How experts graded every Clemson football player taken in 2023 NFL Draft
The 2023 NFL Draft is over, and more than 200 former college players have new professional homes. Among them are six former Clemson football players.
The Tigers had two first-round picks: Defensive end Myles Murphy, who was taken 28th overall by the Cincinnati Bengals, and defensive tackle Bryan Bresee, who went 29th overall to the New Orleans Saints.
In Round 3 on Friday, the Baltimore Ravens picked Clemson linebacker Trenton Simpson No. 86 overall. Simpson slid to the third round after being widely projected to go in the second.
Saturday, three Tigers went in the fifth round: defensive end K.J. Henry went to the Washington Commanders, offensive lineman Jordan McFadden went to the Los Angeles Chargers and tight end Davis Allen went to the Los Angeles Rams.
Here's how draft experts are grading all the former Tigers selected.
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CBS Sports
Grade for Cincinnati's pick of Murphy: B
The reason: "There is great value in getting Murphy in this spot. If they want to win a Super Bowl, they have to beat the great quarterbacks in the AFC. That means pressure. Murphy joins a good group and gives them fresh legs." — Pete Prisco
Grade for New Orleans' pick of Bresee: B+
The reason: "This is a need pick. They suffered some hits at defensive tackle in free agency, so they had to find help. Bresee had injuries and other things that held him back at Clemson, but he has a ton of talent. That will show up on the next level." — Prisco
Grade for Baltimore's pick of Simpson: B+
The reason: "Explosive, in-space linebacker who's a better athlete than a LB right now. Minimal ball production and misses plenty of tackles. Super fast. This is the right range for him." — Chris Trapasso
Grade for Washington's pick of Henry: C
The reason: "Looks the part as a strong EDGE. Three-down type who's better against the run than anything else. Pass-rush move arsenal is almost non-existent. Will win at times simply due to his frame and power. Will be 25 as a rookie." — Trapasso
Grade for Chargers' pick of McFadden: B-
The reason: "Hard-working OT who may need to play inside at the next level. Well-rounded but doesn't have a true speciality. Smart time for OL depth for the Chargers." — Trapasso
Grade for Rams' pick of Allen: B-
The reason: "Sleek with good, not great burst off the line. Strong hands, particularly in traffic. Limited athlete, which is why he was on the board this late. Nice depth option. Nothing spectacular about his game." — Trapasso
Sports Illustrated
Grade for Cincinnati's pick of Murphy: B+
The reason: "With a stacked roster, the Bengals went with the best-player-available approach, and they didn’t waste any time announcing the selection of Murphy, who has high upside and displayed a relentless motor at Clemson. The Bengals could have a deep pass-rushing group with Murphy, Sam Hubbard and Trey Hendrickson." — Gilberto Manzano
Grade for New Orleans' pick of Bresee: C
The reason: "After watching Shy Tuttle and David Oneymata leave for other NFC South teams in free agency, the Saints replenished their interior with Bresee. At Clemson, Bresee played 25 games across three seasons and totaled 15 tackles for loss along with nine sacks. At 300 pounds, he’s more of a run defender than a disruptor in the pass game." — Matt Verderame
Grade for Baltimore's pick of Simpson: B+
The reason: "Simpson, one of the best inside linebacker prospects, could develop into the steal of the draft for Baltimore. He has a nose for the football and possesses sideline-to-sideline speed. He’ll form a solid duo with Roquan Smith." — Manzano
Sports Illustrated did not grade picks in rounds 4-7.
Sporting News
Grade for Cincinnati's pick of Murphy: A
The reason: "The Bengals got a potential top-10 talent to further boost their pass rush beyond Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard vs. going after a tight end they really liked in Michael Mayer. Murphy is a solid pass rusher but also has the speed, quickness and versatility to be effective vs. the run, even at linebacker at first." — Vinnie Iyer
Grade for New Orleans' pick of Bresee: A
The reason: "The Saints got gutted at defensive tackle when starters David Onymata (Falcons) and Shy Tuttle (Panthers) left for division rivals in free agency. This is a great pick and an upgrade given Bresee is such a reliable run stuffer with great untapped potential as a pass rusher." — Iyer
Grade for Baltimore's pick of Simpson: A+
The reason: "The Ravens also land an active playmaking linebacker in the physically imposing and rangy Simpson, who could have gone either in the late first round or early second round. Baltimore is loaded with him possibly playing outside to help Roquan Smith and Patrick Queen dominate." — Iyer
Sporting News did not grade picks in rounds 4-7.
Bleacher Report
Grade for Cincinnati's pick of Murphy: A
The reason: "Cincinnati is already extremely talented at defensive end with Trey Hendrickson, Sam Hubbard, Joseph Ossai and Cam Sample. But the beauty of the Murphy selection is that he won't be rushed into a primary role at the onset of his career since he needs further development time and he can add to specific sub-packages at multiple different spots." — Brent Sobleski
Grade for New Orleans' pick of Bresee: B+
The reason: "Bresee can immediately bring some explosivity to the group and regularly collapse the pocket. Again, he needs to remain healthy, but he has the talent of a top-10 prospect in this class. The Saints are taking a chance, but it's one well worth it late in the first round." — Sobleski
Grade for Baltimore's pick of Simpson: A
The reason: "The Baltimore Ravens do it every time. The organization remains patient and lets the board come to them. In this case, they landed a top-three linebacker in this year's class after Simpson slid to a degree. The organization has yet to pick up Patrick Queen's fifth-year option, and Simpson could eventually be the linebacker starting next to Roquan Smith." — Sobleski
Grade for Washington's pick of Henry: C+
The reason: "Henry never managed more than 4.5 sacks in a season. Sacks aren't the only indicator of a quality pass-rusher, but he's a little further along as a run defender at this point. The Washington Commanders chose not to pick up Chase Young's fifth-year option prior to the start of the draft. While Young's future has yet to be decided, the team definitely needs to hedge its bet either way. Henry provides depth." — Sobleski
Grade for Chargers' pick of McFadden: C+
The reason: "A year ago, the Los Angeles Chargers took a sixth-round flier on offensive line prospect Jamaree Salyer. He left Georgia as a sawed-off left tackle projected at guard. Salyer was forced to start at left tackle with Rashawn Slater's season-ending biceps injury. Now, Salyer is expected to start at guard during his sophomore campaign. Clemson's Jordan McFadden brings a similar profile. He is 6'2" and 303 pounds. McFadden has the experience and length to play tackle in a pinch, but he'll ultimately end up at guard." — Sobleski
Grade for Rams' pick of Allen: C
The reason: "Clemson's Davis Allen provides another threat at the position alongside Tyler Higbee. Allen is a good receiver with soft hands. He's not much of an in-line presence, though. That's OK. Sean McVay will almost certainly find a way to utilize the near-6'6" target." — Sobleski
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Grades for every Clemson football player taken in 2023 NFL Draft
