The 35 greatest Clemson football players of the Dabo Swinney era
The Clemson football program has absolutely exploded when it comes to talent under the leadership, guidance and direction of Dabo Swinney.
When Swinney took over the program in 2008, Clemson football had not won an ACC Championship in nearly 20 years.
Fast-forward a little more than a decade later and the Tigers have now won six ACC Championships, two National Titles and have made five-straight CFB Playoff appearances.
As we look back at the era of Clemson football to this point, here are the 35 greatest Tigers to play under Dabo Swinney.
35. Jacoby Ford
Jacoby Ford played just one half season and one full season with Swinney as the head coach, but there’s no doubt that he made an impact during that time.
Ford was a major play-maker on the offense and, in many ways, was a catalyst for helping the Tigers move the ball when there weren’t many other play-makers on the field. Really, there was only one and we’ll get to him later.
Ford may very well be the fastest Clemson football player of all-time and he used that elite track speed to break away from defenders and leave them in the dust.
He finished his career with 143 receptions for 1,986 yards (13.9 YPC) and 18 total touchdowns.
34. Cordrea Tankersley
Over 55 games and 30 starts for Clemson football, Tankersley had 119 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 20 passes broken up and nine interceptions.
During his final season with the Tigers, Tankersley was instrumental in becoming a catalyst for the Tigers to win a National Championship. He was named a a seminifalist for the Jim Thorpe Award- which is given to the best defensive back in the nation- and was named a First-Team All-American.
Tankersley continued to develop over the course of his career and the result was a lockdown cornerback with the skills and ability to play at the next level.
33. Dorian O’Daniel
Dorian O’Daniel consistently developed over the course of his career and the result was an absolute monster senior season.
O’Daniel took over a starting linebacker position during his junior season, when he totaled 54 tackles and 10 tackles for loss.
O’Daniel followed that up by becoming the versatile player on the defense in 2017, leading the Tigers with 88 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, five sacks and two interceptions. He was named to the All-ACC team and was a finalist for the Butkus Award (given to the nation’s best linebacker).
32. Dalton Freeman
Dalton Freeman is probably the most consistent and dependable center in Clemson football history.
Freeman took over as the starter during his freshman season and had 44 knockdowns, earning a freshman All-American bid.
Freeman would go on to earn All-American honors in each of his last two seasons (junior and senior year) and be a first-team All-ACC selection in both of those seasons. He was a finalist for the Rimington Trophy (given to the nation’s best center) in both his junior and senior seasons and finished his Clemson football career with 3,361 snaps and 171 knockdowns in 53 games and 49 starts.
31. Andre Branch
Andre Branch didn’t come out blow Clemson football fans away with his talent from the get-go, but he finished with an extremely sold and noteworthy career.
Branch finished with 197 total tackles, 33.5 tackles for loss and 17.5 sacks.
He was named a third-team All-American and a first-team All-ACC player during the 2011 season when he led the conference in sacks.
30. Dwayne Allen
Dwayne Allen may be the most complete tight end in Clemson football history.
He was an All-American in 2011 and finished that season 598 yards and eight touchdowns.
The Tigers could count on Allen to block at a high level and open up holes for the running game, as well as run routes and open up the middle of the field. He was, without a doubt, the epitome of what you look for in a tight end.
Though many forget about Allen, there’s no doubt he made a major impact on the program.
29. Jordan Leggett
Sticking with tight ends, the next to make our list is Jordan Leggett.
It took Leggett a little longer to commit to becoming a great blocker, but there’s no doubt that he was a valuable asset to Clemson offense during his time with the Tigers, in particularly during that 2016 season that resulted in the National Championship.
While we all remember Watson-to-Renfrow for the win, what we forget is the absolute acrobatic that Leggett made on that same drive to keep the chains moving. Without that play, who knows what ends up happening in the end?
28. Mitch Hyatt
Mitch Hyatt’s consistency and dependability from the left tackle position is something that cannot be understated.
Hyatt finished his Clemson football career as the all-time snap leader in Tiger history and what he was able to accomplish is uncanny.
Hyatt didn’t get the job done with a ton of pancakes and impressive strength that made NFL scouts drool. Instead, he had impressive technique and quietly shut his opponent down.
Hyatt was given many tough tasks during his career and he excelled basically every single time, earning multiple All-American honors along the way.
27. James Davis
James Davis only played for Dabo Swinney during that 2008 season where Swinney was the interim and that’s why he’s not higher, but the legacy and accomplishments of Davis can’t be forgotten.
Davis was the first big-time recruit to choose Clemson in quite a while and he really paved the way for several other talented prospects to choose the Tigers later down the road, as a result.
Davis, who was nicknamed ‘Thunder’ in the ‘Thunder and Lightning’ running back duo, finished his career with 3,881 yards and 47 touchdowns. He was a first-team All-ACC player in 2006 and 2007, and was named the ACC Rookie of the Year in 2005.
26. John Simpson
John Simpson is the next to make our list and he’s the highest-rated offensive lineman.
Simpson was a dominant interior guard during his Clemson football career and that resulted in him being the first Tiger offensive lineman drafted since Brandon Thomas in this previous draft.
Simpson was a consensus All-American during his final season and played 2,047 snaps over 50 games and 29 starts for the Tigers.
He served as a leader on the offense and even became the first offensive lineman since 2011 to score a touchdown for the Tigers in a win versus NC State.
25. Artavis Scott
Artavis Scott is easily one of the most underrated Clemson wide receivers of all-time.
Though Scott was a talented play-maker, many of his accomplishments seemingly go by the wayside. Scott made an immediate impact as a freshman for Clemson football and had a big-time performance against in-state rival South Carolina- where he made six catches for 164 yards and two touchdowns- to end the streak of five-straight losses to the Gamecocks.
Scott was a part of the team that won the National Championship during his junior season and he decided to forgo his senior year to enter the 2017 NFL Draft.
He finished his Clemson football career with 245 receptions for 2,480 yards and 20 total touchdowns.
24. Trayvon Mullen
Trayvon Mullen only played three seasons with the Tigers, but he accomplished quite a bit during that span.
Mullen totaled 94 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, four interceptions and 12 pass breakups during his career and was named a second-team All-American in 2018.
Mullen’s final game saw him earn Defensive MVP Honors in the Tigers’ 44-16 win over the Alabama Crimson Tide in the National Championship.
Mullen was a lockdown cornerback who could be relied upon to get the job done on an island. His special coverage ability is something that many may forget, but there’s no question he made a major impact on the outside for that defense.
23. Grady Jarrett
There is only one word to describe Grady Jarrett and it’s pretty simple: Motor.
Jarrett simply never stopped. He continued to develop throughout his Clemson football career and has turned that never-ending motor into a successful NFL career, as well.
Jarrett recorded 73 tackles and 1.5 sacks during his senior season and was named a first-team All-ACC player. What Jarrett was able to do for that Clemson defense goes far beyond his stat sheet and Tiger fans will never forget his leadership and work ethic.
22. Stephone Anthony
Stephone Anthony was one of the most physically talented and skilled linebackers to play in the Dabo Swinney era.
Anthony took a little bit of time to develop, but the result had him leave the program as one of the top linebackers in the nation.
Anthony was a vocal leader and the anchor of the Clemson defense during the 2013 and 2014 seasons. He solidified the middle of the defense and finished his career with a total of 254 tackles.
21. Dexter Lawrence
Dexter Lawrence may not have absolutely torn up the stat sheet, but there’s no denying his greatness and what he meant to the Tiger defense.
As a freshman, Lawrence recorded 62 total tackles and had 6.5 sacks, earning himself ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.
Though Lawrence never produced the same stats during his next two seasons, he was still an intricate part on anchoring the interior of the defensive line and becoming an elite run-stuffer.
He finished his career as a three-time All-ACC player and a USA Today All-American in 2015.
20. Tee Higgins
Tee Higgins silently became one of the all-time receiving leaders in Clemson history without may even taking notice.
Higgins produced 936 yards receiving and 12 touchdowns during his sophomore season and then followed that up with 1,167 yards receiving and 13 touchdowns during his junior year before electing to enter the 2020 NFL Draft.
Higgins will forever be known for his ability to highpoint the football and win one-on-one matchups against defensive backs.
He was one of the top targets throughout his final two seasons with the Tigers and it’s easy to see why when you look at the production.
19. Mackensie Alexander
Mackensie Alexander never recorded a single interception during his Clemson football career and yet, he left as one of the top cornerbacks to ever play in the program.
What Alexander was able to do is something that simply can’t be matched.
He took on every opposing team’s leading receiver and completely shut them down. He was on an island all game long and opposing quarterbacks didn’t even try to throw his way. Alexander’s pure lockdown ability and physical nature were unlike anything we had seen before.
Though he only had the opportunity to play two seasons with the Tigers, Alexander made an impact that was certainly felt in the defensive backfield.
18. Wayne Gallman
Wayne Gallman doesn’t get near enough credit for being the ‘every down back’ who could get hard yardage when the Tigers needed it most.
With Gallman, it’s tough to see Clemson winning the National Championship in 2016 because even though his stats weren’t all that great, he got some hard yardage that kept Alabama’s defense on the field and eventually wore them down.
Gallman was able to do things of that nature throughout his tenure with the Tigers.
He finished up his career with 675 carries for 3,416 yards (5.1 YPC) and 34 touchdowns.
17. Shaq Lawson
As we see with many defensive ends, Shaq Lawson was a bit quiet during his freshman and sophomore seasons. Those two years he saw a combined 64 tackles and 7.5 sacks, but what everyone will remember is his dominant junior season.
Lawson finished his junior campaign with 59 tackles, 24.5 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks.
That performance was good enough for him to be named a Lombardi Award finalist and an All-American.
Lawson’s motor and athleticism were unmatched during that junior season and he was able to become a major impact edge-rusher for the Tigers.
16. Ben Boulware
"“35 years. Clemson, y’all been waiting 35 long years. It’s finally coming! It’s coming home baby!”"
That was Ben Boulware’s epic and unforgettable line following the 35-31 victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2017 National Championship game that saw him named the Defensive MVP for the Tigers.
Boulware wasn’t the most athletic or physically-gifted linebacker to ever play the game, but he checks in so highly on this list because of the leadership he provided and that ‘never give up’ mentality that he played with every single play.
Boulware was constantly in on plays that resulted in key stops (see the 2015 two-point conversion stop against Notre Dame for example) and he always seemed to be in the right place when it mattered most. Boulware had some issues in coverage, no doubt, but he made up for what he lost with heart and determination.
15. Da’Quan Bowers
Though Da’Quan Bowers was highly touted coming out of high school, many were beginning to doubt his ability following his sophomore season when he had yielded just four total sacks in his fiirst two years on campus, much of it due to injury.
That all changed after his junior season, though.
Bowers absolutely exploded and was dominant during that 2010 campaign that saw him post 67 total tackles, 26 tackles for loss and 15.5 sacks. That performance earned him the honors of being named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and he was given the Bronko Nagurski Trophy.
14. Mike Williams
You don’t win a National Championship in 2016 if it’s not for Mike Williams.
Williams was absolutely dominant during that season playing the ‘boundary’ role in the offense and he finished the year with an impressive 98 receptions for 1,361 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Williams was Deshaun Watson’s favorite target during that year and he was able to make some plays on the outside that really turned that Tiger offense into a dangerous threat. The other thing Williams was able to do was be physical. He wasn’t afraid when it came time to face those Alabama defensive backs. Instead, he took the physicality to them and that made all the difference.
Williams finished his Clemson football career with 177 receptions for 2,272 yards and 21 touchdowns, and that was with him missing his junior season due to a neck injury. Had he not had the injury, Williams is likely the all-time receiving leader in Tiger history.
13. Clelin Ferrell
Though Clelin Ferrell wasn’t the most dominant defensive end we’ve ever seen, there’s no doubt that he made a major mark on the Clemson football program.
Ferrell was a three-year starter and totaled 166 tackles, 50 tackles for loss and 27 snaps during his career. He made a major impact on two National Championship teams and he gets extra points for choosing to return to school following the 2017 season rather than moving onto the NFL when he easily could have.
Ferrell is the only the second two-time, first-team AP All-American in program history and he made is currently tied for fourth all-time in sacks.
In addition to the accolades he racked up during those three seasons, Ferrell became tied for the highest-drafted player in Clemson history when he went No. 4 overall, joining an elite group that includes only Banks McFadden, Gaines Adams and Sammy Watkins.
12. Hunter Renfrow
Hunter Renfrow may not have been the most athletically-gifted wide receiver on the team, but he made major impacts when they mattered most.
None bigger than when he made the single-biggest catch in Clemson football history.
Renfrow, the man who scored the game-winning touchdown against Alabama in the 2017 National Championship, will forever be remembered for his elite ability to come down with catches in traffic and as a safety blanket on third down for three separate quarterbacks during his career.
11. DeAndre McDaniel
DeAndre McDaniel may not have been able to win a National Championship or a conference title during his playing days, but he still made a major impact on the Clemson football program- and still is doing just that today.
McDaniel, in my opinion, was the best safety to ever play in the Dabo Swinney era and one of the best all-time.
In his career, McDaniel totaled 275 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 15 interceptions.
He was named an All-American in both 2009 and 2010- both years that Swinney was the Head Coach- and left the Tiger program as one of the most-decorated defensive backs in the school’s history.
10. Vic Beasley
Vic Beasley may be the most explosive edge-rusher in the history of Clemson football.
He is one of only two Tigers in the program history to be a consensus two-time All-American and finished his career as the all-time program leader in sacks with 33 and fourth in tackles for loss with 52.5.
Beasley was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2014 and was eventually the No. 8 overall draft pick in the 2015 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons.
9. Isaiah Simmons
The most versatile and single-dominant defender of the Dabo Swinney era is Isaiah Simmons and no one can really arugue otherwise.
Simmons lined up all over the field- from interior cornerback to linebacker to nickelback to safety to defensive end- and excelled every time.
During the 2019 season, Brent Venables built his defense around Simmons and the result was nothing short of spectacular.
Simmons finished his career with 253 tackles, 28.5 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, four interceptions and five forced fumbles. He won the Butkus Award in 2019, becoming the program’s first ever recipient of the award, and became the sixth unanimous All-American in Clemson football history.
8. Christian Wilkins
Christian Wilkins will always be remembered for the legacy he left as a Clemson Tiger.
Wilkins was a part of the 2016 National Championship team and seemed to be a consensus first-round pick following the 2017 season that saw the Tiger lose to Alabama in the CFB Playoff semifinals. Despite the fact that he had already earned his Bachelors degree in three years and could’ve easily been drafted highly, Wilkins elected to return for one more run.
The result? Clemson won the National Championship and Wilkins earned his Masters.
The defensive lineman finished his career with 250 tackles, 41 tackles for loss and 16 sacks to go along with being named an All-American three times, as well as a unanimous All-American in 2018.
7. Deandre Hopkins
DeAndre ‘Nuk’ Hopkins was one of the most reliable and best play-making receivers of the Dabo Swinney era. Some may argue he was the top.
Hopkins caught 206 passes for 3,020 yards and 27 touchdowns during his career. That yardage number is good enough for second all-time in school history and he’s tied for first in career receiving touchdowns.
During his final season (junior year), Nuk caught 82 passes for 1,405 yards and 18 touchdowns. He will forever be remembered for his final game when he posted 13 receptions for 191 yards and two touchdowns, including the catch on 4th and 16 that kept the Tigers’ game-winning drive alive.
6. Tajh Boyd
Remember that 4th-and-16 play that we were just talking about? Well, it would’ve never happened with the leadership and toughness of Tajh Boyd.
Boyd sometimes get overlooked because of the elite-level quarterback as of late in the program, but there’s no doubt that he started it all.
Boyd is the all-time passing leader in Clemson football history with 11,904 passing yards and 107 touchdowns and he was instrumental in helping the program take the next step. Boyd led the Tigers to several marquee victories, including wins over LSU , Ohio State and Georgia.
5. Sammy Watkins
Sammy Watkins is considered by many to be the most explosive play-maker in program history, and there’s certainly a good argument to be made for that.
Watkins exploded onto the scene during his freshman season, helping vault the Tigers to wins over Auburn and- especially- against Florida State in back-to-back weeks.
He would go on to become the Tigers’ all-time receiving leader with 3,391 yards in just three seasons.
Watkins was a three-time All-American and was the first freshman in ACC history to be named a first-team All-American.
4. Travis Etienne
Travis Etienne is the first current Clemson football player to be put on this list, but there’s no doubt that it was well-earned. As a matter of fact, some may argue that he deserves to be as high as No. 2 on this list.
Etienne is already the all-time rushing leader in Clemson history, despite the fact that he has only played three seasons and still has one more year to go. Etienne is also currently the all-time leader in yards per carry and he leads the ACC in touchdowns.
There’s really no conference record that Etienne won’t break before it’s all said and done, and speaking of the conference: He’s been named the ACC Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons.
Etienne has an opportunity to etch his name in the history books in more way than one and there’s no doubt that he deserves to be highly regarded on this list.
3. Trevor Lawrence
Trevor Lawrence is the next and final current Clemson football player to make the list and he comes in at No. 3. Some would argue him at No. 2 and others would argue him a little further back on the list, but nevertheless Lawrence deserves to be on the list.
The one thing that sets him apart in his first two seasons? Winning.
No quarterback has been able to do what Lawrence has done in his first two seasons. As he enters his junior season, Lawrence has already won a National Championship (as a freshman when he was the Offensive MVP) and made another National Title appearance.
His stats are on pace to finish among the top in school history and he has an opportunity to do some special things with one final season in which he could potentially put himself in contention for the spot of ‘greatest of all time.’
2. C.J. Spiller
C.J. Spiller is the cog that started it all.
Spiller was a 5-star freshman who chose to come to Clemson over his in-state school Florida. Though there was always some push for him to return home, Spiller remained committed to the program and finished his career with quite the set of accomplishments.
Spiller finished his career with 3,547 yards (good enough for fourth all-time in school history) and he absolutely carried the Tigers for the better part of his time in the program.
Spiller’s number was retired following his final season with the Tiger and he still remains one of the most historically-great running backs, not only in Clemson history, but in College Football history. He is a guaranteed future member of the Clemson Ring of Honor, as well as the College Football Hall of Fame, and there’s no doubt that Spiller left a major mark that will be hard to be surpassed.
1. Deshaun Watson
Topping off our list is none other than the “GOAT.”
Deshaun Watson played just three seasons with the Tigers, but he absolutely left a mark that will forever be remembered by Clemson football fans.
Watson led the Tigers to two National Championship appearances and the program’s first National Title in more than 30 years in his final game.
Watson finished his career with 10,163 yards passing (second in program history) and 90 touchdowns. He holds the season record for passing yards in a season (4,593 yards) and the No. 2 spot, as well (4,104).
Watson’s accomplishments will never be forgotten and there’s little argument that anyone other than him should deserve this top spot.
Toughest Omissions
There are several names throughout Dabo Swinney’s tenure that one could argue deserved to make this list.
These are a few of the toughest omissions:
- Andre Ellington
- Eric Mac Lain
- Thomas Austin
- Jayron Kearse
- Carlos Watkins
- Bashaud Breeland
- Tanner Muse
- Justyn Ross
The talent in this program has been rich and it seems like it’s only getting richer. It will be interesting to see what happens over the next few years and just how far Dabo Swinney can take the Tigers during this incredible run.
Rubbing the Rock is Clemson-centered website that covers all things orange & purple as part of the FanSided network.