Two more Clemson offensive players taken in 2021 NFL Draft
.jpg "Clemson’s Jackson Carman faced off against first-round pick Chase Young in the 2019 Fiesta Bowl.")
Jackson Carman protected one No. 1 pick in Trevor Lawrence at Clemson.
Now, Carman will get to protect another in Joe Burrow, as the Cincinnati Bengals took Carman in the second round, 46th pick overall, on Friday during the second day of the NFL Draft.
“I blocked for No. 1 pick this year. I will be blocking for another No. 1 pick. I will just be going in and doing my job at the highest level,” Carman said to reporters Friday night. :It is blessing to be able to protect for Joe Burrow. I was just playing against him two years ago.. It is an amazing full circle experience.”
Carman also will reunite with former Clemson receiver Tee Higgins, who had a strong rookie season.
Carman will be returning to his home state of Ohio where he was a standout and Anthony Munoz National Offensive Lineman of the Year award as a senior at Fairfield Senior High School. Munoz is former Bengals Hall of Fame tackle and Carman said that he was his favorite player.
“I can’t picture a better scenario,” said Carman, who watched his selection with friends and family in Ohio. “This is crazy,”
Carman is Clemson’s highest-selected offensive lineman since Dave Thompson went to the Detroit Lions at No. 30 overal in the 1971 NFL Draft.
Carman is the third Clemson player taken in the draft, joining Lawrence and running back Travis Etienne, who were both taken by Jacksonville Jaguars in the first round Thursday. Lawrence went No. 1 overall and Etienne was the 25th pick.
ESPN analyst Mel Kiper said he was a little surprised the 6-foot-4, 317-pound Carman went so high and thought he was likely a third-round selection. ESPN’s Booger McFarland thinks Carman could play either tackle or guard in the NFL.
“A man that big shouldn’t be able to move like that,” McFarland said.
Carman played all three seasons at Clemson, making 27 starts and appearing in 1,934 snaps. He said that he played his final five games with a herniated disc but has had surgery and feels fine now.
Packers draft WR Amari Rodgers
Another part of Clemson’s potent offense over the past two seasons was taken on Day 2 of the 2021 NFL Draft.
The Green Bay Packers selected receiver Amari Rodgers on Friday in the third round. Green Bay moved up seven spots to get him. Rodgers is the first receiver the Packers have drafted since taking Equanimeous St. Brown in the sixth round in 2018.
Rodgers became Clemson’s 10th draft pick at receiver since 2013 and extended Clemson’s school-record number of consecutive drafts with a wide receiver selected to six, the nation’s longest active streak.
Rodgers was friends and family in Knoxville, Tenn.., when the phone call came. He told reporters Friday night that many of his family members felt Green Bay was going to pick him.
Rodgers, the son of former Tennessee great Tee Martin, was Trevor Lawrence’s top target this season. He led the Tigers with 77 receptions and 1,020 receiving yards while tying for the team lead with seven touchdown catches.
NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlin compared Rodgers to Arizona Cardinals WR Christian Kirk and ESPN’s Louis Riddick had high praise of Green Bay’s selection of Rodgers.
“Absolutely love this pick,” Riddick said. “Picture him with Devante Adams, Lazard and Marquez Valdes-Scantling: who work primarily on the outside. Amari can work on the inside like Randall Cobb used to. He is a do-it-all-type of guy and a catch and run specialist.
“His dad played in the league and is a coach and he plays like a coach. Super smart route runner. ... He can run it out of the backfield, he will run the rocket screens, tunnels and slants.”
Amari Rodgers said he was looking forward to playing in Green Bay alongside Devante Adams who he called the best receiver in the game.
“I feel like he’s the best receiver in the game right now. I study him every week,” Rodgers said.
This story was originally published April 30, 2021 at 8:21 PM with the headline "Two more Clemson offensive players taken in 2021 NFL Draft."
