Clemson has several players that will be drafted I this months NFL Draft. What are potential landing spots? What will make each prospect rise or fall in the draft? Below, the top Clemson prospects are broken down.
WR DeAndre Hopkins-Hopkins will easily be the 1st Tiger draft this year. Nuk has very good hands, runs perfect routes, and can get open easily. He high points the ball and has good control when catching in traffic. He has the smarts that any team would love. The only thing he lacks is high end speed although he is fast enough and his height might deter some. Hopkins has had private workouts with Carolina, New England, and Dallas. Other potential landing spots are Houston, Baltimore, Oakland, St. Louis, the New York Jets. He could go to the Texans or Patriots in round 1 and shouldn't slide past the Panthers in the middle if round 2.
RB Andre Ellington-Ellington has the speed and big play ability that will entice most teams. He has good balance and is a good pass blocker. Ellington lacks good size and power and has bus a health concern after dealing with hamstring problems. He could be on of the 1st 5 backs taken. In the 3rd or 4th round he should have his name called but with the injury concerns he could fall to the 5th. If he doesn't have any setbacks in his private workouts he shouldn't fall far. He has had workouts with New England and Miami. Look for one of those 2 to take him in the 3rd or 4th round. Other teams he could wind up with are the Jets, Colts, Packers, Bengals, Giants, and Steelers.
DE Malliciah Goodman-Goodman is the ideal body type for NFL defensive ends. He possess good speed and arm length to shed blockers. He's not a good run stopper, doesn't have the best hand techniques, and often had a slow reaction when the ball was snapped. If he shows he is more than a situational pass rusher he could improve his draft status. Atlanta and Pittsburg have shown interest in Goodman. Other teams that would be likely destinations include Tampa Bay, Detroit, New Orleans, New England, and Philadelphia. Goodman will likely be drafted between rounds 4 and 6.
WR Jarone Brown-Of all the players that participated in Clemson's pro day, Brown helped himself the most. He posted a surprising 4.40 40 time and made some tough catches. His workout impressed NFL scouts and has likely taken him from being an undrafted free agent to a late round pick. Brown has a visit planned with Cincinatti so they could use a late round pick in him. The New York Giants could draft him in the alter rounds as he would be a good replacement for Dominic Hixon. Oakland, San Deigo, St. Louis, New England and Baltimore are all teams that could draft him in the 6th or 7th round.
C Dalton Freeman-Freeman entered his pro day with a chip on his shoulder after not being invited to the NFL Combine. He wasn't invited mostly do to his size which he has added weight since the season ended. He lacks the frame most NFL teams look for in an offensive lineman. With added weight and showing off his athleticism he could sneak into the final round of the draft. New England, Kansas City, and Atlanta have shown interest in Freeman. Teams like Jacksonville, Indianapolis, Arizona, and Dallas also have needs at offensive line depth. Should he go undrafted it won't be long before he signs as an undrafted free agent.
The Rest-Safety Rashad Hall and TE Brandon Ford are the most likely to be drafted late of the remaining Tigers. Hall could be a 7th round pick as he has a lot of experience at different positions in the defensive backfield. Ford has good size and speed for a tight end and is sure to at the least be an undrafted free agent. Learning under Michael Palmer and Dewayne Allen should give him a little more credibility. Also, Tig Willard and Jonathon Meeks should be able to get in an NFL roster. Corico Wright and Xavier Brewer could be on a roster that needs depth at their respective position.
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