The Clemson football program has two of the best defensive tackles in the country in Christian Wilkins and Dexter Lawrence. With their massive frames and sneaky athleticism, could either of the two play their way into Heisman trophy consideration?
Standing, 6-foot-4, 300 pounds and 6-foot-5, 340 pounds respectively, Wilkins and Lawrence are two of the most physically intimidating players in the country. To make matters worse they carry their weight frighteningly well.
In 2016, Wilkins and Lawrence combined for 110 total tackles, 22 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, 11 passes batted, 11 quarterback hurries and three blocked field goals. There is not a facet of the game that is free from the impact of Wilkins and Lawrence.
In his recent #DearAndy column, Andy Staples of SI.com was asked which non-quarterback’s had a chance at winning the Heisman in 2017. He listed Wilkins and Lawrence saying:
"Meanwhile, Clemson has two defensive linemen (Christian Wilkins and Dexter Lawrence) who aren’t like anyone else in the country. If the award really was for the most outstanding player in America, those two would be in the conversation."
Thoughts
The Heisman Trophy is supposed to go to the most outstanding player in America, however, over the years that has failed to happen. Every year, it seems that the Heisman is given to the best offensive player on the best team.
In the 81 year history of the trophy, just once has it been awarded to a defensive player (1997 Charles Woodson). There have been other defenders to come close, Ndamukong Suh finished 4th in the 2009 Heisman voting; and Manti Te’o finished as high as 2nd in the 2012 Heisman voting.
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For Wilkins and Lawrence to even be considered, they must have downright dominant seasons. This will be difficult considering they will be lined up right next to each other. While Clemson will benefit from having them both, their individual stats will suffer.
Suh was nearly unblock-able as a senior, leading Nebraska to the Big 12 Championship game versus Colt McCoy and Texas. More importantly, he was the most noteworthy player on that Cornhuskers defense. Say Clemson runs the table in 2017, it’s not clear how much of the attention would be given to either Wilkins or Lawrence, because of the star power all over this Tigers defense.
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For arguments sake, Wilkins has a better shot at winning the Heisman due to his versatility. Not only can he play anywhere along the defensive line, but, he is also a weapon on the offensive side of the ball. Wilkins is a reliable pass catcher and has carried the football on one occasion. He would need to dominate on defense and score a few touchdowns to gain any serious Heisman consideration this season.