Which 2023 NFL Draft prospects should you be watching for at the Clemson Pro Day? Here’s a look at the Tigers’ full class, their top prospects on both sides of the ball, and which prospects have the most to gain at the pro day.
When Is Clemson’s Pro Day?
The Clemson Pro Day is scheduled for Tuesday, March 14. They join Oregon and Northwestern on this day — two schools who also have first-round prospects in cornerback Christian Gonzalez and offensive tackle Peter Skoronski, respectively.
You can view the full list of pro days across the nation right here at Pro Football Network.
Clemson Prospects To Watch at Pro Day Include Myles Murphy, Bryan Bresee
The Clemson Tigers’ 2023 NFL Draft class is strong, especially on the defensive side of the ball. It would’ve been even stronger had players like Ruke Orhorhoro and Tyler Davis declared. Nevertheless, Dabo Swinney has once again brought up what should be a very productive NFL class — led by several first-round prospects.
Myles Murphy, EDGE
After Will Anderson Jr., the race for the EDGE2 spot is still somewhat open, and Myles Murphy is a contender in that competition. At 6’5″ and almost 260 pounds, with near-34″ arms, Murphy has an excellent power profile.
MORE: 2023 NFL Draft Big Board
Murphy logged 25 bench reps at the Combine but didn’t test due to a tweaked hamstring suffered before the Combine. Unfortunately, he won’t be able to test at his pro day either — but he will set up a testing session on April 4. We’ll have to wait a bit longer for his numbers, but they will come eventually.
On tape, Murphy is a fleet-footed athlete with easy accelerative capacity, but this pro day will be a chance for him to confirm his mobility.
Bryan Bresee, DT
Bryan Bresee, along with Murphy, is one of Clemson’s most marketable first-round prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft. Bresee did test at the Combine, running a blistering 4.86 40-yard dash with a 1.71 10-yard split at 6’5 1/2″ and 298 pounds.
Bresee is a former five-star recruit who needs no additional confirmation when it comes to athleticism. However, he still might use his pro day to up his numbers. He didn’t perform agility testing in Indianapolis, nor did he register a complete explosiveness profile.
Trenton Simpson, LB
For a good portion of the 2023 NFL Draft cycle, Trenton Simpson was regarded as a potential first-round pick like Murphy and Bresee. His stock cooled a bit after 2022, as lapses in block deconstruction and play recognition hurt at times — but he still has upside worth banking on.
At 6’2 3/8″ and 235 pounds, with arms over 32″ long, Simpson ran a 4.43 40-yard dash at the Combine — the second-best linebacker time only to Auburn’s Owen Pappoe. For Simpson, who projects into a versatile role in the NFL, explosiveness and agility drills could be big for him at Clemson’s Pro Day.
K.J. Henry, EDGE
As his Combine showing confirmed, K.J. Henry isn’t quite the caliber of athlete required to command early-round billing. His 31.5″ vertical jump and 9’4″ broad jump were both numbers near the bottom of the pack in the EDGE group.
Nevertheless, at 6’4″, 251 pounds, with 33″ arms, Henry is well-sized, efficient with his hands, and a strong character presence in the locker room. His bend also shows up as a strength on tape, so if he tests well in agilities at Clemson’s Pro Day, he could lock in mid-round capital.
Jordan McFadden, OL
Jordan McFadden will be one of the most fascinating 2023 NFL Draft prospects to follow throughout his career. At 6’2″, 303 pounds, with 34″ arms, he has an exceptional combination of natural leverage and proportional length. His linear athleticism is also a plus, as he showed with a 4.99 40-yard dash and 1.74 10-yard split in Indianapolis.
The question for McFadden is where exactly he’ll play in the NFL. He played tackle at Clemson but arguably projects better inside, at either guard or center. For some teams, his agilities may make the difference, and that’s an area he’ll look to improve his numbers at during pro day.
Davis Allen, TE
Keep an eye on Davis Allen as one tight end the NFL may be higher on than the national media. It feels like you can say that about a dozen TE prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft, but Allen, more than most, has the size, athleticism, and well-rounded profile to win over evaluators.
MORE: NFL Draft Order
At the Combine, Allen was a surprise winner — logging a 38.5″ vertical and a 10’5″ broad jump at 6’6″, 245 pounds. His 40-yard dash was slower than average, but he’ll get a chance to run that again at Clemson’s Pro Day, as well as add agility numbers to his profile.
Joseph Ngata, WR
Some teams have a particular affinity for size at the wide receiver position. Those teams will have an eye on Joseph Ngata late in the 2023 NFL Draft.
After picking up 41 catches for 526 yards and two scores in 2022, and after making a few nice plays at the Shrine Bowl, Ngata is on the radar. He compounded his positive momentum with a strong Combine showing, running a 4.54 40-yard dash and registering a 34.5″ vertical and a 10’4″ broad jump at 6’3″, 217 pounds, with 33″ arms.
Agilities are always heavily scrutinized with larger receivers, but if Ngata passes that test at his pro day, he could keep rising.
