Hidden gems: Here are the top under-the-radar Clemson football players who became stars for Dabo Swinney
CLEMSON – When wide receiver Hunter Renfrow was selected by the Oakland Raiders in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft, it culminated one of the greatest success stories in Clemson football history.
Renfrow began his football career as a walk-on – an undersized quarterback out of Myrtle Beach whose only college offers came from Appalachian State, Gardner-Webb, Presbyterian and Wofford.
He finished his career as a two-time All-ACC selection who set school records for starts by a receiver (47) and consecutive games with a reception (43) and emerged as the hero of Clemson’s 2016 national championship game victory against Alabama.
Renfrow, who has played five NFL seasons since being drafted, is far from the only “hidden gem” that Clemson coach Dabo Swinney has unearthed during his 16 seasons at the helm.
In fact, Swinney – himself a former walk-on at Alabama – has developed an impressive track record of turning underrated high school prospects into NFL draft picks.
Here are some of the most notable, beginning with this season’s under-the-radar star, wide receiver Tyler Brown, who could be the next:
Tyler Brown, wide receiver, 2023
A product out of nearby Greenville High, Brown was a three-star receiver who was ranked as the No. 13 prospect in South Carolina and was one of the last athletes offered in the 2023 recruiting class.
He’s turned out to be quite the revelation, leading the Tigers with 40 receptions and sharing the team lead with four touchdown catches, including a highlight-reel, one-handed grab for a score against Georgia Tech.
“That was one of the craziest plays I’ve ever seen with my own eyes,” fellow receiver Beaux Collins said. “He has great hands. That’s Tyler Brown. What can’t happen with him?”
Davis Allen, tight end, 2019
Allen had a handful of offers coming out of Calhoun County, Georgia, but was barely a blip on the radar of most schools as the Peach State’s No. 77 prospect.
But he developed and showed improvement each season with the Tigers, culminating with a senior season in which he made 39 catches for 443 yards and five touchdowns. His 12 career touchdown receptions rank second among tight ends on Clemson’s all-time list.
After an All-ACC senior campaign, Allen was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
T.J. Green, safety, 2013
A low three-star prospect out of Sylacauga, Alabama, Green was rated the No. 40 player in Alabama and was weighing offers from Auburn, UAB, Cal, Cincinnati and Troy when Clemson came calling.
After 32 tackles in his first two seasons combined, Green posted 95 tackles as a junior, including 13 in the Tigers’ loss to Alabama in the national championship game. He entered the NFL Draft after that season and was selected in the second round – 57th overall – by the Indianapolis Colts.
Green played six NFL season and most recently signed with the Memphis Showboats of the USFL.
Grady Jarrett, defensive tackle, 2011
Jarrett may be the personal favorite success story for Swinney, who had to overrule his staff and roll the dice on the No. 92 prospect in Georgia. Swinney loved what he saw in his summer camp from the state champion wrestler out of Rockdale County High in Conyers, Georgia, where he was rated a two-star recruit.
“We beat the University of Buffalo to get this guy,” Swinney said. “And he comes in here and ends up starting as a true freshman.”
A first-team All-ACC selection as a senior, Jarrett wasn’t selected until the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons.
“If you went back right now and looked at all the D-tackles that were drafted in front of Grady Jarrett, it’s embarrassing,” Swinney said. “Most of them aren’t in the league anymore.”
Jarrett is in his ninth NFL season, is a two-time Pro Bowler and tied an NFL record with three sacks in the 2016 Super Bowl.
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Adam Humphries, wide receiver, 2011
Humphries was a multi-sport standout from nearby Dorman High School whom everyone assumed was simply part of a package deal so the Tigers could land the more highly regarded receiver Charone Peak, a four-star prospect.
But Humphries’ versatility made him a contributor at Clemson from the outset, and he played in 52 games in his four seasons with 127 receptions for 1,097 yards.
He signed with Tampa Bay as an undrafted free agent in 2015 and in seven NFL season had 320 receptions for 3,314 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Vic Beasley, defensive end, 2010
Beasley was a three-star prospect who came to Clemson as a tight end. The No. 68 player in Georgia out of Adairsville (Ga.) High, where he played running back and linebacker, Beasley struggled to find his proper position at Clemson, but after some prodding from Swinney eventually landed at defensive end.
The move paid off. Beasley became Clemson’s all-time sacks leader, was a two-time first-team All-American and ACC Defensive Player of the Year. He was drafted in the first round, eighth overall, by the Falcons in 2015 and was named an All-Pro in 2016 after leading the league with 15½ sacks and six forced fumbles.
Scott Keepfer covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at skeepfer@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @ScottKeepfer
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Here are Clemson football's top hidden gems under coach Dabo Swinney
