No Clemson players selected in 2nd round of NFL Draft

Trenton Simpson was the surprise Clemson Tiger to fall out of the top 63 picks in the 2023 NFL Draft.
No Clemson players selected in 2nd round of NFL Draft
No Clemson players selected in 2nd round of NFL Draft /
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In a surprise, former Clemson linebacker Trenton Simpson has fallen out of the first two rounds of the NFL Draft. ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. had Simpson ranked as the top inside linebacker in the class, but multiple backers have gone ahead of him including Iowa's Jack Campbell in the first round and Arkansas' Drew Sanders at the beginning of the third round. 

Update: Trenton Simpson selected by Ravens in the third round

His size (6-foot-2, 235 pounds) and athleticism (4.45 40-yard dash) are what have NFL teams so excited about his potential. Every down linebackers have to be able to cover and rush the passer. Simpson fits the bill. In his three seasons at Clemson, he had 6 pass breakups and 12.5 sacks

Trenton Simpson had the second-fastest 40-yard dash time (4.45) among ILBs at the NFL Combine (Clemson Athletics)
Trenton Simpson had the second-fastest 40-yard dash time (4.45) among ILBs at the NFL Combine (Clemson Athletics)

Two Tigers are already off the board as Myles Murphy (28 - Bengals) and Bryan Bresee (29 - Saints) went back-to-back at the end of the first round. It was the 8th time that two Clemson players were taken in the first round of the NFL Draft. 

TE Davis Allen, OL Jordan McFadden, DE K.J. Henry, WR Joseph Ngata, and K B.T. Potter are all hoping to hear their names at some point in the Draft.

The NFL Draft continues on April 28th from 7-11:30 p.m. (Rounds 2-3). April 29th from Noon-7 p.m. (Rounds 4-7). The Draft will air on the NFL Network, ESPN, ABC, and ESPN Deportes.


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Christian Goeckel
CHRISTIAN GOECKEL

Christian Goeckel is a Staff Writer for All Clemson on SI.com. Christian has covered College Football for nearly a decade, writing for multiple sites and hosting radio shows across Southern Georgia and South Carolina.