Clemson football has never produced a first-round NFL offensive line pick.
Depending on which 2021 NFL draft mock draft you look at, that could change in 2021 with Clemson football junior left tackle, Jackson Carman. While it is not a foregone conclusion he will leave at the end of his junior year, should quarterback Trevor Lawrence leave, his personal protector more than likely will as well.
The 2021 NFL draft class is going to be among the best ever when it comes to offensive tackles. There are nearly half a dozen college tackles that could be taken in the first round because the depth at this position in 2021 is insane.
This is where Trevor Lawrence’s success in 2020 is paramount to Jackson Carman and his draft dreams should he decide to come out.
2021 will feature the current Outland Trophy winner in Penei Sewell, Alex Leatherwood who by the time the 2020 season is completed will have started more than 40 straight games for Alabama and Tre Smith who has wowed Tennessee fans for a couple of years with his dominant play.
Players like Carman, Abraham Lucas (Washington State), Samuel Cosmi (Texas), Adrian Ealy (Oklahoma), Walker Little (Stanford), and Liam Eichenberg (Notre Dame) will more than likely join Sewell and Leatherwood in the first round.
Where Jackson Carman can separate himself is on tape.
Some of the nation’s best pass rushers will play in the ACC in 2020. Gregory Rousseau, Carlos Basham, Quincy Roche, Patrick Jones II, and Joshua Kaindoh all play in the ACC and Clemson will face most of them either in the regular season or in the ACC Championship game in December.
As a full-time starter in 2019 as a true sophomore, Jackson faced off against some of the best edge rushers in college football including first-round picks Chase Young and K’Lavon Chaisson and didn’t surrender a single sack to any of them.
According to Matthew Valdoninos at Profootballnetwork.com, Carman has huge upside –
"Carman is also an excellent athlete for his size, and from a height-weight standpoint, he rivals or potentially surpasses Sewell. However, Carman lacks the technical refinement and experience to rival Sewell at the top of the class. Regardless, Carman has a massive ceiling, and I expect all eyes to be on him as a result of blocking for the best quarterback prospect in years: Trevor Lawrence."
The 2020 season is an important one for Jackson Carman and one that could make his generationally wealthy if he continues to improve like he has his first two years suiting up for Clemson football.