3 Tigers to play in 2015 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl

by Press Release - Tue Dec 23 10:33:05 GMT-04:00 2014

The NFL Players Association is proud to announce that quarterback Cole Stoudt Cole Stoudt
Sr. Quarterback
#18 6-4, 231
Dublin, OH
View Full Profile and defensive linemen DeShawn Williams DeShawn Williams
Sr. Defensive Tackle
#99 6-1, 292
Central, SC
View Full Profile and Tavaris Barnes Tavaris Barnes
RS Sr. Defensive End
#9 6-4, 273
Jacksonville, FL
View Full Profile , all of Clemson University, have committed to play in the 2015 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl.

Cole Stoudt, senior quarterback for the Tigers, started eight games this season and passed for over 1,500 yards. Throughout a four-game winning streak in late October and early November, Stoudt performed exceptionally, passing for four touchdowns and over 800 yards despite a shoulder injury. The Dublin, Ohio native will lead the Tigers in Clemson’s final game against the Oklahoma Sooners on December 29.

Defensive linemen DeShawn Williams and Tavaris Barnes were key cogs in the Clemson Tigers’ dominant defensive season. The unit ended the season ranked No. 1 in the NCAA in total defense. Barnes is in his fifth year at Clemson after red-shirting in 2010, while Williams joined the team in 2011.

DeShawn Williams, a defensive tackle from Central, South Carolina, is a vocal leader for the Tigers. He finished the season with 21 tackles and 3 sacks. In the Tigers’ regular season finale against South Carolina, the 6-1, 295-pound Williams came up big with five tackles and a sack.

The 6-4, 275-pound Tavaris Barnes is a Jacksonville, Florida native. He contributed as a defensive end for the Tigers, racking up 11 tackles and 3 sacks. Two of those sacks came in a close 17-13 victory over Boston College in mid-October.

The players will be three of the talented draft-eligible seniors competing in the all-star game on Saturday, January 17 at StubHub Center on the campus of California State University Dominguez Hills in Carson, California.

Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET, and the game will be televised live on ESPN2. ESPNU will also air live broadcasts from practices on Wednesday, January 14 and Thursday, January 15.

For player confirmations and other news surrounding the game, follow us on Twitter (@NFLPABowl), Instagram (NFLPABowl), Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/NFLPACollegiateBowl) and Google+ (http://Google.com/+NFLPACollegiateBowl).

For one week preceding the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, participants will receive an in-depth introduction to the union – the primary resource for information on the business of football and how to succeed in the NFL and in post-football careers.

Pro-football players and coaching legends will work with the game’s future stars, giving them first-hand insight on what it takes to win on and off of the field. Mike Holmgren and Mike Martz will serve as the head coaches for the American and National Teams. Visit the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl site for a full list of the teams’ assistant coaches.