The Clemson Tigers have missed the boat to the College Football Playoff in the 2022 college football season, but that doesn't mean they lack talent. Clemson football has plenty of them, with some viewed with great to good potential to make it to and star in the NFL someday. Here are four Clemson prospects to watch out for ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Myles Murphy, DE
Myles Murphy will not be back to Clemson in 2023, as he has already declared for the 2023 NFL Draft. Considered one of the top NFL prospects not only in Clemson but in the entire nation, Murphy should hear his name early in next year's draft. Murphy has played three years for the Tigers, playing an integral role from start to finish of his Clemson stint.
After a four-sack freshman campaign in 2020, Murphy took quite a leap in his sophomore season, recording a total of 8.0 sacks to go with 14.5 tackles for loss. His numbers in his junior year in 2022 weren't as shiny as the ones he put up in 2021, but it's already clear that Murphy is ready for the pros. In 13 games in the regular season for Clemson this year, Murphy racked up 6.5 sacks, 11.0 tackles for loss, two passes defended, and a fumble recovery. Don't be surprised if Murphy gets picked inside the top five in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Via NFL Rookie Watch:
Myles Murphy is reportedly a “name to watch” among NFL scouts as a prospect who could sneak into the top-5 by the time of the Draft.
Murphy has the frame to be successful in the NFL. At 6-5 with a 275-pound body, Murphy should be able to handle the physicality in the pros, but he's more than just about heft. His speed, quickness, and mobility for his size are qualities that would help him in either invading backfields or making stops when opposing teams run the ball.
Bryan Bresee, DT
Another reason for the success of Clemson's stop unit in 2022 is defensive tackle Bryan Bresee. In nine games for the Tigers this year, Bresee collected 2.5 sacks, 4.5 tackles for loss, and 14 total tackles. He is a mammoth presence on the defensive line of Clemson football and a key piece for the Tigers' stout defense, especially against the run. Clemson finished the regular season eighth in the nation with just 99.0 rushing yards allowed per game.
Opposing teams didn't run a lot versus the Tigers, knowing that it's hard to get past Clemson's ground defense fronted by the 300-pound Bresee, who also stands 6-5. There is still plenty of room for improvement for Bresee, but if he could realize further his potential in the NFL, he'd easily be commanding double teams and dealing with those with relative ease. With Clemson, he's already shown tremendous promise with his uncanny quickness for a man his size which helps him beat double teams before it even reaches him.
Todd McShay of ESPN is among the experts who believe that Bresee's talent will translate well in the NFL.
Defensive linemen J.J. Watt and Zach Allen are both free agents after this season, and Leki Fotu is set to follow after 2023. Bresee could help fill that need on a struggling defense. His numbers won't wow you, and he missed some time this season, but when he's 100 percent, Bresee is an incredibly talented run-stuffer with the length and bend to make a big impact and play a role as an interior pass-rusher. Cornerback (Penn State's Joey Porter Jr.) and edge rusher (Myles Murphy, Bresee's teammate at Clemson) could make sense, too.
Trenton Simpson, LB
The third-year Clemson linebacker is ready for the pros. Having already declared for the 2023 NFL Draft, Simpson knows he's ripe for the next level after posting a total of 13.0 sacks, and 165 combined tackles — including 23.0 tackles for losses — in his time with Clemson football. Simpson is a rangy linebacker standing at 6-3 with a 230-pound frame. His upper-body strength, explosiveness, and agility in space have been noted by NFL scouts and general managers, with one GM saying that Simpson is the complete package, per Matt Miller of ESPN.
“The Clemson defense was trash last year, but Simpson is that dude. He's going to crush the combine and should be the ACC DPOY. Hopefully they unleash him a little more this year because he can really do it all.”
K.J. Henry, DE
A senior, Henry feels confident that he's earned what it takes for him to be noticed by NFL scouts and general managers. While Murphy and Bresee are deemed as the top two guys on Clemson's powerful defensive line, Henry deserves to get noticed as well. In 13 games in 2022 for Clemson football, Henry accumulated 3.5 sacks to go with a career-high 9.0 tackles for loss.
The 6-4, 225-pound defensive end has an excellent 2022 overall grade of 83.7 at Pro Football Focus, which is nearly 20 points higher than his mark in 2021 and 2020. That also shows how much improvement he's made of late. He's not seen as a first-round talent, but he can be considered a sleeper in the 2023 NFL Draft.
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