Tag: Tyler Davis

Five reasons Clemson gets the win over Georgia Tech

5 reasons why the Tigers should handle business against Georgia Tech.

Today is finally the day. Clemson football opens up its season with a Labor Day night matchup against Georgia Tech at Mercedes-Benz Stadium that is set for an 8 p.m. kickoff.

Dabo Swinney and the No.4 Tigers have playoff aspirations once again this season, and the first step is getting through an ACC matchup with the Yellow Jackets. The team’s first opportunity to make a statement will be in a neutral site matchup, though the Tigers still enter the game as heavy favorites. 

Clemson enters the game as a -23.5 point favorite over Georgia Tech per Tipico Sports, suggesting that the Tigers shouldn’t struggle in this matchup. If last season taught Swinney and this program anything, it is not to take any opponent lightly. Swinney has this group ready to start the 2022 season in a big way. 

Here are five reasons why Clemson will walk away with a win:

For Swinney, Power Rangers aren’t the comparison for Clemson’s Avengers

Clemson’s current defensive line is often compared to the group the Tigers had four years ago, and it’s easy to understand why. Much like the 2018 unit that helped lead Clemson to its most recent national championships, the headliners of what’s …

Clemson’s current defensive line is often compared to the group the Tigers had four years ago, and it’s easy to understand why.

Much like the 2018 unit that helped lead Clemson to its most recent national championships, the headliners of what’s expected to be another suffocating defense this season reside up front. Star defensive tackle Bryan Bresee and end Myles Murphy are projected first-round picks while Clemson’s entire starting front four, which includes Tyler Davis and Xavier Thomas, could be drafted the way Clelin Ferrell, Christian Wilkins, Dexter Lawrence and Austin Bryant all were in 2019. Even the group’s adopted superhero-themed moniker, The Avengers, was inspired by the Power Rangers nickname given to that 2018 group.

Yet that’s not the comparison that comes to mind for Dabo Swinney.

“On paper, it reminds me of our ‘14 defensive line,” Clemson’s veteran head coach said.

While his current defensive front may possess the same kind of front-line talent that the 2018 group did, Swinney said the two don’t share the same quality depth.

Clemson returned its entire two-deep up front from a defense that yielded the second-fewest points in the country last season. The Tigers have nine defensive linemen on their roster that have started at least one game. Of those, seven have started multiple games, including another projected draft pick in senior K.J. Henry, who will fill in opposite Murphy on the edge as Thomas works his way back from a foot injury that will sideline him for Clemson’s Labor Day opener against Georgia Tech if not longer.

“Everybody talks about ‘18, and that was a great group, but really very young behind (our starters),” Swinney said. “We got lucky, and you’ve got to have some luck to win a national championship. There’s so much that’s got to go into that. You’ve got to get a little luck along the way, and we were very, very fortunate that Christian, Dexter, Clelin and Austin played every game.

“And we had (defensive tackle) Albert (Huggins). We kind of had five guys, and if you really look at the roster, we were really young, very inexperienced and very unproven behind those guys. Those guys had to play a lot of snaps.”

With another senior end, Justin Mascoll, also part of the rotation at end as well as juniors Ruke Orhorhoro, Tre Williams and Etinosa Reuben on the interior, Swinney said the depth along the current defensive front is at a point where he doesn’t feel like there is “anybody that’s got to go play 60 snaps.” That’s why he said the makeup of this year’s line reminds him more of the 2014 group that had a comparable blend of talent and depth.

Future first-round picks Shaq Lawson and Vic Beasley manned the end sports then, but Kevin Dodd, Tavaris Barnes and Corey Crawford were also part of the rotation on the edge. Yet the Tigers may have been even deeper on the interior that season.

“You look at that (defensive) tackle group, DeShawn Williams, he’s on Year 8 with the (Denver) Broncos,” Swinney said. “Carlos Watkins, D.J. Reader, Grady Jarrett. I think Josh Watson was in the group.

“The only guy I knew was going to start was Grady, and it wasn’t because he was more talented than anybody. He just separated himself in every area. But at that spot, (former defensive tackles coach) Dan (Brooks) would grade them all through Tiger Walk and how he felt like they looked in pregame. And then he’d say, ‘All right, you run out there.’ I never even worried about who was playing.”

The 2014 line spearheaded what was statistically the nation’s best defense that season, so Swinney doesn’t want to get carried away with the comparison. At least not yet.

“I can’t mention this group in the same breath because they haven’t done anything,” Swinney said. “You don’t play it on paper, but it’s a talented group that has the opportunity to do something special this year if we can stay together.”

Dear Old Clemson is excited to announce a limited edition football and poster signed by Clemson’s Avengers.

Now there is a new way you can support Clemson student-athletes. Purchase collectibles from Dear Old Clemson and the proceeds with go to support Clemson student-athletes. Visit Dear Old Clemson to find out how you can help!

New preseason top 100 big board features several Tigers

Pro Football Focus this week released its preseason Top 100 Big Board for the 2023 NFL Draft, and several Clemson defenders are ranked among PFF’s top 100 prospects in next year’s draft class. Two Tiger defensive linemen, junior defensive end Myles …

Pro Football Focus this week released its preseason Top 100 Big Board for the 2023 NFL Draft, and several Clemson defenders are ranked among PFF’s top 100 prospects in next year’s draft class.

Two Tiger defensive linemen, junior defensive end Myles Murphy and redshirt sophomore tackle Bryan Bresee — both of whom were named AP preseason All-Americans this week — are in the top 10 of PFF’s preseason Big Board and ranked No. 5 and No. 6, respectively.

“Murphy is one of those “know it when you see it” kind of physical specimens,” PFF’s Michael Renner wrote. “The 6-foot-5, 275-pound defensive end is bigger, more powerful and more explosive than everyone he’s going up against. And that was true as a freshman. He’s earned a 92.2 run-defense grade for his college career.”

Added Renner of Bresee: “Bresee was the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2020 cycle, and while he hasn’t quite lived up to that lofty billing, you still see it. And by “it,” we mean the undeniable movement skills that few 6-foot-5, 300-pound men have ever been capable of. He earned an 81.2 pass-rushing grade back as a true freshman before tearing his ACL only four games into his sophomore campaign.”

Junior linebacker Trenton Simpson is the next highest-ranked Clemson defender on PFF’s preseason Big Board, coming in at No. 28.

“Simpson is one hell of an all-around athlete at 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds — so much so that he played slot for the Clemson defense last season,” Renner wrote. “He’s a Swiss Army knife that can do pretty much anything asked of him. That showed as a blitzer, a role from which Simpson racked up 31 pressures on only 90 pass-rushing snaps.”

Clemson senior defensive tackle Tyler Davis also cracked PFF’s preseason Top 100 Big Board, checking in at No. 98.

 

Packers still confident in TE Tyler Davis despite preseason mistakes

Tyler Davis has struggled this preseason, but the Packers haven’t lost any confidence in the “young, developing” tight end.

The Green Bay Packers remain confident in tight end Tyler Davis despite two mistake-filled preseason games this summer.

Coach Matt LaFleur called Davis a “young, developing player” who can still add value, particularly on special teams.

“We still have a lot of confidence in Tyler,” LaFleur said Monday. “I know he was disappointed in the fumble and the holding penalty, but he’s done a lot of good things too…he’s done a good job in a lot of aspects. Number one, his value on (special) teams alone, it’s definitely noticeable. It’s not just in the games, but in practices as well.”

His performance on offense has been underwhelming. Through two preseason games, Davis is the Packers’ lowest-graded offensive player and the NFL’s lowest-graded tight end overall at Pro Football Focus.

Mistakes have been a big reason why. Davis has missed several run blocks, dropped a pass resulting in an interception, fumbled away the ball after a short catch and been penalized twice over just 50 snaps.

His holding penalty against the Saints wiped out a 17-yard pass play.

The turnovers were especially disappointing plays. On the interception, Jordan Love’s pass hit him right in the hands. The fumble was an excellent defensive play but still took away a chance at a scoring drive late in the first half last Friday night.

“I think there’s a lot of growth there for him,” LaFleur said. “We haven’t lost any confidence in him over two plays.”

Davis, who played 231 special teams snaps for the Packers last season, has been on the field for 14 special teams snaps this preseason – highlighting why the Packers might be willing to labor through some mistakes as the former quarterback continues developing at tight end.

The Packers also have a depth problem at tight end. Although Davis has struggled, there isn’t an obvious fourth tight end on the roster behind Robert Tonyan, Marcedes Lewis and Josiah Deguara.

Thursday night in Kansas City will be a big spot for Davis. Can he bounce back and cement his spot on the 53-man roster? Or could another poor performance make him more likely to end up on the practice squad?

Slew of Tigers ranked among top 100 players in college football by ESPN

With the college football season set to get underway soon, ESPN on Wednesday released its ranking of the best players in the sport, regardless of position, based on their football abilities alone. A slew of Clemson standouts made ESPN’s ranking of …

With the college football season set to get underway soon, ESPN on Wednesday released its ranking of the best players in the sport, regardless of position, based on their football abilities alone.

A slew of Clemson standouts made ESPN’s ranking of the top 100 players in college football for 2022 — seven to be exact — with redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Bryan Bresee (No. 13) and junior defensive end Myles Murphy (No. 18) both making the top 20.

Here’s what ESPN’s article had to say about those two forces on Clemson’s defensive front:

We got a glimpse of what Bresee could do as ACC Defensive Freshman of the Year in 2020, when he had 33 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and four sacks. He was on his way to another big year as a sophomore, but he tore his ACL in the fourth game of the season and was out for the year. Still, he earned third-team All-ACC honors in a nod to his dominance over such a short stretch. He is back and healthy and figures to have his best year yet.

It’s possible the biggest obstacle to Murphy’s dominance at defensive end is that he has to share the wealth with so many other talented linemen at Clemson. Still, Murphy is the best of the bunch, finishing last season with seven sacks, 14 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and 12 runs stopped at or behind the line of scrimmage. Murphy is a future first-round pick anchoring a line that might have two or three of them.

Junior linebacker Trenton Simpson (No. 38) is the next-highest-ranked Tiger on ESPN’s list, followed by fifth-year senior defensive end Xavier Thomas (No. 53), sophomore running back Will Shipley (No. 55) and senior defensive tackle Tyler Davis (No. 63).

Sophomore safety Andrew Mukuba also cracked ESPN’s list of college football’s top 100 players, coming in at No. 99.

“When Lannden Zanders went down in Clemson’s opener against Georgia last year, Mukuba — a true freshman — was thrust into a starting job,” the ESPN article stated. “He didn’t miss a beat. For the season, Mukuba held opposing QBs to less than 50% completions, had seven pass breakups, allowed just three completions of 20 yards or more and surrendered less than half a yard per coverage snap. Meanwhile, he finished fourth on the team with 48 tackles. His role in 2022 gets even bigger, however, as he’s the only established starter in Clemson’s new-look secondary.”

Like Clemson, Georgia also seven of the top 100 players in college football according to ESPN. Only Alabama (eight) has more.

Where are Clemson players ranked on this list of ACC’s top 10 NFL Draft prospects?

This week, a national outlet ranked the ACC’s top 10 prospects for the 2023 NFL Draft, and several players from Clemson’s loaded defense made the list. CBS Sports took an early look at the best NFL Draft prospects in the ACC entering the 2022 …

This week, a national outlet ranked the ACC’s top 10 prospects for the 2023 NFL Draft, and several players from Clemson’s loaded defense made the list.

CBS Sports took an early look at the best NFL Draft prospects in the ACC entering the 2022 season, and two players from the Tigers’ talented defense are the top two on the list, while four Clemson defenders are ranked in the top 10 overall.

Junior defensive end Myles Murphy tops the list at No. 1.

A former Top 5 national recruit who made an instant impact, earning Freshman All-America honors from several outlets in 2020 and earning a fourth-team All-American selection from Phil Steele in 2021, Murphy enters 2022 credited with 94 tackles (26.0 for loss), 11.0 sacks, five forced fumbles and three pass breakups over 25 games (16 starts).

“When comparing size, Murphy stacks up to last year’s No. 1 overall selection — Travon Walker,” CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards wrote. “Murphy is a good athlete but is realistically not going to match Walker’s historic NFL Combine performance. Murphy does have more exposure to what would be considered a traditional edge rusher role than Walker at the same point in his career. The former shows active hands and an ability to turn speed to power. When attempting to identify the likely first-round selections in the preseason, Murphy jumps out.”

Junior linebacker Trenton Simpson is right behind Murphy on the list at No. 2.

An explosive linebacker and edge rusher, Simpson heads into the 2022 campaign credited with 110 tackles (18.5 for loss), 10.0 sacks, three pass breakups and a forced fumble across 25 games (15 starts).

“Simpson is one of the most versatile defenders in this potential NFL Draft class,” Edwards wrote. “He is not Micah Parsons but could excel in a similar role allowing him to play in the box, rush the passer and cloud passing lanes. The Charlotte native finds himself around the ball often because of his quick key and trigger. First-year defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin has a lot to work with this season.”

Redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Bryan Bresee checks in at No. 7.

The former No. 1 recruit in the country who burst onto the scene as a Freshman All-American in 2020, Bresee became the second ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year in Clemson history, joining Dexter Lawrence (2016). He enters the upcoming season with 48 tackles (9.5 for loss), 5.5 sacks, two pass breakups, an interception, a forced fumble and a safety over 16 games (14 starts).

“The nation’s No. 1 overall high school recruit in 2020 missed most of last season with a torn ACL,” Edwards wrote. “The talent is evident, but it is unknown what to reasonably expect from Bresee coming off the injury this season. The Maryland native carries his weight really well and is just a natural athlete. He does a good job of stacking blockers while peering into the backfield and has good top end speed.”

Senior defensive tackle Tyler Davis rounds out the list, coming in at No. 10.

Davis made an immediate impact for the Tigers, earning the starting role in his first career game as a true freshman in 2019, and has been a key interior piece for Clemson’s defense ever since. He goes into the 2022 season with 95 tackles (16.5 for loss), 10.0 sacks, three pass breakups and two fumble recoveries across 31 games (28 starts).

“Davis does a great job of shooting gaps and creating chaos in the opponent’s backfield,” Edwards wrote. “He does a good job of stacking and shedding blockers to make an impact in the run game.”

–Information from Clemson Athletic Communications contributed to this article

Nine Tigers named to East-West Shrine Bowl 1000

Nine Clemson Tigers have been named to the East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 ahead of the upcoming college football season. The longest-running college all-star football game in the nation, the East-West Shrine Bowl gives top college players the …

Nine Clemson Tigers have been named to the East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 ahead of the upcoming college football season.

The longest-running college all-star football game in the nation, the East-West Shrine Bowl gives top college players the opportunity to showcase their talents to NFL scouts and a national television audience.

This year, the bowl released its East-West Shrine Bowl 1000. Here’s how the list was put together:

Every year, approximately 1000 all-star game eligible players are drafted, signed after the draft, or attend a rookie mini-camp. Our aim is for this Shrine Bowl 1000 to serve as a look into our scouting process, as well as begin to preview college players who are currently all-star game eligible for the 2023 East-West Shrine Bowl and 2023 NFL draft class.

This list was extremely difficult for our team to put together, scouring players from all four levels of football and speaking with NFL and college personnel to ensure we put together the best 1000 players for the NFL level.

As the East-West Shrine Bowl strives to be a best-in-class event, we’re excited to feature these talented 1000 players and over 200 college programs as they strive to be at their best for the 2022 college season.

So, which Clemson players are on the East-West Shrine Bowl 1000?

Here’s all the Tigers that appear on the list:

Davis Allen, Tight End

Tyler Davis, Defensive Tackle

K.J. Henry, Defensive End

Sheridan Jones, Cornerback

Jordan McFadden, Offensive Lineman

Joseph Ngata, Wide Receiver

Ruke Orhorhoro, Defensive Tackle

Will Putnam, Offensive Lineman

Xavier Thomas, Defensive End

https://twitter.com/EricGalko/status/1556684719512862721

Where does Clemson rank among the best defenses ahead of the 2022 season?

One 247Sports writer recently projected the top 10 defenses ahead of the 2022 season and ranked Clemson near the top.

Clemson allowed the second-fewest points per game in the FBS last season, and that stout level of defense is likely to be replicated in 2022.

As the college football season rapidly approaches, 247Sports’ Brad Crawford recently projected the top defenses, ranking Clemson in the top 10.

Between losing a defensive coordinator and multiple starters to the NFL, the Tigers’ defense will have a new look in 2022 but still has the potential to be one of the stingiest units across the country.

Here’s what Crawford had to say about Clemson’s defense.

Equipped with the nastiest defensive front in the land, Clemson should not take a step back this season despite losing long-time defensive coordinator Brent Venables to Oklahoma. The scheme’s not going to change and more importantly, many of the bodies available are all future early-round picks, including Bryan Bresee and Myles Murphy. Dabo Swinney is experiencing the same wealth of riches entering this season that he had several years ago when a handful of Clemson defenders went in the first round. The Tigers are so talented at edge between Xavier Thomas and Murphy that former five-star and fifth-year senior K.J. Henry is a rotational player, despite coming off his most complete season. Getting Bresee back fully-healthy this fall to man the middle of that defensive line is major.

As Crawford outlined, the Tigers’ defensive front is one of, if not the best, in the nation.

Meanwhile, Wes Goodwin has received plenty of praise from current and former players for his coaching ability, which fans caught a glimpse of in Clemson’s 20-13 win over Iowa State in the Cheez-It Bowl last year.

Time will tell which program this season will give opposing offenses the most trouble, but for now, here are Crawford’s projections for the top 10 defenses.

New 2023 NFL Mock Draft has four Clemson defenders going in first round

With football season right around the corner, and the college football and NFL seasons coming up, 2023 NFL Mock Drafts continue to pop up online. One of the latest mock drafts to come out has a quartet of Clemson defenders going in the first round – …

With football season right around the corner, and the college football and NFL seasons coming up, 2023 NFL Mock Drafts continue to pop up online.

One of the latest mock drafts to come out has a quartet of Clemson defenders going in the first round — The Draft Network projects redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Bryan Bresee, junior defensive end Myles Murphy, junior linebacker Trenton Simpson and senior defensive tackle Tyler Davis to all hear their names called within the first 30 picks.

The Draft Network sees Bresee and Murphy being selected with back-to-back picks by the Philadelphia Eagles at No. 12 overall and the New England Patriots at No. 13, respectively.

“Man, I love this value for the Eagles,” Kyle Crabbs of The Draft Network wrote in regard to his Bresee projection. “Philadelphia is a team reported to be evaluating their options at quarterback but I don’t love their options here with their first pick, which comes courtesy of the New Orleans Saints and last year’s draft pick swap. Instead, the team lands Bryan Bresee as a high-tools interior defensive lineman with positional versatility. Bresee can step into the shoes of both Fletcher Cox and Javon Hargrave as penetration types up front—neither of which are currently under contract for the Eagles beyond the 2022 season.”

Added Crabbs of his projection for Murphy: “Surely the Patriots wouldn’t pass on a standout pass rusher who fell into their laps, right? Myles Murphy might be every bit as good as 2022 first-overall selection Travon Walker but with more bend.

“Matthew Judon was a big-money free agent addition but he could certainly use some help in the Patriots’ front. And as the Patriots adjust to life without star cornerbacks, they’d likely benefit from some more standout play and versatility up front. Murphy gives you all of the above.”

Crabbs sees Simpson coming off the board nine picks after Murphy, going to the Dallas Cowboys with the 22nd selection.

“OK, so hear me out. You know what is better than one freakish linebacker with the ability to contribute in a slew of ways? How about two?” Crabbs wrote.

“This selection did give me pause to ask if Noah Sewell is a better fit to complement Micah Parsons. However, I’m going with Trenton Simpson and the understanding that if Dallas wants a secure run-fitting MIKE, they can run base personnel and achieve that security, too. Simpson is a speedy, long defender with the ability to play in coverage and even rush off the edge. His passing down skill set pairs with Parsons to give Dallas a pair of terrifying mismatch defenders on the second level.”

The Draft Network projects a fourth Tiger to be taken with a first-round pick in Davis, who Crabbs has going to the Los Angeles Chargers with the 29th overall pick.

“This selection is a bit of a projection but Tyler Davis has all the physical tools to be a disruptive presence on the interior,” Crabbs wrote. “If he’s able to stay healthy in 2022, I think he’s got a real shot at making a push for this kind of stratosphere as a player. Plus, the Chargers sure could use some interior push to go with all that heat off the edge in Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack.”

Five Tigers ranked on this list of ACC’s top 2023 NFL Draft prospects

A bunch of the ACC’s top 2023 NFL Draft prospects will be wearing orange this season. Pro Football Focus this week published its ranking of the top 25 prospects for next year’s NFL Draft from the ACC, and two Tigers top the list while three are …

A bunch of the ACC’s top 2023 NFL Draft prospects will be wearing orange this season.

Pro Football Focus this week published its ranking of the top 25 prospects for next year’s NFL Draft from the ACC, and two Tigers top the list while three are ranked in the top five, and five Clemson defenders are ranked among the top 25 draft prospects in the conference overall.

Junior defensive end Myles Murphy is ranked No. 1 on PFF’s list, with redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Bryan Bresee coming in right behind Murphy at No. 2.

“You won’t find too many true freshman defensive linemen who look physically capable of playing on an NFL field, but that was Murphy back in 2020,” PFF’s Michael Renner wrote. “That season, he earned a 92.5 run-defense grade for the Tigers. For an encore, Murphy displayed marked improvement as a pass rusher in 2021 and finished with 28 pressures over his final six games. He still needs to add more pass-rushing moves to his toolbox, but you don’t need to see more than a couple of long-arm moves from him to know his ability to generate power is special.”

Added Renner of Bresee: “Bresee first broke onto the scene with some of the most dominant high school tape you’ll ever see. That made him the consensus No. 1 overall recruit in the 2020 class, but his sheer physical dominance meant he came into college without having to refine his hand usage. We’ve seen that through two seasons at Clemson, as he’s not quite the impact player his physical tools suggest. Still, at 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds, he moves like a player 30 pounds lighter. After tearing his ACL four games into 2021, he’s due for a big bounce-back year in 2022.”

Junior linebacker Trenton Simpson checks in at No. 5.

“Simpson embodies the definition of a modern linebacker,” Renner wrote. “He plays the overhang/slot role in Clemson’s defense because he’s so adept at maneuvering in space that he can match up with slot receivers. Even still, Simpson knows how to attack blocks with leverage and close to ball carriers. Listed at only 225 pounds, weight is no issue considering his play style.”

Clemson senior defensive tackle Tyler Davis comes in at No. 21 on PFF’s list of the top 2023 draft prospects from the ACC, while super senior defensive end Xavier Thomas rounds out PFF’s list at No. 25.

“Davis looked like he was going to be a lock as a first-rounder after his freshman season in 2019,” Renner wrote. “That year, he earned a 79.6 overall grade with 31 pressures — both very impressive figures for a first-year player. Unfortunately, that’s still his career-high grade, and injuries have kept him from even matching that pressure total in the two years since combined. Hopefully he can get healthy again and live up to the promise he showed.”

Added Renner of Thomas: “Thomas was supposed to be the next great Clemson defensive lineman after the 2019 draft class had three first-rounders. In his true freshman season alongside Clelin Ferrell, Dexter Lawrence and Christian Wilkins, Thomas earned an 84.2 pass-rushing grade with 26 pressures. Four years later, that’s still his career-high pass-rushing grade.”

Come out to support Clemson baseball at Dear Old Clemson’s event which is set for September 30 at the Owen Pavilion.  New head coach Erik Bakich will be on hand as will next year’s baseball team.  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.