Five Clemson football players who have a chance to be Ring of Honor inductees
The Clemson football program, under the leadership of Dabo Swinney, has seen its fair share of talent come through over the past decade.
The Tigers have put numerous draft picks into the NFL and have seen more All-American honors in this decade than any other time.
As we look back at some of the Clemson football players who have come through the program- both past and present- here are five Tigers who have a chance to be inducted into the Ring of Honor.
The Ring of Honor is the highest honor bestowed on a Clemson athlete. For a player to be inducted into the Ring of Honor, they have to graduate from Clemson, have been an outstanding athlete on-the-field and made a major impact for their respective program off-the-field, as well. Clemson football players who are inducted into the Ring of Honor have their name posted in Death Valley.
5. Tajh Boyd
Was Tajh Boyd the best quarterback to come through program? No. But statistically speaking, he holds about every record you could have.
Boyd didn’t win a National Championship and he never beat in-state rival South Carolina, but he was still instrumental in a way that possibly no other player was for taking this program to the next level.
Boyd is still the career-leader in passing yards, passing touchdowns and total offense for Clemson football and he was named an All-American twice. Boyd helped guide the Tigers to their first ACC Championship in more than two decades and was instrumental in several big wins, including the Chick-fil-A Bowl win over LSU and the Orange Bowl victory over Ohio State- the Tigers’ first and only BCS Bowl win.
4. Travis Etienne
Travis Etienne is the first current Clemson football player to make this list and it’s easy to see why he could be bestowed with this honor one day.
In just three seasons, Etienne already broke the all-time rushing record for Clemson football and has won back-to-back ACC Player of the Year honors.
All of that would have been impressive enough, but then he decided to come back. Etienne will now graduate from Clemson before pursuing his dream of playing professional football and will have an opportunity to absolute obliterate records while potentially playing in his third-straight National Championship game.
3. Trevor Lawrence
Trevor Lawrence became just the second full-time true-freshman quarterback to lead his team to a National Championship and then he followed that up with a 14-1 season that included another National Championship appearance.
There’s still a lot for Lawrence to accomplish as he heads into his third- and presumably final- season with the Tigers, but he has plenty of time to set some records of his own and to become the winningest quarterback in Clemson football history.
Lawrence is a favorite to win the Heisman Trophy and could leave Clemson as one of the greatest to ever play the position.
2. C.J. Spiller
Honestly, there’s no way in the world that C.J. Spiller doesn’t end up in the Ring of Honor.
Spiller was recently named the headliner for the 2020 Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame inductee class and it’s only a matter of time before we see him in the Ring of Honor.
Spiller was instrumental in helping build the Clemson program and he stuck around even when times were tough.
Spiller left Clemson as arguably the best running back in program history and has meant more than many will ever understand in terms of putting the Tigers on the map.
1. Deshaun Watson
If you don’t think the jersey No. 4 isn’t going to be retired twice- once for Steve Fuller in the past and once for Deshaun Watson in the future- you’re sadly mistaken.
Deshaun Watson led Clemson to two National Championship appearances and the Tigers’ first National Title in more than 30 years.
Watson was unlike any other quarterback to come through Clemson and he was able to accomplish so much in just three short years- including earning his degree.
Watson won’t be inducted into the Ring of Honor until after his professional football career comes to an end, but there’s no doubt that his name will deservedly be up in Death Valley before it’s all said and done.
What do you think, Clemson football fans? Comment below with who the most likely Ring of Honor inductees will be from your perspective.