McFadden’s Goal is to Help Clemson Get Back on Top

All-ACC tackle wants to prove Tigers are not going anywhere

CLEMSON, S.C. — During his time at Clemson, Jordan McFadden has been a part of a national championship team. He has helped the Tigers win three ACC Championships and play in the College Football Playoff three times. He himself has earned All-ACC recognition as a right and left tackle.

It is understandable for McFadden to feel he has done all he has wanted to accomplish at Clemson and move on to the next level. However, that is not the case for the Spartanburg, South Carolina native. He feels he has some unfinished business to attend to at Clemson.

“I have aspirations to play at the next level. Things were not where I wanted them to be. I was not happy with the way last season went,” he said following the first practice of the spring on Wednesday. “I came back to get better in a couple of things. Technique things, just get stronger and clean up my body.”

Another reason McFadden came back was to help the Tigers get back to winning ACC Championships and playing in the CFP. Though they went 10-3 last year and finished ranked No. 14 in the final Associated Press Top 25, that is not where McFadden wants to leave Clemson.

A big reason for his return is to change the narrative that is out there. There are some that think Clemson’s best days are behind them.

McFadden wants to prove to college football that Clemson’s best days are still in front of them, and the Tigers are not going anywhere.

“To get back to what Clemson has been and I am excited to do it with those guys around me, like K.J [Henry], XT (Xavier Thomas) and all those guys that came back, as well. So, I am super excited,” McFadden said.

One of the people McFadden spoke to before making his decision was former Clemson left tackle Jackson Carman. Last year, Carman left Tigertown a year early so he could pursue his dream of making it in the NFL.

It worked out pretty good for Carman. He was selected No. 46 overall in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft by Cincinnati, and then he played a big role in helping the Bengals advance to Super Bowl LVI last month.

“He just told me to be smart with my decision. It is definitely a big decision going in the (NFL),” McFadden said. “I think, I wanted another year here at Clemson to just be around this group of guys and coaches and to continue to grow as a man. So, that played into the decision, as well.”

What did not play into McFadden’s decision was name, image and likeness.

“I definitely think the NIL has a big say so in a lot of guys’ decision. I think NIL has been a great thing,” he said. “It did not necessarily play in my decision, but I know for like a lot of guys from around the country, NIL probably would play in their decision for sure.”