A longtime Clemson pro was named as part of the NFL’s top pairing at one position.

Pro Football Focus recently highlighted the NFL’s best duos at each position, and former Clemson standout D.J. Reader made the list.

The veteran defensive tackle was pegged as half of the top interior defender duo, along with fellow Detroit Lions defensive tackle Alim McNeill.

This offseason, Reader signed a two-year deal with the Lions worth up to $27.25 million.

Here’s what PFF’s Gordon McGuinness had to say about the newly formed tandem of Reader and McNeill:

The Lions, after adding Reader to their defensive front this offseason, have a duo that looks like the NFL’s best on paper heading into the 2024 season.

Reader ranked 10th at the position with a 75.3 PFF run-defense grade last season. He is a better pass-rusher than he’s given credit for, too, with his 79.1 PFF pass-rushing grade ranking 14th at the position.

McNeill has a strong case as being the most underrated interior defender in the NFL right now. His 86.8 PFF overall grade ranked eighth at the position last season, and he has improved every year.

A fifth-round draft pick back in 2016, Reader has established himself as one of the NFL’s top interior defensive linemen. Since entering the league, the 6-foot-3, 335-pounder has racked up 277 tackles, 23 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks in his career.

Reader, who will turn 30 in July, is now entering his ninth NFL season in 2024 after spending the last four years (2020-23) with the Cincinnati Bengals following four seasons with the Houston Texans (2016-19) to begin his pro career.

At Clemson from 2012-15, Reader amassed 145 tackles, nine tackles for loss, five sacks and 24 quarterback pressures in 1,087 snaps over 46 games (10 starts) in his career.

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