The 2024 NFL Draft will begin on Thursday at 8:00 PM from Detroit, Michigan. It will extend over three days before seven full rounds of players will be drafted. Click here for details on the event.
The Clemson Tigers are expected to have six players drafted, with an outside chance for a seventh to be drafted late. A couple more players will likely receive undrafted free-agent deals.
Nate Wiggins
Wiggins appears to be the consensus for the first Tiger to come off the board. He has a strong chance to go in the first round. He will go earlier than later on Day 2 if he is still available.
Projection: 2nd round to the Carolina Panthers – most Panther fans are drooling for a wide receiver with the first pick on Day 2, but they have a gaping hole at cornerback. If Wiggins or another highly-rated corner is available (like Kamari Lassiter), this is probably where the Panthers find their starter opposite Jaycee Horn. I’m calling it: the long drought with no Clemson picks ends Friday evening for the Carolina Panthers.
Ruke Orhorhoro
Orhorhoro is a great feel-good story as a 3-star guy who played his way to a much higher draft pick than anyone was expecting. He probably isn’t a Day 1 pick but should be off the board on Day 2.
Projection: 3rd round to the Cincinnati Bengals – Pick 80 feels like a solid placement for Orhorhoro, and the Bengals have been friendly to Clemson alums in the draft.
Jeremiah Trotter, Jr.
Trotter isn’t quite getting the love I anticipated from NFL Scouts, but he is still going to be a Day 2 guy, and my suspicion is a 3rd round pick. Given his father’s notoriety as a star player, his selection will be the subject of conversation. The Eagles have admitted they have a soft spot for the name Trotter, but I don’t think they will use a 2nd round pick on him, and they don’t have a 3rd round pick.
Projection: 3rd round to the Dallas Cowboys – would there be a more Jerry Jones-thing than to troll Eagles fans by drafting Trotter in the 3rd round before Philadelphia can get their hands on him?
Will Shipley
Shipley has a great personality that would be a solid addition to any locker room. While Tiger fans know he never quite materialized into the Swiss Army Knife we anticipated, he still has a lot of skills that could intrigue NFL teams, especially as a special teams player.
Projection: 4th round to the Green Bay Packers – he just feels like a guy who the Packers would employ and get the best out of. I expect he will be a much bigger contributor in the NFL passing game than in the run game.
Tyler Davis
Davis is a guy who stayed with the Tigers when he could have left earlier. While we love him in Tiger Nation, the reality is he probably would have been drafted higher had he left after 2021 or 2022. He is likely a Day 3 guy now.
Projection: 5th round to the Atlanta Falcons – this feels natural. The Falcons have found success with Clemson DTs in this range before, so why not go that route again?
Xavier Thomas
Like Davis, Thomas is a favorite of Clemson fans because he kept returning to help the team over and over again. Despite the expectations out of high school, Thomas has never been able to elevate his stock very high in the eyes of NFL scouts. He might be a late Day 3 pick but he could also be a guy that sticks to an NFL roster for years to come.
Projection: 6th round to the Pittsburgh Steelers – Pittsburgh has the second pick in the 6th round and by that time they are looking for fits in their system. Thomas is a guy who has the kind of profile that could work very well in their defense.
Sheridan Jones
I assumed that Jones would probably be an undrafted free agent, but lately, I have seen a couple of mocks that think he could be a seventh-round pick.
Projection: I think he is still most likely undrafted, but one possibility could be the Miami Dolphins in the 7th round.