in offensive Clemson pro ranks, Mike Williams was rated by PFF as tied for the No. 1 receiver in single coverage and Tee Higgins rated fourth.

"Williams missed four games and played only six snaps in another as he battled through injury in 2022, but he excelled when he was on the field. The sixth-year receiver hauled in 14 contested catches against single coverage in 2022, the second-most at the position," said PFF's Zach Tantillo. "With much of the attention on teammate Ja'Marr Chase, Higgins was able to see plenty of single coverage in 2022 — and he feasted. Along with ranking fourth in receiving grade against single coverage, Higgins ranked second in both passer rating when targeted (144.4) and touchdown receptions (7) on those one-on-one looks."

Grady Jarrett was also ranked 25th among the NFL's top interior defenders from the campaign.