TE Davis Allen becomes latest Clemson football pick in NFL Draft’s 5th round
The 2023 NFL Draft began Thursday. And, based on recent history, that meant a lot of orange and white was going to be flashing across the stage in Kansas City, Missouri.
It just took a little longer than expected.
Defensive end Myles Murphy became Clemson football’s first pick of the draft in the opening round, going No. 28 to the Cincinnati Bengals, and defensive tackle Bryan Bresee went one pick later to the New Orleans Saints at No. 29.
Linebacker Trenton Simpson was also drafted in Friday’s third round. A projected second-round pick, Simpson fell to the third, where the Baltimore Ravens took him at No. 86. That gave Clemson three top 100 draft selections for the sixth time in the last eight years.
Defensive end K.J. Henry (No. 137 to the Washington Commanders), offensive lineman Jordan McFadden (No. 156 to the Los Angeles Chargers) and tight end Davis Allen (No. 175 to the Los Angeles Rams) all joined the fun Saturday.
Thursday’s action made for a late accolade, but an accolade all the same: With the selections of Murphy and Bresee, Clemson has now produced at least two first-round picks in four of the last five NFL Drafts and eight times in program history.
This is also the first time in program history two Clemson players have been selected back to back in the first round. Defensive backs Chris Clemons and Michael Hamlin went back to back in the third round in 2009, and DB Marcus Gilchrist and defensive tackle Da’Quan Bowers went back to back in the second round in 2011.
All of Clemson’s draftees will be adding to the Clemson program’s 71 draft picks under coach Dabo Swinney — which, entering Thursday, ranked second among all coaches since 2009 behind Alabama’s Nick Saban (113).
With the selections of Henry and McFadden, Clemson has also produced five or more NFL Draft picks for the fourth time in five years and the eighth time in 10 years. Entering the weekend, only Alabama and Ohio State had more drafts with five-plus players selected (nine) than Clemson (seven) since 2014. (Florida and LSU also have seven apiece.)
Cincinnati Bengals pick DE Myles Murphy
The Cincinnati Bengals drafted Murphy No. 28 overall in the first round of the draft Thursday. He’s the first player from the Tigers’ 2022 team, which went 11-3 and won the ACC championship, to be drafted into the pros.
Murphy is the first Clemson player to be drafted by the Bengals since offensive tackle Jackson Carman in 2021 (Round 2, Pick 46). The Bengals also drafted former Tigers wide receiver Tee Higgins in 2020 (Round 2, Pick 33).
His selection also helped Clemson narrowly avoid (by three picks) getting shut out of the NFL Draft first round for a second consecutive seasons. The Tigers’ highest draft pick last year was cornerback Andrew Booth, who went in the second round (No. 42 overall) to the Minnesota Vikings.
Murphy, listed at 6-foot-5 and 268 pounds, was one of only two Power Five players in the country to record at least 35 tackles for loss and six forced fumbles from 2020-22. The former top five national recruit finished his Clemson career with 17.5 sacks in 38 games.
Murphy also tied for the team lead with 6.5 sacks in 2022 and was a first-team all-conference selection before opting out of Clemson’s Orange Bowl loss to Tennessee. He impressed with a 4.51-second 40-yard dash at a private workout – he didn’t participate in the NFL combine due to a hamstring injury – and entered Thursday projected as a mid-to-late first rounder.
He’s the first defensive lineman the Bengals have drafted in the first round since 2001, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
New Orleans Saints pick DT Bryan Bresee
The New Orleans Saints made it back-to-back Clemson selections by selecting defensive tackle Bryan Bresee at No. 29 overall.
Bresee is the first Clemson player to be drafted by the Saints since linebacker Stephone Anthony in 2015 (Round 1, Pick 31). His selection helped the Tigers hit a major accolade: two first-round draft picks for only the eighth time in program history (previously 1979, 1982, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020 and 2021).
Listed at 6-5 1/2 and 298 pounds, Bresee arrived at Clemson as a former No. 1 overall recruit and promptly won ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2020 for a College Football Playoff qualifier.
He had 15.0 tackles for loss and 9.0 sacks in 26 career games (21 starts) for Clemson and was a third team All-ACC pick in 2021 despite playing in just four games before a torn ACL. Bresee missed four of Clemson’s 13 games in 2022 amid injuries and the tragic death of his younger sister, Ella, due to brain cancer.
Entering Thursday, mock drafts mostly projected Bresee as an early second-round pick. The consensus among analysts: If healthy, he could very well have his best football ahead of him.
Bresee is New Orleans’ first first-round defensive lineman since Sheldon Rankins in 2016. With his selection, Clemson’s had five defensive linemen drafted in the first round since 2019, which is the most in the country, according to the ACC Network.
Baltimore Ravens pick LB Trenton Simpson
A third Clemson player is off the board as the Baltimore Ravens have selected linebacker Trenton Simpson with the No. 86 overall pick in the third round of the draft Friday.
He’s the first Clemson draft pick in Ravens history, which leaves the Carolina Panthers as the only active NFL franchise to never draft a Clemson player despite playing less than 150 miles from campus — and playing their inaugural home season at Memorial Stadium.
Simpson, who ranked as the country’s No. 1 outside linebacker coming out of Mallard Creek High School in Charlotte, started 24 of his past 25 games for Clemson after a strong freshman campaign.
He had 78 tackles as a sophomore and 77 as a junior while compiling 22.5 career tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks. Simpson also had three forced fumbles and five pass deflections (but no interceptions) as a Tiger.
Simpson predominantly played the “SAM” strongside linebacker spot for Clemson, his likely NFL position, but also spent time at “WILL” weakside linebacker as a junior. Entering the draft, he was viewed as solid but not elite prospect with mostly Round 2 projections despite running a 4.43-second 40-yard dash.
Coach Dabo Swinney, in a school release, described Simpson as “the freak of the draft.”
“Like Myles Murphy and Bryan Bresee, he’s an early entrant into the draft, and so they’re elite talents but they’re still in the progression of becoming what they are going to be, and Trenton is no different,” Swinney said. “He’s a guy that is still developing as a box player, but he’s elite in space. He’s elite coming off the edge. He can cover. He is a physical tackler. There’s just so much you can do with Trenton Simpson and I think his best football is in front of him.“
Clemson’s next tier of draft prospects behind Murphy, Bresee and Simpson centers around three players: tight end Davis Allen, defensive end K.J. Henry and offensive lineman Jordan McFadden, all of whom will be hoping for Day 3 selections. Wide receiver Joseph Ngata and kicker B.T. Potter are also draft eligible.
Washington Commanders pick DE KJ Henry
The Washington Commanders kicked off Day 3 for Clemson by selecting defensive end K.J. Henry in the fifth round (No. 137 overall).
Henry is Washington’s first Clemson draftee since cornerback Bashaud Breeland in 2014 and eighth all-time Clemson draftee.
Henry may have been Clemson’s most improved player in 2022 as a fifth-year senior, earning third-team All America honors from Pro Football Focus and second-team All ACC honors.
Henry (6-4, 251 pounds) recorded 24 quarterback pressures, the most by a Clemson player since Clelin Ferrell in 2016, as well as 9.0 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks in his first year as a regular starter. He wound up playing in 58 career games, the most ever by a Clemson defensive end, and entered the weekend trending as a late round depth selection.
“Five years in this program and he has truly transformed himself as a player,” Swinney said in a release. “He’s long, he’s athletic, he’s really strong. He’s got a lot of diversity to his game. He can play multiple positions. He really understands the game, and I’m just really proud of him.”
Los Angeles Chargers pick OL Jordan McFadden
Offensive lineman Jordan McFadden became Clemson’s fifth 2023 draftee Saturday when the Los Angeles Chargers picked him in the fifth round (No. 156 overall).
He is the Chargers’ first Clemson draftee since wide receiver Mike Williams in 2017 and 10th all-time Clemson draftee.
McFadden came to Clemson as a three-star recruit and left as the winner of the ACC’s Jacobs Trophy, presented to the league’s top blocking offensive lineman. He started all 14 games at left tackle in 2022 and was a first-team All ACC pick while playing the fourth-most single-season snaps ever by a Clemson O-lineman (989).
McFadden, who played in state at Spartanburg’s Dorman High School, also played right tackle earlier in his Clemson career but will transition to playing center or more likely guard as a pro due to his size (6-2, 305 pounds). Most mock drafts had him as a fifth or sixth round selection.
Clemson’s top remaining draft prospect is tight end Davis Allen, who finished his four-year career tied for second in school history with 12 touchdown catches. Mock drafters were unanimous in projecting him to go somewhere in the fourth or fifth round Saturday.
“He can really, really run,” Swinney said in a release. “He’s incredibly strong. He’s got good length to him; he’s not a 6-5 guy, but he plays that way. A captain, just one of the best young people you could ever meet. He’s been a pro as far as his approach for a long, long time.”
Los Angeles Rams pick TE Davis Allen
The Los Angeles Rams made it three Clemson players Saturday by drafting tight end Davis Allen at No. 175 overall in the fifth round. He is the team’s first Clemson draft pick since tackle Tremayne Anchrum in 2020.
Allen’s selection gives Clemson six 2023 draftees, the most the Tigers have had in a single draft since 2020 (seven). It’s also triple last year’s output, when only two players (cornerback Andrew Booth and linebacker Baylon Spector) were selected across the draft’s seven rounds.
Allen caught 12 touchdowns at Clemson, which tied three others for the second most by a tight end in program history. He’s an athletic, jump-ball receiver who set career highs with 39 catches and 443 yards in 2022.
Allen (6-6, 245 pounds) was also considered a solid blocker and played special teams throughout his Clemson career. Mock drafters were unanimous in projecting him to go somewhere in the fourth or fifth round Saturday.
“He’s one of those guys that when he’s covered, he’s still open,” Swinney said in a release. “Unbelievable ball skills and collision balance, a great finisher on the ball. He also brings a lot of special teams value. I think he’s a guy that helps the Rams the day he gets there.”
How to watch the 2023 NFL Draft
- What: 2023 NFL Draft
- When: Friday, Saturday
- Where: Kansas City, Missouri
- Rounds 2-3: Friday at 7 p.m. ET (ESPN, ABC, ESPN App, ESPN Radio, ESPN Deportes, NFL Network)
- Rounds 4-7: Saturday, April 29, at noon ET (ESPN with ABC simulcast, ESPN App, ESPN Radio, ESPN Deportes, NFL Network)
This story was originally published April 27, 2023 at 11:29 PM with the headline "TE Davis Allen becomes latest Clemson football pick in NFL Draft’s 5th round."
