LB Trenton Simpson becomes latest Clemson football pick in NFL Draft’s third round

The 2023 NFL Draft began Thursday. And, based on recent history, that meant a lot of orange and white was going to be flashing across the stage in Kansas City, Missouri.

It just took a little longer than expected.

Defensive end Myles Murphy became Clemson football’s first pick of the draft in the opening round, going No. 28 to the Cincinnati Bengals, and defensive tackle Bryan Bresee went one pick later to the New Orleans Saints at No. 29.

Linebacker Trenton Simpson was also drafted in Friday’s third round. A projected second-round pick, Simpson fell to the third, where the Baltimore Ravens took him at No. 86.

Thursday’s action made for a late accolade, but an accolade all the same: With the selections of Murphy and Bresee, Clemson has now produced at least two first-round picks in four of the last five NFL Drafts and eight times in program history.

This is also the first time in program history two Clemson players have been selected back to back in the first round. Defensive backs Chris Clemons and Michael Hamlin went back to back in the third round in 2009, and DB Marcus Gilchrist and defensive tackle Da’Quan Bowers went back to back in the second round in 2011.

Along with Murphy, Bresee and Simpson, three more Tigers have a strong chance of hearing their names called as the draft continues Saturday with Rounds 4-7. They’ll all be adding to the Clemson program’s 71 draft picks under coach Dabo Swinney — which, entering Thursday, ranked second among all coaches since 2009 behind Alabama’s Nick Saban (113).

Clemson’s also looking to produce five NFL Draft picks for the fourth time in five years and the eighth time in 10 years. Only Alabama and Ohio State have more drafts with five-plus players selected (nine) than Clemson (seven) since 2014. (Florida and LSU also have seven apiece.)

Cincinnati Bengals pick DE Myles Murphy

The Cincinnati Bengals drafted Murphy No. 28 overall in the first round of the draft Thursday. He’s the first player from the Tigers’ 2022 team, which went 11-3 and won the ACC championship, to be drafted into the pros.

Murphy is the first Clemson player to be drafted by the Bengals since offensive tackle Jackson Carman in 2021 (Round 2, Pick 46). The Bengals also drafted former Tigers wide receiver Tee Higgins in 2020 (Round 2, Pick 33).

His selection also helped Clemson narrowly avoid (by three picks) getting shut out of the NFL Draft first round for a second consecutive seasons. The Tigers’ highest draft pick last year was cornerback Andrew Booth, who went in the second round (No. 42 overall) to the Minnesota Vikings.

Murphy, listed at 6-foot-5 and 268 pounds, was one of only two Power Five players in the country to record at least 35 tackles for loss and six forced fumbles from 2020-22. The former top five national recruit finished his Clemson career with 17.5 sacks in 38 games.

Murphy also tied for the team lead with 6.5 sacks in 2022 and was a first-team all-conference selection before opting out of Clemson’s Orange Bowl loss to Tennessee. He impressed with a 4.51-second 40-yard dash at a private workout – he didn’t participate in the NFL combine due to a hamstring injury – and entered Thursday projected as a mid-to-late first rounder.

He’s the first defensive lineman the Bengals have drafted in the first round since 2001, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

New Orleans Saints pick DT Bryan Bresee

The New Orleans Saints made it back-to-back Clemson selections by selecting defensive tackle Bryan Bresee at No. 29 overall.

Bresee is the first Clemson player to be drafted by the Saints since linebacker Stephone Anthony in 2015 (Round 1, Pick 31). His selection helped the Tigers hit a major accolade: two first-round draft picks for only the eighth time in program history (previously 1979, 1982, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020 and 2021).

Listed at 6-5 1/2 and 298 pounds, Bresee arrived at Clemson as a former No. 1 overall recruit and promptly won ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2020 for a College Football Playoff qualifier.

He had 15.0 tackles for loss and 9.0 sacks in 26 career games (21 starts) for Clemson and was a third team All-ACC pick in 2021 despite playing in just four games before a torn ACL. Bresee missed four of Clemson’s 13 games in 2022 amid injuries and the tragic death of his younger sister, Ella, due to brain cancer.

Entering Thursday, mock drafts mostly projected Bresee as an early second-round pick. The consensus among analysts: If healthy, he could very well have his best football ahead of him.

Bresee is New Orleans’ first first-round defensive lineman since Sheldon Rankins in 2016. With his selection, Clemson’s had five defensive linemen drafted in the first round since 2019, which is the most in the country, according to the ACC Network.

Baltimore Ravens pick LB Trenton Simpson

A third Clemson player is off the board as the Baltimore Ravens have selected linebacker Trenton Simpson with the No. 86 overall pick in the third round of the draft Friday.

He’s the first Clemson draft pick in Ravens history, which leaves the Carolina Panthers as the only active NFL franchise to never draft a Clemson player despite playing less than 150 miles from campus — and playing their inaugural home season at Memorial Stadium.

Simpson, who ranked as the country’s No. 1 outside linebacker coming out of Mallard Creek High School in Charlotte, started 24 of his past 25 games for Clemson after a strong freshman campaign.

He had 78 tackles as a sophomore and 77 as a junior while compiling 22.5 career tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks. Simpson also had three forced fumbles and five pass deflections (but no interceptions) as a Tiger.

Simpson predominantly played the “SAM” strongside linebacker spot for Clemson, his likely NFL position, but also spent time at “WILL” weakside linebacker as a junior. Entering the draft, he was viewed as solid but not elite prospect with mostly Round 2 projections despite running a 4.43-second 40-yard dash.

Clemson’s next tier of draft prospects behind Murphy, Bresee and Simpson centers around three players: tight end Davis Allen, defensive end K.J. Henry and offensive lineman Jordan McFadden, all of whom will be hoping for Day 3 selections. Wide receiver Joseph Ngata and kicker B.T. Potter are also draft eligible.

How to watch the 2023 NFL Draft

• What: 2023 NFL Draft

• When: Friday, Saturday

• Where: Kansas City, Missouri

• Rounds 2-3: Friday at 7 p.m. ET (ESPN, ABC, ESPN App, ESPN Radio, ESPN Deportes, NFL Network)

• Rounds 4-7: Saturday, April 29, at noon ET (ESPN with ABC simulcast, ESPN App, ESPN Radio, ESPN Deportes, NFL Network)