CLEMSON — Like any big-time football program, Clemson has had its share of great teams and great players over the last 25 years.
Of course, two Clemson teams won national championships, two more played for a national championship and two others qualified for the College Football Playoff Semifinals. Last year’s team earned a spot in the first ever 12-team playoff.
Besides those seven teams winning an ACC Championship along the way, there were two other squads that also won an ACC Championship, and four other teams won at least 10 games, though they did not bring home any national or conference championship hardware.
As one can imagine, those teams produced some great college players, which led me to think what an All-Clemson team from 2000-2024 might look like.
How did I make up this all-star team?
Part of it was using my own eyes and memory. I have had the pleasure of reporting and writing about Clemson since 2004, so I have seen a lot of great football players.
I also considered Consensus All-American, First-Team All-American and All-American status, as well as those who won national awards and were named All-ACC. The only position where none of that criterion was considered was at punter.
Clemson has not had an All-American punter since Dale Hatcher in 1984, and no Clemson punter has been named to an All-ACC squad since Chris Gardocki did it from 1988-1990.
Here are the highlights on this all-star roster.
I gave Deshaun Watson the nod over Trevor Lawrence because Watson was a Consensus First-Team All-American in 2015 and his performance in the 2016 season cannot be forgotten. He led the Tigers to six come-from-behind victories in the fourth quarter, including in the game-winning drive to beat Alabama in the national championship game.
I picked Etienne over C.J. Spiller at running back, though Spiller was my All-Purpose Back. Etienne was a two-time ACC Player of the Year and is the ACC’s all-time leading rusher (4,952 yards). Spiller is still the ACC’s career leader in all-purpose yards, as he amassed 7,588 all-purpose yards during his four-year career at Clemson.
Wide receiver was hard to pick, but it is hard to argue with Sammy Watkins, DeAndre Hopkins and Mike Williams being on any all-star team at Clemson. Dwayne Allen was a no-brainer at tight end, as he is the only Consensus First-Team All-American at the position and won the 2011 John Mackey Award, as the nation’s best tight end.
Consensus All-American Mitch Hyatt leads the way on the offensive line at left tackle, as he was joined by greats John Simpson at left guard, Dalton Freeman at center, Nathan Bennett at right guard and Barry Richardson at right tackle.
On defense, defensive end was the toughest position to pick. The Tigers have had so many great defensive ends. In fact, five—Gaines Adams, Da’Quan Bowers, Vic Beasley, Shaq Lawson and Clelin Ferrell—were named Consensus First-Team All-Americans.
However, I settled on Bowers and Beasley as my two defensive ends. Bowers won the Ted Hendrix Award as the nation’s best defensive end, plus the Bronco Nagurski Trophy as the nation’s best defensive player. His 2010 season is the greatest individual season by a Clemson defender in Clemson history.
Beasley was a two-time Consensus First-Team All-American, one of just two Clemson players, regardless of position, to accomplish such a feat. He is also Clemson’s career leader in sacks.
Christian Wilkins and Dexter Lawrence man the middle of the defensive line, while Keith Adams—the single season sack leader (16)—Ben Boulware and Jeremiah Trotter, Jr., are the linebackers.
Isaiah Simmons, perhaps the best all-around athlete on the team, is my All-Purpose Defender. Former Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables used Simmons as a one-man wrecking crew, as he played everywhere on the field, while causing havoc for opposing offenses.
Consensus First-Team All-American Tye Hill is the top cornerback, as he shares the corner position with Mackensie Alexander. DeAndre McDaniel and Jayron Kearse are the two safeties.
Greg Huegel was an All-American kicker in 2015 and was All-ACC in both 2015 and 2016. He made some clutch kicks in some of the biggest games in Clemson history during the Tigers’ run to the 2016 National Championship.
Bradley Pinion did not make any All-American or All-ACC teams, but he was the Tigers’ punter in 2014, as he played a hug role in why Clemson led the nation in total defense that year, as he pinned opponents consistently inside their own 20-yard line.
Justin Miller still holds the Clemson record for kickoff return yards average (30.7), while Ray-Ray McCloud averaged 9.7 yards per punt return in his career, one of the best averages per punt return in Clemson history.
- Clemson’s All-2000s Team
- Offense
- Quarterback: Deshaun Watson, 2014-2016
- Running back: Travis Etienne, 2017-2020
- Wide Receiver: Sammy Watkins, 2011-2013
- Wide Receiver: Mike Williams, 2013-2016
- Wide Receiver: DeAndre Hopkins, 2010-2012
- Tight End: Dwayne Allen, 2009-2011
- All-Purpose Player: C.J. Spiller, 2006-2009
- Left Tackle: Mitch Hyatt, 2015-2018
- Left Guard: John Simpson, 2016-2019
- Center: Dalton Freeman, 2009-2012
- Right Guard: Nathan Bennett, 2003-2006
- Right Tackle: Barry Richardson, 2004-2007
- Defense
- Defensive end: Vic Beasley, 2011-2014
- Defensive end: Da’Quan Bower, 2008-2010
- Defensive tackle: Christian Wilkins, 2015-2018
- Defensive tackle: Dexter Lawrence, 2016-2018
- Linebacker: Keith Adams, 1998-2000
- Linebacker: Ben Boulware, 2013-2016
- Linebacker: Jeremiah Trotter, Jr., 2021-2023
- All-Purpose Defender: Isaiah Simmons, 2017-2019
- Cornerback: Tye Hill, 2002-2005
- Cornerback: Mackensie Alexander, 2013-2015
- Safety: Jayron Kearse, 2013-2015
- Safety: DeAndre McDaniel, 2007-2010
- Special Teams
- Placekicker: Greg Huegel, 2015-2018
- Punter: Bradley Pinion, 2012-2014
- Kick Returner: Justin Miller, 2002-2004
- Punt Returner: Ray-Ray McCloud, 2015-2017