This ESPN Senior NFL Draft Analyst is very high on a couple of Clemson star defensive linemen.
ESPN’s Todd McShay recently released his early ranking of the top 50 prospects for the 2023 NFL Draft class (subscription required) heading into the 2022 college football season, and he has two Tigers ranked among his top 15 prospects.
One of those, junior defensive end Myles Murphy, is a top-10 prospect in McShay’s ranking at No. 10.
“Murphy has the strength and length to stack and shed offensive tackles defending the run, but there is some room for improvement locating the ball and getting off blocks in time to make the play,” McShay wrote. “As a pass-rusher, he can drive back tackles and rip under their inside arms to power upfield, helping him post 7.5 sacks last season. Murphy has the bend and closing burst to win with speed off the edge, and his strength, quickness and active hands make him a problem when he kicks inside. But he doesn’t always seem to have a plan or counter ready, and his tape is a little inconsistent.”
Redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Bryan Bresee checks in three spots behind Murphy in McShay’s ranking at No. 13.
“Bresee is a dominant run defender with the upper-body strength to stack and shed,” McShay wrote. “He has the quick hands and feet to slip and split blockers. And Bresee is effective running stunts, tracks the quarterback well and gets his hands up in passing lanes. He had a torn ACL in 2021, but he has 43 tackles, 5.5 sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss over 16 games since 2020.”
McShay also released his position rankings for the 2023 draft class, with Murphy ranked as the No. 1 defensive end and Bresee being the No. 2 defensive tackle.
Clemson’s Xavier Thomas and K.J. Henry are the No. 11 and No. 12 defensive ends on McShay’s board, respectively, while the Tigers’ Tyler Davis and Ruke Orhorhoro are McShay’s No. 15 and No. 16 defensive tackles, respectively.
McShay has Clemson’s Trenton Simpson ranked as the No. 3 inside linebacker and Sheridan Jones as the No. 18 cornerback.
–Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Come out to support Clemson softball at Dear Old Clemson’s second event which is set for August 27 at the Madren Conference Center. Clemson returns one of the top teams in the nation and adds some new talent to the mix. If you sign up for certain club levels you get free access to all Dear Old Clemson events or purchase your tickets today at Dear Old Clemson.
