Three Clemson pros voted in NFL Top 100, two drop out

Dexter Lawrence leads Clemson's pros in the NFL Top 100, at No. 24. (Photo: Vincent Carchietta / USATODAY)

by TigerNet Staff - Aug 5, 2024, 9:18 AM

NFL.com held its annual offseason Top 100 players ranking recently, which is voted on by the players themselves. Three Clemson pros made the Top 100 tier, all moving up at least a few spots.

That upward movement is led by new Las Vegas Raiders D-lineman Christian Wilkins, who jumped 23 spots to No. 58 overall.

"After four solid years, Wilkins broke out in 2023 as a key piece of the Dolphins’ lethal pass rush, which ranked third with 56 sacks. For his part, Wilkins had nine sacks, double his previous career high and also set new highs with 62 QB pressures, per Next Gen Stats, and 23 QB hits. Peaking at the perfect time to capitalize on free agency after playing on his fifth-year option, Wilkins signed a four-year, $110 million deal with the Raiders to take his talents out west," said NFL.com.

Fellow 'Power Rangers' alum Dexter Lawrence, of the New York Giants, paced the Clemson pros at No. 24 overall, moving up four spots.

"Lawrence remains a constant on the defensive line for a Giants squad still looking to find consistency. The numbers don’t initially jump off the page -- Lawrence had 53 tackles, 4.5 sacks and two pass deflections in 2023 -- but he was nonetheless a dominant force in the trenches. Lawrence’s 92.9 was the highest overall PFF grade for any interior defensive lineman, as was his 92.6 pass-rush grade. His run defense graded out at 89.5, third among his peers," said NFL.com.

Rounding out the trio is Jacksonville Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence, who improved on his 2023 debut in the ranking with a No. 94 spot.

"Although the Jags saw a late-season collapse, it’s no surprise that the team cashed in on the former Clemson star. After Lawrence led the franchise to its first back-to-back winning seasons since 2004-05, Jacksonville locked up the 2021 No. 1 overall pick with a five-year, $275 million contract. Lawrence is one of the brightest young passers in the NFL, but a 21:14 touchdown-to-interception ratio needs to improve in 2024," said NFL.com.

Two former Tiger stars who dropped out of the Top 100 were Tennessee's DeAndre Hopkins, who was No. 90 last year, and Atlanta's Grady Jarrett, who was No. 63 last year.