Deshaun Watson leaves Clemson as the most decorated player in school history. His records are numerous as he holds the mark for many game, season and career records. But how much of that will translate to the NFL?
Throughout the years Clemson had some great quarterbacks – Tajh Boyd, Charlie Whitehurst, Woodrow Dantzler, Nealon Greene, Rodney Williams, Homer Jordan and of course Steve Fuller. But only Whitehurst and Fuller had an extended career in the NFL.
Whitehurst, the only quarterback in the history of the Clemson-South Carolina rivalry to go 4-0, just finished up his 11th NFL season, while Fuller played nine seasons in the league while helping the Chicago Bears win Super Bowl XX in 1985.
Greene did not play in the NFL, but he spent eight seasons in the CFL where he set a single-game record for rushing yards by a quarterback with 180 yards.
Without a doubt Watson is the greatest quarterback to ever wear the Orange & White, but will he carry that success over to the NFL and be as great? Here is a list of the best pro careers by a former Clemson quarterback. It is not a very long list.
Steve Fuller (1979-’87): Before Deshaun Watson, Fuller was considered the greatest quarterback to ever play at Clemson. There is a reason why Dabo Swinney asked his permission to bring his No. 4 jersey out of retirement and have a patch on the jersey recognizing him for his greatness. Fuller was drafted No. 23 overall in the first round of the 1979 draft by the Kansas City Chiefs. He is still the only Clemson quarterback to be taken in the first round of the draft. Fuller eventually started for the Chiefs and then moved on to the Los Angeles Rams in 1983, before being picked up by the Bears prior to the 1984 season. Because of injuries to starter Jim McMahon, Fuller started for a time for Chicago during its championship run in 1985.
Charlie Whitehurst: After a stellar career at Clemson, one in which he became the school record holder in many areas, Whitehurst was selected in the third round of the 2006 NFL Draft and No. 81 overall by the San Diego Chargers. He was the first quarterback since Fuller to be drafted. Clipboard Jesus, as he is affectionately called, spent his first five years with the Chargers as Phillip Rivers’ backup, before signing with Seattle in 2010. He played in nine games in Seattle, including four starts. He then went back to San Diego for two more seasons before playing in Tennessee for two, and Indianapolis and Cleveland for one year each.
Nealon Greene: He never played in the NFL, but the former Clemson quarterback had a very good professional career in the CFL. He started his pro career in Toronto before being traded to Edmonton in 1999. By 2000, he was the starter at Edmonton as he led his team to the Western Semis. In 2002, he was traded to Saskatchewan where he guided it to a playoff appearance in 2002 and then to the playoffs again in 2003 where they made it to the Western Finals. He also started and played for the Roughriders in the 2004 and 2005 seasons.
Homer Jordan: Like Watson, Jordan led Clemson to a national championship as he took the Tigers on a 12-0 run in 1981. He also led the Tigers to a 9-1-1 season in 1982 and another ACC Championship before heading to the USFL in 1983 after being drafted by the Washington Generals. In 1984, he signed a two-year deal with Saskatchewan of the CFL and started the 1984 and 1985 seasons. After being out of football for a year, he played as a backup quarterback for the NFL’s Cleveland Browns in 1987.