Clemson Players to the NFL

[meh130 1,072]

Slew of Clemson starters declare for NFL Draft

All on defense:

Mackensie Alexander (CB, RS-SO)

Kevin Dodd (DE, RS-JR)

T.J. Green (S, JR)

Jayron Kearse (S, JR)

[AUTUmike 79]

And All-Allmerican Shaw Lawson is leaving.

With two great pass-rushing DEs and 3/4 of their secondary leaving, you have to think we will try to attack them often through the air.

[AuburnNTexas 7,606]

This was great news the only thing better would have been if Watson had gone also.

[lionheartkc 6,150]

And All-Allmerican Shaw Lawson is leaving.

With two great pass-rushing DEs and 3/4 of their secondary leaving, you have to think we will try to attack them often through the air.

Bodes well for a crop if incoming freshman 4 and 5-star receivers.

[AUwent 3,970]

This was great news the only thing better would have been if Watson had gone also.

He couldn't have gone if he wanted to. Maybe he'll leave next year.

[hutchids 268]

good we'll need it

[AU64 10,122]

As a general practice.... I kind of hate to see this kind of thing ....not from bama of course which has lots of depth but other pretty good programs like Clemson who suddenly lose their top players after a great season usually suffer from it. FSU had he same problem I recall.....and AU a couple times too.

But might make things easier for us in Sept since our better DL guys will be back.

[80Tiger 909]

As a general practice.... I kind of hate to see this kind of thing ....not from bama of course which has lots of depth but other pretty good programs like Clemson who suddenly lose their top players after a great season usually suffer from it. FSU had he same problem I recall.....and AU a couple times too.

But might make things easier for us in Sept since our better DL guys will be back.

It used to bother me, but I have really gone to the side of letting them go on if they do not think their draft status will improve if they stay. I think Peyton Barber and Carl Lawson are examples of each for us. PB may have topped out but CL has huge upside.

[AU64 10,122]

As a general practice.... I kind of hate to see this kind of thing ....not from bama of course which has lots of depth but other pretty good programs like Clemson who suddenly lose their top players after a great season usually suffer from it. FSU had he same problem I recall.....and AU a couple times too.

But might make things easier for us in Sept since our better DL guys will be back.

It used to bother me, but I have really gone to the side of letting them go on if they do not think their draft status will improve if they stay. I think Peyton Barber and Carl Lawson are examples of each for us. PB may have topped out but CL has huge upside.

Like you, it used to bother me a lot when a guy left early.. I've come around and generally the players should do what is best for themselves.

I'm just noting my opinion that the increased tendency for the better players to leave early hurts the quality of college football and the sustainability of many programs.

It's not as bad as basketball's one and done.....but we've seen a number of players who only had one really good / full college season before they are gone. Some schools can accept the unexpected loss of a few of their key players better than others. Coaches who recruit a handful of 4* and 5* linemen and think they are pretty set for the future can quickly end up short-handed when the guys go early. As has been discussed elsewhere, if Adams and Lawson were to have left for the draft after this year, our defensive prospects for the coming season would be hugely more doubtful.

As to whether Clemson can absorb the losses and be as solid on defense?.....I really doubt it. AU will be the first team to test my theory when we open the seasons against Clemson.

[aucanucktiger 2,009]

Time flies. Seems like last year we thought the Alexander brothers would come to AU as a package deal.