Clemson Tigers Most Intriguing 2022 NFL Draft Prospect

The first round of the NFL Draft set to take place tonight and this years crop of players eligible to be selected has been picked apart ad nauseum.

With that in mind, ESPN recently started looking ahead to the 2022 draft class, making note of some of the more intriguing prospects that could be available.

One of the most notable players on the Clemson roster that might be available is rising junior Tyler Davis.

“The defensive line is a legacy position at Clemson, from William Perry to Gaines Adams to Vic Beasley to Christian Wilkins. Next up on the assembly line is defensive tackle Tyler Davis, who could easily push his way into the top 10 draft prospects in the country with a strong 2021 season. He was exceptional as a freshman in 2019, but injuries and inconsistent production from his linemates hindered his 2020 campaign. Now healthy, Davis will be surrounded by Clemson’s best group of linemen in years, which should provide an excellent opportunity to showcase his prolific skills.”

ESPN’s David Hale

Over the past two seasons, Davis has been the anchor of the defensive front for Brent Venables unit. After an outstanding freshman season, in which he was a starter from day one, Davis earned second team All-ACC honors, registering 51 tackles, 9.0 TFL, 5.5 sacks, two pass breakups and a fumble recovery.

Last season, Davis saw his numbers take a dip due to a nagging injury suffered in week one. However, when he was on the field, he was still his dominant self, and when he wasn’t there was a noticeable difference in the Clemson defense. Due to the injury Davis was limited to just 196 snaps and was credited with 17 tackles, 5.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks and a pass breakup.

With Davis just now entering his third season in the program, it isn’t a given that he will even enter the draft. He could choose to return for a fourth season in 2022. However, if he turns in another productive season, it isn’t inconceivable to think he will forgo his senior season.