Five Tigers ranked as Top 40 CFB Players

Wilkins should have a huge 2018 season

by Tony Crumpton - Assoc. Editor - Wed Aug 01 11:29:19 GMT-04:00 2018

Sporting News released its Top 40 rankings of the top 2018 college football players and five Clemson players were listed.

Clemson had five of the seven total ACC players included in the rankings, and the Tigers were tied with the entire Pac-12 conference (5) and had more players listed than the whole Big-12 conference (4).

An impressive 12.5 percent of the list is current Clemson players.

Austin Bryant barely made the list at No. 39 overall.

"Bryant's four-sack game against Auburn was the beginning of a breakout 2017 in which he finished with 8.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss," Sporting News said. "Clemson's entire front four is on this list, and Bryant is often overlooked among that bunch."

Mitch Hyatt was one of the higher rated big-uglies at No. 22 overall.

"Hyatt earned SN first-team All-American honors last season and continues to live up to five-star expectations at Clemson," Sporting News said. "He has started 27 games the last two seasons and continues to perform at a reliable level. He's the best offensive lineman in the ACC and one of the best in the country because of that steady play."

Defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence came in at No. 16 overall.

"The second of four Clemson defensive linemen on this list, and arguably the best NFL prospect," Sporting News said. "He's a 6-5, 340-pound space-eater who doesn't have the statistics of the other three members on this list. That doesn't matter. He's still one of the best interior defensive linemen in college football, and that won't change in 2018."

Defensive end Clelin Ferrell was ranked inside the top 10 at No. 8 overall.

Ferrell is the third Clemson defensive linemen to make this list, a 6-5, 260-pound pass-rushing terror who finished with 9.5 sacks and 18 tackles for loss last year," Sporting News said. "He can use speed for the bull rush, and the next step is building on that with a double-digit sack season. He's good enough to do that, and NFL scouts will be watching with great interest."

The highest-ranked Tiger was Christian Wilkins at No. 3 overall.

"Wilkins rounds out the four Clemson defensive linemen on this list," Sporting News said. "He's 6-4, 300 pounds and totaled five sacks and nine tackles for loss last season. His biggest gift, however, is his versatility. He'll create mismatches regardless of where Clemson lines him up. The unit is talented, but it still flows through Wilkins. The decision to remain in school makes the Tigers' defense that much stronger."