2 weeks Ago
The NFL draft starts next week in Green Bay, Wis., and if a recent ESPN mock draft is right just one Clemson Tigers player will be selected in the first three rounds. The site’s primary NFL draft gurus, Mel Kiper Jr.
and Field Yates , did a dueling three-round mock draft earlier this week (subscription required), trying to map out how the 32 teams would select with the first 102 picks of the draft. That third round includes some compensatory picks, and that’s where the one Tigers played that landed in the mock. In fact, linebacker Barrett Carter landed at No.
102, the final pick in the third round, held by the Detroit Lions . He was Kiper’s pick there, while McShay didn’t have Carter among his 102 selections. Another ESPN analyst released a seven-round mock draft a couple of weeks ago and it also had Carter listed in the third round, going to the New York Giants at No.
99 overall. The only difference would be the situation. The Giants are essentially in rebuild mode while the Lions have been to the playoffs each of the last two seasons, including an NFC championship game appearance in 2023.
In both cases, it was Carter’s ability as a three-down linebacker that made him a valuable selection at this point in the draft. The four-year letterman was a two-time all-America selection who finished his Tigers career with 254 tackles, including 31.5 for loss, with 12.
5 sacks, 24 pass breakups, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. He started 40 of his 52 career games. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney called Carter "one of the best pure football players I've had in 20 years.
” Carter is the fifth linebacker to earn multiple all-conference selections in Swinney’s tenure. Last season he was first-team All-ACC as he finished the season with 84 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 3.
5 sacks, nine pass breakups and a fumble recovery as he played in all 14 games. He was also a Butkus Award finalist, given to the nation’s best linebacker. Four other Tigers could hear their names called during the draft, if mock drafts are any indication.
Safety RJ Mickens has been included in some mock drafts as a fourth-round pick after finishing his Tigers career with 229 tackles. Defensive tackle Payton Page is seen by some as a potential sixth-round pick after he played more than 1,000 snaps with the Tigers and finished his career with 69 tackles. Tight end Jack Briningstool is also seen as a sixth-round pick after catching 127 passes for his career.
Offensive guard Marcus Tate is seen as a seventh-round pick after an All-ACC selection last season. Recommended Articles.
