Tag: Jordan Leggett

4-star athlete with connection to Tigers ‘loved every moment’ of Clemson visit

The Clemson Insider caught up with a talented Sunshine State athlete, who was on campus last week and has a connection to the program. Navarre (Fla.) four-star Zavier Hamilton – a 6-foot-1, 205-pound sophomore in the class of 2024 – was at Clemson …

The Clemson Insider caught up with a talented Sunshine State athlete, who was on campus last week and has a connection to the program.

Navarre (Fla.) four-star Zavier Hamilton — a  6-foot-1, 205-pound sophomore in the class of 2024 – was at Clemson for an unofficial visit on Monday, March 14.

“It was fantastic,” Hamilton said. “I loved every moment of it. It was an amazing experience. I can’t wait until I get to go again.”

What did Hamilton hear from Clemson’s coaching staff while he was on campus?

“Only positive things,” he said. “They said they loved my game. They said they loved how I’m a very high IQ player. They want to start building a relationship with me and I can possibly see an offer soon.”

What would it mean for Hamilton to earn an offer from Clemson?

“It would mean a lot,” he said of a potential offer. “It’s one of my favorite schools. I’ve been a Clemson fan since I was walking in diapers.”

Hamilton has a connection to the program in the form of Jordan Leggett. He’s very close to the former Clemson tight end, who he said he used to play video games with. He also understands that Clemson doesn’t offer rising juniors prior to June 1, unless they have some ties to the program

“I’m still pretty close to him,” Hamilton said regarding his relationship with Leggett. “Whenever he comes down to Florida, I train with him. I couldn’t give you an accurate estimate, but it’s at least three-to-four times a month.”

While he was back on campus, Hamilton spent the majority of his time around Wesley Goodwin. According to Hamilton, Clemson’s defensive coordinator and linebackers coach was telling him that he still has time because he’s in the class of 2024, but he wants to start building a relationship. He also wants Hamilton to call him at least once or twice a week.

If Hamilton had no idea who Goodwin was before he visited Clemson, he said he would have no idea that this was the coach’s first time as a coordinator and a position coach.

In Hamilton’s eyes, Goodwin looks like he’s been in that position since he’s been at Clemson and the play of his linebackers also reflects that.

“I loved what I saw,” Hamilton said of Clemson’s linebackers. “They all play very aggressively. They all run around with a purpose. There’s no walking around on the field at all. Coach Goodwin, even though it’s his first time, is really showing that Clemson’s defense is gonna show a lot of shutouts this year.”

Seeing behind the scenes of the program truly opened up Hamilton’s eyes to Clemson even more. He had a chance to sit inside the meetings and watch the coaches really coach, which he later concluded was his favorite part of the visit.

“I can’t explain it,” he said. “It was such an amazing experience.”

Hamilton will likely be back at Clemson come June 1 to participate in the Dabo Swinney Camp this summer. In the meantime, he was at FSU this past Saturday and he’ll also be at Auburn and Notre Dame.

This past season, Hamilton showed that he could play multiple positions at a very high level. He describes himself as a jack-of-all-trades, who will do whatever it takes to win. It doesn’t matter what position he’s playing, he can make an impact anywhere.

Rivals currently ranks Hamilton as the No. 28 athlete and the No. 201 overall prospect nationally in the class of 2024.

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The day Clemson ‘arrived’ in the Swinney era

This season’s national champion in college football will be decided Monday in a rematch between Georgia and Alabama, but Sunday marks the anniversary of an important championship at Clemson. Dabo Swinney’s vision of taking the Tigers to the top of …

This season’s national champion in college football will be decided Monday in a rematch between Georgia and Alabama, but Sunday marks the anniversary of an important championship at Clemson.

Dabo Swinney’s vision of taking the Tigers to the top of the mountain in the sport became reality on Jan. 9, 2017. Clemson knocked off Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide in an instant classic inside Raymond James Stadium to claim the first national championship in the Swinney era and just the second in school history.

It was doubly sweet for the Tigers after how bitter the ending to the previous season turned out to be.

Clemson laid the foundation of what was to come in 2015 when it started its run of six straight College Football Playoff appearances. With an emerging star at quarterback in sophomore Deshaun Watson, the top-seeded Tigers went into their first-ever CFP title game undefeated that season, which included a blowout win over Oklahoma in one national semifinal.

Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) kisses the National Championship trophy after the Tigers defeated Alabama 35-31 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa on Monday, January 9, 2017.

Alabama won the other in a romp over Michigan State to set up the first national title matchup between Clemson and Swinney’s alma mater. Yet despite a record-setting performance by Watson, whose 478 total yards of offense are still the most in national title game history, Clemson came up just short in a shootout, 45-40.

Watson, Swinney and the rest of the Tigers exacted their revenge a year later in Tampa.

Clemson-Alabama, Part II, was another heart-pounder with the teams going back and forth after the Tigers rallied from a 10-point deficit entering the fourth quarter. Clemson took its first lead on Wayne Gallman’s touchdown plunge with just 4 minutes, 38 seconds left.

Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts put the Crimson Tide back in front, 31-28, with a 30-yard touchdown scramble. Clemson got the ball back one last time with 2:01 remaining, needing at least a few first downs to set up a tying field-goal attempt and 68 yards for a winning touchdown.

Jan 9, 2017; Tampa, FL, USA; Clemson Tigers wide receiver Mike Williams (7) catches a pass over Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back Anthony Averett (28) in the 207 College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bart Boatwright/The Greenville News via USA TODAY Sports

On the Tigers’ collective mind, there was only one option.

“We were not playing for overtime,” Swinney said afterward. “We were going for the win. That’s our mentality.”

The Tigers quickly moved into Alabama territory thanks to a long completion from Watson to Mike Williams. Clemson eventually got inside the 10-yard line on an acrobatic 17-yard reception by tight end Jordan Leggett, but only 14 seconds remained.

Watson threw incomplete on first-and-goal. He looked for Williams on second-and-goal, but the Tigers’ junior receiver, who caught a touchdown earlier in the game, was interfered with, giving Clemson a fresh set of downs at the 2 with just 6 seconds on the clock.

That was enough time for the Tigers to win it on the next play when Watson rolled out and found Hunter Renfrow in the front corner of the end zone for a touchdown with just 1 tick left, giving Clemson its first national championship since 1981.

Clemson Twide receiver Hunter Renfrow (13) catches the game winning touchdown against Alabama defensive back Tony Brown (2) during the fourth quarter in the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Raymond James Stadium. (photo by Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)

“Never in a million years did I think I would catch the game-winning pass,” Renfrow said then.

Watson went 36 of 56 passing for 420 yards and accounted for four touchdowns in the win to earn offensive MVP honors. Linebacker Ben Boulware was named defensive MVP. The Tigers have won another national championship since, again beating Alabama in the teams’ third title matchup to cap the 2018 season.

But five years ago today marked the Tigers’ national breakthrough under Swinney.

“(Alabama has) been the standard for a long time, but not anymore,” Boulware said then. “Clemson has arrived. Clemson is here. We are back on top.”

Jan 9, 2017; Tampa, FL, USA; Clemson Tiger head coach Dabo Swinney celebrates with the trophy after a 35-31 victory against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

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Allen active in win over Syracuse

Davis Allen added his name to the Clemson record books en route to the Tigers’ 17-14 win over Syracuse at the Carrier Dome Friday night. In the first half alone, the junior doubled his season-high for receptions with six. Allen, who ended the night …

Davis Allen added his name to the Clemson record books en route to the Tigers’ 17-14 win over Syracuse at the Carrier Dome Friday night. In the first half alone, the junior doubled his season-high for receptions with six.

Allen, who ended the night with a team-leading eight receptions for 49 yards, recorded the most receptions by a Clemson tight end in a single game since Brandon Ford’s nine against LSU in 2012.

For quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, Allen’s performance came at no surprise. In fact, Uiagalelei see’s Allen’s talent day in and day out on the practice field.

“Davis Allen, man, hey he’s been big,” Uiagalelei said. “He’s a big key to our offense. He does a lot in the pass game, running routes, he does a lot in the run game. I feel like Davis Allen, he’s one of those guys that’s going play 10 years in the NFL. I’ve been saying that since the first day I met him. He’s just a hard worker. He puts his head down and grinds, and he just goes out there and just performs each and every day. He’s a baller man… I love Davis Allen.”

Along with having a career night in receptions, Allen caught a 17-yarder on a fake punt in the second quarter to secure a Clemson first down and extend the drive, leading to the Tigers’ second and final touchdown.

In his first two years with the program, Allen tabbed 21 catches for 300 yards and four touchdowns over the course of 27 games and one start.

Does Clemson have a tight end to reach Bennie Cunningham’s lofty standard?

For the longest time at Clemson, the standard for playing the tight end position was Bennie Cunningham. There is a strong argument he still is the standard, despite the big numbers Dwayne Allen and Jordan Leggett both put up in the last decade. From …

For the longest time at Clemson, the standard for playing the tight end position was Bennie Cunningham. There is a strong argument he still is the standard, despite the big numbers Dwayne Allen and Jordan Leggett both put up in the last decade.

From 1973-’75, the late Bennie Cunningham caught 64 passes for 1,044 yards and scored eight touchdowns on his way to being named the first two-time First-Team All-American and the first Consensus All-American in Clemson history.

Cunningham was ahead of his time.

At 6-foot-5, 250-pounds, the Seneca, S.C., native could do it all – block, catch and run. Also, he did it in an era when running the football was the primary mode of operation in college football. In those days, Clemson ran a split-veer triple-option offense.

From 1973-’75, the late Bennie Cunningham caught 64 passes for 1,044 yards and scored eight touchdowns on his way to being named the first two-time First-Team All-American and the first Consensus All-American in Clemson history. (file photo)

Even though Cunningham played on Clemson teams that were not always good, he was. He led the Tigers in receptions in 1973 and ’74 and in both catches and yards in 1974, his first All-American season. He had another All-American season in 1975 and was later picked by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 28th overall pick in the 1976 NFL Draft – still the only tight end in Clemson history to be taken in the first round of an NFL Draft.

But could that change in the years to come?

No disrespect to guys like Michael Palmer, Dwayne Allen and Jordan Leggett, but Clemson appears to have maybe its greatest collection of tight ends at one time.

Led by another Seneca product in Braden Galloway, the Tigers are potentially as talented at the tight end position as they ever have been. Behind Galloway is Davis Allen, Jaelyn Lay, Sage Ennis and Jake Briningstool.

Do any of those five have the talent and skill to be the next Cunningham? Maybe so. Maybe not. Time will tell.

However, there have been glimpses that show, at the very least, Clemson potentially has another Dwayne Allen and Jordan Leggett on the team.

Galloway (6-4, 240) is a quick-twitch, very fluid receiver. A former basketball player, he is athletic and fast and uses that to his advantage in the passing game, similar to Leggett (2013-’16), who holds the tight end records for career catches, yards and touchdowns at Clemson, as well as single-season marks in yards. He also tied Dwayne Allen’s record for touchdowns in a single season by a tight end.

From 2013-’16, Jordan Leggett set Clemson records for a tight end with 112 catches for 1,598 yards and 18 touchdowns. He also holds the single-season mark for yards (736), which he set in 2016. (file photo)

“In fairness to (Galloway), and he said it, he did not start playing football until his sophomore year (of high school),” Clemson tight ends coach and offensive coordinator Tony Elliott said. “He played wideout, he played quarterback and so a lot of the stuff he is doing, even from a receiver perspective is still some new stuff to him. But he is very fluid and can run.

“I would say he is probably as fast, if not faster than Leggett. But he is not quite as tall and as big.”

Still, in just his second full season, Galloway caught 27 passes for 369 yards and two touchdowns. That was ahead of Leggett’s mark in his second season when he hauled in 14 passes back in 2014 for 161 yards and one touchdown.

Davis Allen is very similar in stature, size and technique as Dwayne Allen (2009-’11). The junior stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 250 pounds.

Like Dwayne Allen, who was a Consensus First-Team All-American and Mackey Award winner in 2011, did in his second season at Clemson, Davis Allen showed tremendous development as a pass catcher. He went from five catches for 53 yards and no touchdowns as a freshman, to 16 catches for 247 yards and four touchdowns in 2020.

“He is the standard of what you are looking for at the point of attack, from a tight end perspective,” Elliot said about Davis Allen. “He is very versatile. He can play the H or play what you call the Y, the attached guy, and be very productive. You can isolate him one-on-one with defensive ends and he is going to hold his own.

“I think if we can get him up to speed on where he needs to be from a receiver standpoint, because you have to look at him. He played defensive end (in high school). He was in a run-oriented tight end kind of position in high school, so I think that the potential to be like a Dwayne Allen is there. We just got to develop him a little bit more.”

And who knows. Maybe one of them will become the next Bennie Cunningham. Of course, being the next Dwayne Allen or Jordan Leggett is not too shabby, either.

Dwayne Allen finished his Clemson career as the Tigers’ all-time leader for a tight end in receptions (93), yards (1,079) and touchdowns (12). He still holds the single-season mark for catches (50 in 2011) and touchdowns (8 in 2011). Allen was a Consensus First-Team All-American in 2011 and won the John Mackey Award as the nation’s best tight end. (file photo)

Time to get the latest Clemson apparel to show your Tiger pride. Order your officially licensed Clemson gear right here!

Report: Patriots elect not to sign Jordan Leggett, after all

Will the Patriots look to sign someone else at tight end?

Despite reports that the New England Patriots intended to sign tight end Jordan Leggett, they will not add the free agent, after all, per ESPN’s Field Yates. New England was on the verge of signing Leggett following tight end Matt LaCosse’s decision to opt out of the 2020 season due to coronavirus concerns. But the Patriots will stick with the players they have.

The group is extremely young. Tight end Ryan Izzo, 24, is the most experienced man in the group as he enters his third season. He has six career receptions for 114 yards and a touchdown. Otherwise, the group is comprised of rookies: Devin Asiasi, Dalton Keene, Jake Burt and Rashod Berry.

It’s possible — and perhaps even likely — that the Patriots will end up with only rookies at their tight end position if they elect not to add a free agent to bring additional competition at the position. And perhaps after they flirted with signing Leggett, they could sign a different veteran from the free agency pool.

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Report: Patriots plan to sign TE Jordan Leggett and DT Darius Kilgo

New England adds depth and experience at tight end.

The New England Patriots plan to sign tight end Jordan Leggett and defensive tackle Darius Kilgo, pending physicals and COVID-19 tests, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Leggett, 25, is a four-year veteran who has played for the New York Jets and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He logged receptions in just one season, 2018, when he had 14 catches for 114 yards and a touchdown. The 6-foot-5 veteran entered the NFL as a fifth-round pick out of Clemson in 2017.

Kilgo, 28, will begin his second stint with the Patriots after playing with New England in 2016 and 2017 when spent time between the practice squad and the active roster. He has also spent time with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston Texans, Tennessee Titans and Detroit Lions. He has logged 16 career tackles.

Leggett joins a tight end group which saw Matt LaCosse opt out this offseason due to concerns about coronavirus. The Patriots have tight end Devin Asiasi, Dalton Keene and Ryan Izzo, among others. Kilgo, meanwhile, joins defensive tackles Lawrence Guy, Adam Butler, Byron Cowart and Bill Murray.

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Report: Patriots host pair of players for free agent visits in busy weekend

The Patriots hosted a tight end and defensive tackle four visits over the weekend.

Over the weekend, the New England Patriots hosted two players for free agent visits.

New England brought in former New York Jets tight end Jordan Leggett in for a visit. Drafted in 2017, he has 14 total catches for 114 yards and a touchdown. His college career was much more fruitful to this point, as he caught 86 passes for 1,261 yards and 15 touchdowns at Clemson.

Measuring in at six-foot-five, 258 pounds, he has also played for the New York Jets. He was cut after his second season with the Jets. He also made a pit stop with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season, but he did not play.

In addition to Leggett, New England also had defensive tackle Darius Kligo  in for a visit. He was on the New England practice squad in 2016 and played with the team in the 2017 preseason. Last season, he spent time with the Detroit Lions, but spent his time on injured reserve.

With these visits, it’s become clear that New England wants to add depth to both positions. It will be interesting to see who they fill those spots with, as they look to fine-tune their roster before the beginning of the season.

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Ex-Jets TE Jordan Leggett visits Patriots

Former Jets tight end Jordan Leggett visited the Patriots on Friday.

According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, former Jets tight end Jordan Leggett visited with the Patriots on Friday.

Leggett was a fifth-round pick by the Jets in 2017 out of the University of Clemson. He had a good chance of becoming the Jets’ starting tight end with Austin Seferian-Jenkins being suspended for the first two games in 2017. However, Leggett suffered a knee injury in practice that forced him to undergo season-ending surgery.

In 2018, Leggett recovered from the injury but didn’t make much of an impact on the field. He started in four out of the 15 games he played in and recorded 14 receptions for 114 yards and a touchdown. New York cut Leggett in May 2019.

Leggett then moved onto the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after they claimed him on waivers. He was on and off the Bucs’ practice squad and never appeared in a regular season game for Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers waived him just at the start of this year’s training camp.

Give Tampa Bay TE Jordan Leggett for trying to keep No. 87

Tampa Bay tight end Jordan Leggett had some fun negotiating with Rob Gronkowski for No. 87.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Jordan Leggett wore No. 87 … until Tuesday.

The TE who played college ball at Clemson and has all of 14 catches in 2018 as a New York Jet to speak for his NFL career was quick to try and make a deal with Rob Gronkowski for No. 87.

Leggett tweeted, tongue firmly in cheek:

Leggett was quick to greet his fellow tight end and also showed he has a grasp on reality.

The Bucs took the mystery out of the numbers game … instantly. They assigned Leggett No. 81 while giving Gronkowski the No. 87 he wore while starring for the Patriots.

Bucs sign eight players to 2020 futures contracts

See which players have earned future contracts with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for next season.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have some cap room to play with this offseason, which is good news for a team with a number of notable unrestricted free agents, including Jameis Winston, Shaquil Barrett and Ndamukong Suh to name a few.

While important financial decisions will be made in the comings weeks and months, the team hasn’t been sitting idly by since the season ended. They’ve already gone ahead and signed eight players to 2020 futures contracts.

Per Buccaneers.com:

  • DE Quinton Bell
  • C Anthony Fabiano
  • S Deiondre’ Hall
  • DL Jeremiah Ledbetter
  • TE Jordan Leggett
  • CB Herb Miller
  •  T Brad Seaton
  •  RB Aca’Cedric Ware

The Buccaneers also hold the 14th pick in April’s NFL draft, so it’ll be an exciting offseason for fans to watch, that’s for sure.

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