Tag: Clemson NFL

Baltimore Ravens rookie Nate Wiggins to miss Week 2 after car accident

Former Clemson cornerback Nate Wiggins will not play Sunday when the Baltimore Ravens host the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 2.

The Baltimore Ravens will be without their first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft this Sunday after former Clemson cornerback Nate Wiggins was involved in a car crash earlier this week.

“They were kind of working through it,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said Friday of Wiggins’ injury. “Looks like he’s not going to be able to make it to the game. He’s healthy. He’s fine. He’s just not going to be able to play.”

The Ravens face the Las Vegas Raiders Sunday at 1 p.m. ET at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.

Wiggins was the No. 30 overall pick by Baltimore in this year’s draft after spending three years at Clemson. He played in 34 games (18 starts) for the Tigers between 2021-23 and had three interceptions, 24 passes defended and two forced fumbles.

In the Ravens’ 27-20 Week 1 loss at Kansas City, Wiggins logged 17 snaps. He made two tackles (one solo).

For more coverage of Wiggins and the Ravens, head over to Ravens Wire.

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Clemson rookie Xavier Thomas impresses in second NFL preseason game

Xavier Thomas’ second preseason contest with the Arizona Cardinals included a sack, two tackles (one for loss) and two quarterback hits.

Former Clemson standout Xavier Thomas had another impressive showing for the Arizona Cardinals in their second preseason contest against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday.

Thomas, a fifth-round draft pick (No. 138 overall) by Arizona in the 2024 NFL Draft, had two tackles (one solo), including a sack and two quarterback hits. It’s the second week in a row that Thomas registered a sack for the Cardinals in preseason action.

Thomas’ sack came late it the first half against rookie quarterback Jason Bean, a 12-yard loss on a 1st-and-10 play from the Colts’ 30-yard line. Indianapolis went on to defeat Arizona, 21-13.

The Florence, S.C. native had three tackles (two solo), one tackle for loss, one sack and two quarterback hits in Arizona’s preseason opener against the New Orleans Saints on Aug. 10.

RELATED: Xavier Thomas has impressive NFL debut with Arizona Cardinals

Thomas spent parts of six seasons at Clemson from 2018-23. He led the Tigers with 21 quarterback pressures a year ago and had 25 tackles, four tackles for loss, three sacks and a forced fumble. Thomas closed out his collegiate tenure with 121 tackles (34 tackles for loss) and 17.5 sacks over 61 games for Clemson.

The Cardinals will wrap up their preseason slate with a nationally televised game against the Denver Broncos next Sunday, Aug. 25 at 4:30 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on CBS.

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Trio of former Clemson players shine in Falcons-Ravens preseason game

Here’s how three former Clemson players fared in Saturday’s Atlanta Falcons-Baltimore Ravens preseason contest.

Three players from Clemson saw action in Saturday’s Atlanta Falcons-Baltimore Ravens NFL preseason game at M&T Bank Stadium.

Ruke Orhorhoro, the Falcons’ 2024 second-round draft pick (35th overall), picked up his first career NFL sack by dropping quarterback Josh Johnson on the Ravens’ first drive of the game. The play came less than three minutes into the contest and resulted in a 12-yard loss.

Orhorhoro’s sack came a week after he had two tackles (one solo) in Atlanta’s preseason opener against Miami on Aug. 9.

Two other former Dabo Swinney players made an impact for the Ravens. Trenton Simpson delivered a big hit on Falcons quarterback Taylor Heinicke in the first quarter. Simpson had two tackles, including one for loss when he dropped Falcons rookie running back Jase McClellan in the backfield. He also broke up a pass.

Simpson was a third-round pick (86th overall) by Atlanta in 2023 and figures to play an important role in the team’s linebacking corps this season after the departure of Patrick Queen in free agency. Simpson led the Ravens in tackling (11 total tackles, 5 solo) in the team’s preseason opener against the Philadelphia Eagles on Aug. 9.

Former Tigers cornerback Trayvon Mullen finished with two tackles and broke up a pass for the Ravens. Mullen is entering his sixth year in the league after being drafted by the Raiders in the second round (40th overall) in 2019. Mullen signed with the Ravens in 2023 but missed all of last season while recovering from a toe injury.

Nate Wiggins, the Ravens’ 2024 first-round pick (30th overall) did not play in Saturday’s game after suffering a shoulder injury in the team’s preseason opener. Wiggins returned to practice on Thursday and figures to be ready to play in Baltimore’s regular-season opener against Kansas City on Sept. 5.

Baltimore defeated Atlanta, 13-12, Saturday.

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Will Shipley has solid showing in second preseason game with Philadelphia Eagles

Here’s how Clemson’s Will Shipley fared in his second preseason game for the Philadelphia Eagles Thursday.

Former Clemson standout Will Shipley had an impressive showing in the Philadelphia Eagles’ preseason game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough Thursday night.

Shipley had five carries for 15 yards to go with four receptions for 31 yards, including a 19-yard pickup on a screen pass from quarterback Tanner McKee early in the second quarter in the Eagles’ 14-13 victory over New England.

He made his NFL debut in the Eagles’ preseason opener against the Baltimore Ravens on Aug. 8 and had seven carries for 23 yards. In that game, Shipley had a 7-yard touchdown catch from Kenny Pickett late in the first quarter for his first career NFL touchdown.

Shipley was a fourth-round pick (No. 127 overall) by Philadelphia in the 2024 NFL Draft after a stellar three-year stint at Clemson from 2021-23.

With the Tigers, Shipley rushed for 2,747 yards and 31 touchdowns on 526 carries. He also had 602 yards and two touchdowns on 85 career receptions over the course of 36 games (27 starts).

RELATED: Former Tiger Joseph Ngata shows out in Eagles preseason win over the Patriots

The Eagles host the Minnesota Vikings in their final preseason contest next Saturday, Aug. 24, at noon ET at Lincoln Financial Field.

Philadelphia opens the regular season Friday, Sept. 6 at home against the Green Bay Packers. The game will be streamed on Peacock.

For more coverage of Shipley and the Eagles, head over to Eagles Wire.

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Tyler Davis wows Rams coach Sean McVay in NFL debut

Sean McVay was thrilled with the debut of former Clemson standout and rookie defensive tackle Tyler Davis in his preseason debut Sunday.

Former Clemson standout Tyler Davis started all 13 games at defensive tackle for the Tigers a season ago, making 34 tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss.

After finishing his fifth year of college eligibility, Davis became a sixth round selection in this year’s NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams (No. 196 overall).

Davis made quite an impressive showing in the Rams’ preseason opener against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday at SoFi Stadium, recording six tackles (two solo), one tackle for loss and one quarterback hit. The Rams went on to win, 13-12.

Rams coach Sean McVay showed his excitement when Davis made a stop on Malik Davis midway through the second quarter, dropping the Cowboys’ running back for a 2-yard loss.

After the game, McVay offered praise for Davis in his postgame press conference.

“He was great. I thought he was really active,” McVay said in response to a question about Davis. “He was able to beat the center on the block back when they pulled the guard and get a negative (play).

“One of those things that you feel about him is when the games come on, he really shows up, and that’s what the Clemson tapes said. That’s when you talk to their coaches and then you get around him in some of these competitive settings. I thought it was a real positive step in the right direction for Tyler today,” McVay added.

In five seasons at Clemson, Davis was credited with 167 tackles (29.5 for loss) and 16 sacks in 56 games, including 52 starts.

For more coverage of the Los Angeles Rams, head over to Rams Wire.

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Xavier Thomas has impressive NFL debut with Arizona Cardinals

Xavier Thomas’ NFL debut included a sack, three tackles, one tackle for loss, and two quarterback hits in the Arizona Cardinals’ preseason opener Saturday.

Arizona Cardinals rookie and former Clemson standout Xavier Thomas had an impressive showing in his NFL debut against the New Orleans Saints at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., Saturday.

Thomas finished with three tackles (two solo), one tackle for loss, one sack and two quarterback hits. The Florence, S.C., native picked up his first NFL sack early in the fourth quarter against Saints rookie and former South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler. Thomas sacked Rattler on a 3rd-and-5 play from the Arizona 47-yard line.

The Saints went on to defeat the Cardinals, 16-14, thanks to a game-winning drive engineered by Rattler in the final two minutes that saw New Orleans grab the lead on a field goal with 5 seconds left.

The 24-year-old Thomas was a fifth round (No. 138 overall) selection by Arizona in this year’s NFL Draft after spending parts of six seasons at Clemson (2018-2023). He sustained a broken foot in 2022 and received an additional year of eligibility under the NCAA’s universal waiver stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thomas led Clemson with 21 quarterback pressures in 2023 and had 25 tackles, four tackles for loss, three sacks and a forced fumble. He finished his collegiate career with 121 tackles (34 for loss) and 17.5 sacks over 61 games. During his time at Clemson, Thomas also battled depression, something he has opened up about at length.

The Cardinals will face the Indianapolis Colts in their next preseason game, Aug. 17 at 7 p.m. ET. Arizona opens the regular season at Buffalo, Sept. 8 at 1 p.m. ET at Highmark Stadium.

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Trevor Lawrence hits Travis Etienne for Jaguars’ first touchdown of 2024

Trevor Lawrence hit Travis Etienne for a touchdown on the Jacksonville Jaguars’ opening drive in their preseason opener Saturday.

It didn’t take long for the Clemson Connection in Jacksonville to make an impact in the Jaguars’ preseason opener against the Kansas City Chiefs Saturday at EverBank Stadium.

Trevor Lawrence hit Travis Etienne for a 9-yard touchdown for the Jaguars’ first score of the 2024 NFL season. Lawrence’s pass capped off a four-play, 20-yard drive that was set up by a 73-yard Parker Washington kick return on Jacksonville’s opening drive.

From there, Lawrence completed a 13-yard pass to Luke Farrell before his touchdown throw off a slant route to Etienne out of the backfield. The Jaguars went on to defeat the Chiefs, 26-13.

Lawrence, who signed a five-year, $275 million contract extension with the Jaguars over the summer, started the team’s first two drives and finished the night completing 3 of 4 passes for 42 yards. Etienne had four carries for three yards.

A season ago, Lawrence threw for 4,016 yards and 21 touchdowns to 14 interceptions in 16 games. He ran for 339 yards and four touchdowns on 70 rushes. Etienne started all 17 games in 2023 and rushed for 1,008 yards (3.8 AVG) and 11 touchdowns on 267 carries. He also made 58 receptions for 476 yards and a touchdown.

In the Jaguars’ 20-10 victory over the Steelers in Week 8 in Pittsburgh, Lawrence connected with Etienne for a 56-yard score — Jacksonville’s only touchdown of the game. The Jaguars drafted Lawrence with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and selected Etienne with the No. 25 overall pick.

The Jaguars host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in their next preseason game, Aug. 17 at 7:30 p.m. ET. Jacksonville opens the regular season against the Miami Dolphins Sept. 8 at 1 p.m. ET at Hard Rock Stadium.

For more coverage of Lawrence, Etienne and the Jaguars, head over to Jags Wire.

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Nate Wiggins reportedly avoids significant injury in NFL debut

The Athletic reports the Ravens are optimistic that Wiggins avoided “significant injury” in the team’s preseason opener Friday.

Baltimore Ravens rookie cornerback and former Clemson standout Nate Wiggins was having a memorable preseason debut against the Philadelphia Eagles Friday night at M&T Bank Stadium.

Wiggins broke up three passes (all in the first quarter) and added a tackle for loss before exiting the game in the third quarter with a shoulder injury. Ravens coach John Harbaugh did not immediately provide an update on Wiggins after the game, but the team appears to have received some good news.

According to The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiac, Wiggins appears to have avoided serious injury and hopes to be ready for Week 1.

RELATED: Social media, NFL analysts react to Nate Wiggins’ preseason debut

Baltimore selected Wiggins with the No. 30 overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft. He was the 39th player in Clemson history to be selected in the first round and the 18th of the Dabo Swinney era.

In three seasons at Clemson (2021-23), Wiggins was credited with 24 pass breakups, three interceptions (two returned for touchdowns), two forced fumbles, a sack and a blocked field goal in 1,377 career snaps over 34 games (18 starts).

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Will Shipley scores first NFL touchdown for Philadelphia Eagles

Watch as former Clemson standout Will Shipley scores his first NFL touchdown in the Philadelphia Eagles’ preseason opener.

Before Friday night, the last time Clemson fans saw Will Shipley in uniform was in the Tigers’ Gator Bowl victory over Kentucky at the end of last year. It would mark his final game in Clemson colors.

Shipley forewent his senior season in college, opted for the NFL Draft, and was selected in the fourth round (No. 127 overall) by the Philadelphia Eagles. On Friday, Shipley made his professional debut in the team’s preseason opener against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium.

It didn’t take long for the versatile Shipley to score his first touchdown. Shipley caught a 7-yard pass from quarterback Kenny Pickett late in the first quarter for the Eagles’ first points.

While it was Shipley’s only catch of the night, he had seven carries and finished with 23 rushing yards (3.3 per carry). Philadelphia won the game, 16-13, on a field goal as time expired.

In three years at Clemson, Shipley rushed for 2,747 yards and 31 touchdowns on 526 carries. He added 602 yards and two touchdowns on 85 career receptions spanning 36 games (27 starts) from 2021-23.

The Eagles face the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough in their next preseason contest (Aug. 15, 7 p.m. ET).

For more coverage of Shipley and the Eagles, head over to Eagles Wire.

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Former Clemson standout traded to Dallas Cowboys

Former Clemson cornerback Andrew Booth will join a new team ahead of the 2024 NFL season.

A former Clemson standout will have a new home for the 2024 NFL season.

In a trade featuring a swap of two cornerbacks, the Minnesota Vikings traded Andrew Booth to the Dallas Cowboys Friday for Nahshon Wright. The news was first reported by NFL Network insiders Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo.

Booth was a second-round selection by Minnesota in the 2022 NFL Draft after a three-year stint at Clemson from 2019-21. He started 11 games during his junior year before declaring for the draft. Booth finished with 10 pass breakups, five interceptions, one sack and a fumble recovery returned for touchdown in 35 games for the Tigers.

In two seasons with the Vikings, Booth appeared in 23 games and made two starts. He registered 19 tackles with one pass breakup.

Booth is the second former Clemson player to join the Cowboys this week. On Tuesday, Dallas signed defensive lineman Albert Huggins. Huggins played on the Tigers’ 2016 and 2018 national championship teams.

For coverage of the Dallas Cowboys, head over to Cowboys Wire.

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