Clemson Has 19 On NFL Opening Day Rosters

by Press Release - Fri Sep 10 20:05:54 GMT-04:00 1999

CLEMSON, S.C. - Clemson has 19 former players on NFL opening day rosters heading into the first week of the regular season (September 12). The list includes two players off of last year's team, Rahim Abdullah and Antwan Edwards. A third player, O.J. Childress, is on the practice squad for the New York Giants.

The list below does not include three players on various injured lists. Raymond Priester is on injured reserve with the New York Giants, Jason Gamble is on injured reserve with the Tennessee Titans, and Adrian Dingle is on the injured list with the San Diego Chargers.

Terry Allen, one of the top running backs in the league in the 1990s, is in his 10th NFL season and he has the most NFL experience among former Clemson players in the NFL.

The new Cleveland Browns have the most former Tigers with three. Rahim Abdullah, Jim Bundren and Chris Gardocki are all on the Browns roster. That team has former Clemson wide receiver Dwight Clark as its general manager, while former Clemson All-America wide receiver Jerry Butler is the team's wide receivers coach.

Seventeen of the former players are defensive players, an example of Clemson's defensive prowess in recent years. The list includes six linebackers, Levon Kirkland, Ed McDaniel, Rahim Abdullah, Anthony Simmons, Patrick Sapp and Mike Barber. O.J. Childress is a seventh former linebacker, Childress is on the practice squad for the Giants.

Tigers in the National Football League

Name Pos NFL Team Yrs Rahim Abdullah OLB Cleveland Browns R

Terry Allen RB New England Patriots 9

Mike Barber LB Indianapolis Colts 4

Lorenzo Bromell DE Miami Dolphins 1

Brentson Buckner DE San Francisco 49ers 5

Jim Bundren C Cleveland Browns 1

#O.J. Childress LB New York Giants R

Brian Dawkins DB Philadelphia Eagles 3

$Adrian Dingle DE San Diego Chargers R

Antwan Edwards CB Green Bay Packers R

Leomont Evans DB Washington Redskins 3