ESPN’s Matt Bowen released his annual list of first-year impact for players joining new NFL teams, ranking the top impact signings, trades and draft picks of the 2026 offseason.

Three former Clemson stars made the list, with defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence being the highest ranked at No. 4 overall.

The Cincinnati Bengals made one of the biggest splashes of the offseason in April when they acquired Lawrence from the New York Giants in exchange for the No. 10 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

As part of the trade, the Bengals signed Lawrence to a one-year, $28 million contract extension that makes him one of the NFL’s highest-paid D-linemen and keeps him under contract with the Bengals for three years (through the 2028 season) at a total value of $70 million, adding to his previous deal.

Last year, in his seventh season and final season with the Giants, Lawrence started all 17 games, tallying 31 total tackles, four tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, eight quarterback hits, four passes defended and an interception that he returned 37 yards.

Despite a down 2025 season, by his own lofty standards, Lawrence remains one of the NFL’s best players at his position. Lawrence collected three straight Pro Bowl selections from 2022-24 and also earned All-Pro honors in the 2022 and 2023 seasons. He became the first Giants player to be voted to three straight Pro Bowls since safety Landon Collins from 2016-18, and if he hadn’t suffered a season-ending elbow injury in 2024, he could have very well earned his third consecutive All-Pro selection as well.

Heading into his eighth NFL season in 2026, the 6-foot-5, 350-pounder has racked up 341 total tackles, 40 tackles for loss and 30.5 sacks in 109 career games (102 starts) since being selected by the Giants in the first round (17th overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft.

“After upgrading their defensive line with Jonathan Allen and Boye Mafe, the Bengals made a splash move to bring in Lawrence,” Bowen wrote. “As an elite interior defender, he impacts opposing game plans due to his power and ability to occupy two blockers in pass protection. Lawrence should also be viewed as high-level run defender despite a career-low 28 tackles on designed rushes in 2025.”

Meanwhile, one of the two first-round picks that Clemson produced in the 2026 NFL Draft – offensive tackle Blake Miller – is ranked No. 42 on the ESPN list. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions with the 17th overall selection.

Miller was a mainstay on Clemson’s offensive line for the last four seasons, breaking the Clemson record for career snaps from scrimmage by playing 3,778 offensive snaps over 54 career games (all starts) from 2022-25. The three-time All-ACC selection started every game Clemson played in his entire four-year career and set the Clemson record for consecutive starts by a non-specialist with 54. 

Miller became Clemson’s highest-selected offensive lineman since 1960, when Lou Cordileone was selected by the New York Giants with the No. 12 overall pick and Harold Olson was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals with the No. 13 overall pick.

“With Penei Sewell moving over to left tackle, Miller is slated to start on the right side as a rookie,” Bowen wrote. “A 54-game starter at Clemson, Miller can use his length at 6-foot-6, 317 pounds to build a wall on the edge in pass protection. And he fits Detroit’s zone run game as a play-side blocker.”

Five spots after Miller, former Clemson star running back Travis Etienne landed at No. 47 on ESPN’s list.

After spending the first five years of his pro career with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Etienne — Clemson’s and the ACC’s all-time leading rusher — left Jacksonville to return home to his native of Louisiana on a four-year, $52 million deal with the New Orleans Saints.

The 2025 campaign marked the final year of Etienne’s rookie contract, with Etienne playing on his fifth-year option after being selected by the Jaguars with the 25th overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft.

Last season, Etienne surpassed 1,000 yards rushing for the third time in his four active seasons after missing his entire 2021 rookie campaign due to a season-ending Lisfranc injury he suffered in that preseason. He ran for 1,107 yards and seven touchdowns on 260 carries in 2025, while also catching 36 passes for 292 yards and a career-high six receiving scores.

The 27-year-old Etienne ranked 11th in the NFL in rushing yards last season and 17th in the league in yards from scrimmage with 1,399. He accounted for a career-high 13 total touchdowns.

Overall, in 66 career NFL games from 2022-25, Etienne has rushed for 3,798 yards and 25 touchdowns on 897 carries while also catching 168 passes for 1,338 yards and seven more scores.

“The team’s decision to restructure Alvin Kamara’s contract will factor into Etienne’s total volume, but I still like the free agent addition in Moore’s offense,” Bowen wrote. “Etienne can produce as a receiver, and I would expect Moore to get him on the perimeter in the run game. Etienne had 13 total touchdowns in Jacksonville last season.”