CLEMSON, S.C. — Former Clemson All-American, decorated NFL veteran and philanthropist Grady Jarrett received the Brian Dawkins Lifetime Achievement Award at Clemson’s annual football banquet on Saturday afternoon.
Clemson Head Coach Dabo Swinney has annually presented the honor to a former Clemson player who has consistently demonstrated the qualities of leadership, community service and others that are consistent with excellence since graduating from the Clemson program. Recipients must be out of school at least 10 years to qualify. Dawkins, who played 16 years in the NFL and was named to nine Pro Bowls and was a finalist for many public service awards, was the first recipient in 2013.
Jarrett accepted the honor via a submitted video. He was unable to attend as he and the NFC North champion Chicago Bears prepared for their NFL Wild Card Round game against the Green Bay Packers on Saturday evening.
A native of Conyers, Ga., Jarrett blossomed from an overlooked two-star recruit at Rockdale County High School to a force on one of the most dominant defenses in Clemson history before embarking upon a superlative NFL career.
During his four-year Clemson career from 2011-14, Jarrett recorded 207 tackles, 29.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, 37 quarterback pressures, one pass breakup, two forced fumbles and four recovered fumbles over 48 games (37 starts). He earned first-team All-ACC honors and a third-team All-America selection in 2014, a year in which he compiled 73 tackles (10.0 for loss), 1.5 sacks, 12 quarterback pressures, two forced fumbles and one a fumble recovery over 13 games on the nation’s top-ranked total defense (260.8 yards per game).
Despite his production and his sterling on- and off-field character, Jarrett fell to the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Draft before being selected by the Atlanta Falcons with the No. 137 overall pick. He has since authored an 11-year NFL career, collecting 535 tackles (281 solo), 78 tackles for loss, 38 sacks, five forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries in 166 career regular season games with 141 starts.
Before signing with Chicago this season, Jarrett spent 10 years in Atlanta, becoming one of the franchise’s most beloved players of the era. He earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors in 2019 and added another Pro Bowl selection in 2020. He recorded one of the most dominant defensive performances in Super Bowl history in Super Bowl LI when he sacked Patriots quarterback Tom Brady three times, tying the Super Bowl record since the NFL adopted sacks as an official statistic in 1982.
For both his contributions on and off the field, Jarrett was twice named as the Falcons’ nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award in 2019 and 2024. He has been a mainstay in the community throughout his NFL career, starting the Grady Gives Foundation, a non-profit that promotes awareness for causes such as anti-bullying and literacy awareness and empowers youth and young adults to find their purpose in life.
In 2024, Jarrett granted $70,000 in scholarships to help young students from underprivileged backgrounds advance their academic careers. He hosted “Big Men Don’t Bully” workshops to help participants recognize bullying traits, develop community-wide anti-bullying strategies and hold anti-bullying pep rallies in Atlanta schools. He also partnered with the Rally Foundation and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta in support of pediatric cancer patients. He hosted the foundation’s fashion show fundraiser, “Rally on the Runway,” for which he served as a co-host and walked the runway with pediatric cancer patients while helping the organization raise in excess of $700,000.
Jarrett’s recent initiatives have also included providing 300 homeless men in Atlanta with Thanksgiving meals, providing 1,000 turkeys to families in his home area of Rockdale County, and hosting a toy giveaway for more than 1,000 families.
Brian Dawkins Lifetime Achievement Award Recipients
2013: Brian Dawkins, 1992-95
2014: Bill Smith, 1977-81
2015: Warren Forney, 1991-95
2016: Jerry Butler, 1975-78
2017: Jeff Davis, 1978-81
2018: Mark Richardson, 1979-82
2019: Michael Allen, 1995-98
2020: Michael Dean Perry, 1984-87
2021: Carl Martin, 1979-82
2022: Dexter Davis, 1988-90
2023: Patrick Sapp, 1992-95
2024: Levon Kirkland, 1987-91
2025: Coty Sensabaugh, 2007-11
2026: Grady Jarrett, 2011-14
In addition to Jarrett’s selection for the award bearing Dawkins’ name, Clemson’s presented the list of awards included below at the team’s annual banquet on Saturday afternoon.
OFFENSIVE AWARDS
Solid Rock Award
Most solid, consistent and dependable player(s) at each position
QB Cade Klubnik
RB Adam Randall
WR Antonio Williams
WR Bryant Wesco Jr.
TE Olsen Patt-Henry
OL Blake Miller
Hustle Award
Consistent effort and served as an inspiration to teammates
OL Tristan Leigh
OL Walker Parks
12th Man Award
TE Christian Bentancur
RB Gideon Davidson
OL Harris Sewell
WR Tristan Smith
WR Cole Turner
Iron Man Award
Dependable player with resilient persistence and leadership
QB Cade Klubnik
OL Tristan Leigh
C Ryan Linthicum
OT Blake Miller
Most Improved Offensive Players of the Year
RB Gideon Davidson
RB Adam Randall
OL Harris Sewell
Rookies of the Year
RB Gideon Davidson
OL Brayden Jacobs
Defensive Scout Team Players of the Year
DT Patrick Swygert
LB Drew Woodaz
Future Impact Players
OL Gavin Blanchard
TE Logan Brooking
RB Gideon Davidson
OL Tucker Kattus
OL Ronan O’Connell
WR Juju Preston
PAW Award
Most blue collar/unselfish players
WR Tyler Brown
C Ryan Linthicum
OL Walker Parks
TE Olsen Patt-Henry
Tiger Pride Award (MVP)
OL Blake Miller
WR T.J. Moore
RB Adam Randall
WR Antonio Williams
DEFENSIVE AWARDS
Solid Rock Award
Most solid, consistent and dependable player(s) at each position
CB Ashton Hampton
CB Avieon Terrell
S Ronan Hanafin
DT DeMonte Capehart
DT Peter Woods
DE Will Heldt
DE T.J. Parker
LB Sammy Brown
LB Wade Woodaz
Hustle Award
Consistent effort and served as an inspiration to teammates
DE Cade Denhoff
S Ronan Hanafin
DE Jahiem Lawson
CB Branden Strozier
12th Man Award
CB Corian Gipson
DE Jahiem Lawson
CB Branden Strozier
Iron Man Award
Dependable player with resilient persistence and leadership
LB Sammy Brown
DE Will Heldt
CB Avieon Terrell
S Tyler Venables
LB Wade Woodaz
DT Peter Woods
Most Improved Defensive Players of the Year
LB Jeremiah Alexander
CB Corian Gipson
DE Jahiem Lawson
LB Kobe McCloud
CB Branden Strozier
Rookies of the Year
DT Amare Adams
CB Corian Gipson
Offensive Scout Team Players of the Year
QB Chris Denson
OL Tucker Kattus
WR Juju Preston
WR Luke Stubbs
Future Impact Players
DT Amare Adams
S Jakarrion Kenan
LB C.J. Kubah-Taylor
DE Darien Mayo
DT Champ Thompson
DE Ari Watford
PAW Award
Most blue collar/unselfish players
LB Jeremiah Alexander
S Ronan Hanafin
DE Will Heldt
LB Kobe McCloud
S Tyler Venables
Tiger Pride Award (MVP)
LB Sammy Brown
DE Will Heldt
DT Peter Woods
SPECIAL TEAMS AWARDS
Most Improved Special Teams Players of the Year
LB Joseph Roberto
CB Branden Strozier
S Joe Wilkinson
LB Drew Woodaz
Offensive Special Teams Players of the Year
TE Christian Bentancur
OL Chapman Pendergrass
OL Dietrick Pennington
WR Tristan Smith
Defensive Special Teams Players of the Year
S Ronan Hanafin
S Tyler Venables
Special Teams Scout Team Players of the Year
LB Griffin Batt
WR Juju Preston
WR Avery Wieting
Specialist of the Year
P Jack Smith
STRENGTH AWARDS
NSCA Strength and Conditioning All-American Candidates
LB Sammy Brown
OL Blake Miller
Dedication Award
DE Will Heldt
RB Adam Randall
S Tyler Venables
Power Hour Development Award
RB Max Wilson
All-In Accountability Challenge Champion Captains
DT DeMonte Capehart
C Ryan Linthicum
All-In Accountability Challenge Champion Team Members
LB Jeremiah Alexander
OL Gavin Blanchard
DT Hevin Brown-Shuler
DB Tyler Conner
PK Robert Gunn III
DE Will Heldt
DE Darien Mayo
OL Harris Sewell
OL Bryce Smith
WR Ethan Stokes
WR Clay Swinney
DT Patrick Swygert
OL Watson Young
ADDITIONAL AWARDS
GPA Awards
Overall: WR Tristan Martinez
Graduate: OL Walker Parks
Senior: LB Wade Woodaz
Junior: DE Will Heldt
Sophomore: LB Sammy Brown
Redshirt Freshman: RB Max Wilson
True Freshman: LB Logan Anderson
True Tigers of the Year
Presented by Nieri Family Student-Athlete Enrichment Center staff
DT Amare Adams
RB David Eziomume
DE Darien Mayo
CB Branden Strozier
WR Bryant Wesco Jr.
Tim Bourret Award
Player who best represents himself, his teammates and Clemson University in the media
QB Cade Klubnik
Most Inspirational Players of the Year
OL Walker Parks
S Tyler Venables
Spiritual Leadership Award
LB Griffin Batt
LS Holden Caspersen
QB Cade Klubnik
King of the CASL Award
Most recovery sessions in the Clemson Applied Science Lab
DE Cade Denhoff
P.A.W. Journey First-Class Man Award
WR Adam Randall
P.A.W. Journey Service Above Self Award
S Tyler Venables
P.A.W. Journey Promising Professional Award
DE Cade Denhoff
P.A.W. Journey Young Alumni Award
Nick Schuessler (2012-16)
P.A.W. Journey P.A.T. Man of the Year
OL Tristan Leigh
Brian Dawkins Lifetime Achievement Award
Grady Jarrett (2011-14)
Team Captains
Permanent team captains for 2025 to be immortalized in the Tiger Walk plaza
QB Cade Klubnik
OL Tristan Leigh
OL Blake Miller
OL Walker Parks
RB Adam Randall
S Tyler Venables
LB Wade Woodaz