Pro Football Network recently published a list of what it sees as the scariest defenses in college football since the year 2000.
PFN listed the defenses in chronological order, and Clemson’s 2018 defense — which featured a bunch of current NFL players and helped the Tigers to a 44-16 beatdown of Alabama in that season’s national championship game — made the list.
Here’s what PFN’s James Fragoza wrote about that formidable Clemson defensive unit, which helped the Tigers to a perfect 15-0 record in 2018 while ranking first nationally that year in points per game allowed (13.6) and fourth nationally in yards per game allowed (294.7).
The Power Rangers were in full force in 2018. Clelin Ferrell, Austin Bryant, Christian Wilkins, and Dexter Lawrence made life hell for opposing backfields. While they were tormenting offenses up front, Isaiah Simmons, Trayvon Mullen, A.J. Terrell, and K’Von Wallace were enforcing a no-fly zone. They may not have pitched a shutout, but they allowed over 20 points (four) fewer times than they allowed less than 10 (seven).
Need some more numbers to tickle your fancy? Clemson allowed a 53.4 completion rate (10th lowest) and a 27.9 third-down conversion rate (fifth). Offenses struggled to move the ball down the field. The Tigers took care of business in the playoffs as well, trouncing Notre Dame 30-3 in the semifinal, and unseating Alabama 44-16 in the national championship.
Clemson’s 2018 defense ranked first in the country in total sacks (54.0) and tied for first in tackles for loss (136.0). The unit produced eight eventual draft picks, including current Arizona Cardinals linebacker Isaiah Simmons, who went on to win the Butkus Award as the nation’s top linebacker in 2019, and current Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Clelin Ferrell, who won the Ted Hendricks Award as the nation’s top defensive end in 2018.
The 2018 #Clemson defense was one of the scariest since 2000, led in part by #Cardinals linebacker, Isaiah Simmons.
Read the full list of scariest #CFB defenses here ⤵️https://t.co/pKnohLyoXMpic.twitter.com/hlz7n4j4rs
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) May 14, 2022
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