Over the years, Clemson football has been very lucky and not had a lot of players leave early for the NFL draft.
However, there have been a few and most of them were selected very high in the draft. It is hard to fault a player for leaving early after they are selected in the first few rounds of the draft, from the business standpoint it made sense.
What if you could bring back a player that still had eligibility? Who would you bring back?
Don’t limit yourself to just the Dabo Swinney era either. There were several elite players throughout the 80s, 90s, and 00s that would still be able to play at Clemson if they were coming out of high school now.
That said, looking back through Clemson football history, here are five players that have at least one more year of eligibility that we would love to bring back one more time.
Let’s have some fun for a moment. Don’t take this too seriously. We understand that a couple of these guys are in their 40’s but it is okay to imagine being able to bring back some of the all-time greats for just a season.
5. Keith Adams
- Years at Clemson: 1998-2000
- NFL Draft: 2001 – Seventh Round – Tennessee Titans
- Eligibility Remaining: One season
If you have followed Clemson football during this century, you should know who Keith Adams is. When he left Clemson, he left with the ranked sixth all-time in tackles in program history with 379.
Adams was a finalist for the Butkus and Bednarik Awards in 2000. In 2000, he had 19 tackles for loss and finished with 54 for his three year Tiger career, which was third all-time in Clemson history, behind only Michael Dean and Williams Perry.
He as a two time All ACC selection and an All American selection in 2000.
Keith spent his NFL with the Titans, Cowboys, Eagles, and Dolphins. He helped the Eagles reach Super Bowl XXXIX where they lost to the New England Patriots.
- Years at Clemson: 2015-2018
- NFL Draft: 2019 – First Round – Oakland Raiders
- Eligibility Remaining: One season
Despite being at Clemson for four years, Clelin Ferrell still had one more year of eligibility after being forced to redshirt his freshman year due to a broken hand.
His last three seasons in a Clemson uniform were absolutely amazing.
He ended his Clemson football career with some staggering numbers.
- Sacks: 27
- Tackles for Loss: 50.5
- Tackles: 166
- Forced Fumbles: 3
As we all know, Clelin could have left after his RS sophomore year but instead elected to come back and join Christian Wilkins, Austin Bryant, and Dexter Lawrence for one more shot at a second national title. The foursome is known as the “Power Rangers” led what is the best defense in college football history.
Clelin Ferrell left Clemson with two national titles, a two-time All-American selection, a Consensus All-American, Hendricks Award winner, and a Clemson degree. He accomplished all of this and still had one year of eligibility remaining.
- Years at Clemson: 1993-1995
- NFL Draft: Second Round – Philadelphia Eagles
- Eligibility Remaining: One season
Brian Dawkins is one of the greatest football players to ever come through Clemson University. He is also the only one that is currently in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Dawkins is often overlooked when Clemson football fans start talking about the greatest player in school history, but he is in the conversation and he is near the top of the list.
During his time at Clemson, he was a 1995 All ACC selection as well as a Second Team All-American pick. He as selected to the Clemson football all-centennial team in 1996 and was voted into the Clemson athletic Hall of Fame in 2009.
The fact that he has not been added to the Ring of Honor is a travesty and when people are talking about statues to erect outside of Death Valley, he should be the first one built.
Looking at the 2020 Clemson football roster, there are a lot of talented players in the secondary, but to be able to add a player like him to the safety position would be a no brainer.
- Years at Clemson: 2011-2013
- NFL Draft: 2019 – First Round – Buffalo Bills
- Eligibility Remaining: One season
Yes, this is a strange one given how loaded the Tigers are at wide receiver. However, this was a choice because of how electric he was to watch.
Every time Tajh Boyd found Sammy Watkins, you felt like he was going to score. He had that second gear that looked so effortless, yet he was able to glide past everyone in his way. Looking back now, the pair of him and DeAndre Hopkins was unfair and would be better than anyone on the Clemson roster at that position today.
During his Clemson career, he helped the Tigers to the 2011 ACC title, was a two time All- American, two-time All ACC selection, ACC Rookie of the Year and left Clemson tied with Hopkins as the all-time leader in receiving touchdowns – a record now shared with Tee Higgins as well.
Watkins has played for three different teams during his NFL career – Bills, Rams, and Chiefs. While he has never lived up to his draft position or expectations of his skill due to injury, he was a major reason that the Chiefs were able to overcome a double-digit fourth-quarter deficit and win Super Bowl LIV in 2019.
- Years at Clemson: 2014-2016
- NFL Draft: 2019 – First Round – Houston Texans
- Eligibility Remaining: One season
Deshaun Watson should come as no surprise here.
Yes, Trevor Lawrence is a better talent and is a helluva football player and Clemson football faithful are lucky to have him but to be able to see Deshaun put on a Clemson uniform one more time would answer a lot of people’s prayers.
We knew watching him at the moment was special. We knew how transcendent he was and we knew he elevated Clemson football to a place that the fan base never thought we would get to.
Rewatching the 2016 national title game for the first time since I watched it live, made me realize that no matter how much credit we give Deshaun, it is not enough. On and off the field, he represented Clemson football, and the University as a whole, with nothing but grace and love.
For a player of his magnitude to end his college career without a Heisman Trophy is as insane as one could imagine.
There is no doubt that had Deshaun come back for his fourth year of eligibility in 2017, Clemson would have gone back to back.
It is great watching Deshaun play on Sundays and having fun doing what he loves, but to see him in a Clemson uniform one more time would be indescribable.