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Best Clemson defensive ends: Da’Quan Bowers, Vic Beasley shone in Death Valley | Plus: T.J. Parker leads 2025 Tigers DEs season preview

Posted by Staff Report on July 30, 2025 | 4:13 PM

Jeff Bryant was a wrecking-ball on the 1981 national championship team with 19 tackles for loss and might have been overlooked on a defense filled with stars. He established the tone for the best Clemson defensive ends of the modern era.

Trevor Pryce played only one season with the program (and they say Clemson doesn’t take transfers!), but he made a big impact, which led to a pro career.

And then the position really became a focus with the play of Gaines Adams, who turned things over to Da’Quan Bowers, who turned things over to Vic Beasley, who turned things over to Shaq Lawson.

The most recent championships showcased a dominant defensive line, which featured Clelin Ferrell and Austin Bryant. And in their wake, Myles Murphy was a first-round draft pick even without gaudy sack totals.

Statistics: Who are the best-ever Clemson defensive ends?

Vic Beasley (2011-14) – First-team all-american, first-round draft pick, Career Sacks Leader (33), 52.5 tackles for loss (TFL)
Clelin Ferrell (2016-18) – First-team all-american, first-round draft pick, 27 sacks
Austin Bryant (2015-18) – First-team all-american, 153 tackles, 35 TFL, 20.0 sacks, 32 QB pressures
Da’Quan Bowers (2008-10) – First-team all-american, 179 tackles, 47 QB pressures, six PBU, Record nine straight games involved in a sack, 19.5 sacks for career
Gaines Adams (2003-06) – First-team all-american, first-round draft pick, 28 sacks, 168 tackles, 44.5 TFL
Jeff Bryant (1978-81) – First-round draft pick, 19 TFL for 1981 title team
Shaq Lawson (2013-15) – First-team all-american, first-round draft pick, 167 tackles, 46.5 TFL, 20 sacks, 29 QB pressures
Trevor Pryce (1996) – First-round draft pick, 20 TFL, 7.5 sacks in lone season at Clemson
Myles Murphy (2019-21) – First-round draft pick, 139 tackles, 37 TFL, 17.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, 6 PBU

Who are your favorites? Tell us in the comments at YouTube.com/ClemsonKickoff, and find us on social media @ClemsonKickoff!

2025 Clemson Football Season Previews with Best-All-Time Tigers by Position

Each podcast episode covers both the season preview and the best all-time Clemson Tigers at each position, while each blogs is shorter and only covers either the best ever or the 2025 preview. Here are all the links you could need!

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Best-ever Clemson defensive tackles include Dexter Lawrence, Christian Wilkins. Plus: Peter Woods leads Tigers DTs season preview for 2025

Posted by Staff Report on July 29, 2025 | 8:46 AM

Clemson has a long history of strong play by its best defensive tackles -– and there are many in those ranks -– from Archie Reese and Jim Stuckey to the Bruise Brothers (William Perry and William DeVane) to the terrific recent run of Christian Wilkins and Dexter Lawrence and Bryan Bresee. The middle of the Clemson defensive front during the modern era has been stout and talented, and they have carried that over to the next level too.

Michael Dean Perry might not be as famous as his older brother, but he had an outstanding career at Clemson and in the NFL – and outdid big bro’s numbers for their days as Tigers. Grady Jarrett might have been undersized and under-recruited, but was a star at Clemson and has been even more outstanding in the NFL. And don’t forget Chester McGlockton and Brentson Buckner.

The anchor of the Clemson defense has long been those defensive tackles.

For his junior season in 2025, Peter Woods returns to the interior of the defensive line in hopes of someday joining that list of greats. For more about the 2025 Clemson defensive tackles room, including Demonte Capehart, Vic Burley and Amare Adams, be sure to watch the podcast above.

Statistics: Who are the best Clemson defensive tackles?

Rob Bodine (1989-91) -– First-team All-American, 48 TFL (led nation with 27 as a senior in 1991).
Bryan Bresee (2020-22) –- First-round NFL draft pick, 15 TFL, 9 sacks.
Grady Jarrett (2011-14) -– 207 tackles, 29.5 TFL, 5.5 sacks, 37 QB pressures, one PBU, two caused fumbles, four recovered fumbles, 1,642 snaps.Chester McGlockton (1988-91) -- First-round NFL draft pick, 20.5 sacks.
Dexter Lawrence (2016-18) –- First-team All-American, first-round NFL draft pick, 162 tackles, 20 TFL, 11 sacks, 43 QB pressures.
William Perry (1981-84) –- First-round NFL draft pick, 25 sacks, 60 tackles for loss (TFL).
Michael Dean Perry (1984-87) -– First-team All-American, career TFL leader (61), 28 sacks.
Jim Stuckey (1976-79) –- First-round NFL draft pick, 18 sacks, 314 tackles.
Carlos Watkins (2012, 14-16) -– 191 tackles, 26 TFL, 14 sacks, 1 INT, 7 PBU.
Christian Wilkins (2015-18) –- First-team All-American, first-round NFL draft pick, career Snaps by DL leader (2,441), career PBU by DL leader (16), 250 tackles, 41 TFL, 16 sacks, 56 QB pressures.

Who are your favorites? Tell us in the comments at YouTube.com/ClemsonKickoff, and find us on social media @ClemsonKickoff

2025 Clemson Football Season Previews with Best-All-Time Tigers by Position

Clemson Defensive Tackles

Podcast, https://youtu.be/G7BSHStxmBA

Blog, Clemson’s best of all time: https://clemsonkickoff.com/news/best-clemson-defensive-tackles-2025-season-preview

Blog, 2025 quick-look preview, https://clemsonkickoff.com/news/peter-woods-demonte-capehart-power-clemsons-defensive-tackles-in-2025-quick-look

Clemson Defensive Ends

Podcast, https://youtu.be/kO_I18rNt_I

Blog, Clemson’s best of all time: https://clemsonkickoff.com/news/best-clemson-defensive-ends-daquan-bowers-vic-beasley-shone-in-death-valley-plus-t.j.-parker-leads-2025-tigers-des-season-preview

Blog, 2025 quick-look preview, https://clemsonkickoff.com/news/t.j.-parker-forges-clemson-defensive-ends-path-ahead-quick-look

Clemson Linebackers

Podcast, https://youtu.be/c8S1Ib1IFQk

Blog, Clemson’s best of all time: https://clemsonkickoff.com/news/levon-kirkland-jeff-davis-best-ever-clemson-linebackers-plus-tigers-2025-lbs-preview-includes-sammy-brown

Blog, 2025 quick-look preview, https://clemsonkickoff.com/news/sammy-brown-wade-woodaz-pace-clemson-linebackers-in-2025-quick-look

Clemson Safeties

Podcast, https://youtu.be/3qHwV1cCt84

Blog, Clemson’s best of all time: https://clemsonkickoff.com/news/best-ever-clemson-safeties-brian-dawkins-set-standard-chased-by-others-including-khalil-barnes-in-2025

Blog, 2025 quick-look preview, https://clemsonkickoff.com/news/khalil-barnes-keys-clemsons-safeties-in-2025-quick-look

Clemson Cornerbacks

Podcast: https://youtu.be/gaSVwe_ueZM

Blog, Clemson’s best of all time: https://clemsonkickoff.com/news/best-clemson-cornerbacks-and-tigers-2025-season-preview

Blog, 2025 quick-look preview, https://clemsonkickoff.com/news/avieon-terrell-ashton-hampton-lead-clemson-cornerbacks-in-2025

Clemson Wide Receivers

Podcast, https://youtu.be/s0mQ70__Bq4

Blog, Clemson’s best of all time: https://clemsonkickoff.com/news/clemson-wide-receivers-2025-preview-tigers-wr-best-all-timer

Blog, 2025 quick-look preview, https://clemsonkickoff.com/news/clemson-wide-receiver-room-boasts-bryant-wesco-antonio-williams-t.j.-moore-and-more-in-2025-quick-look

Clemson Tight Ends

Podcast, https://youtu.be/5GS6EKIMhag

Blog, Clemson’s best of all time: https://clemsonkickoff.com/news/clemson-tight-ends-all-time-bennie-cunningham-dwayne-allen-tigers-2025-te-preview

Blog, 2025 quick-look preview, https://clemsonkickoff.com/news/olsen-patt-henry-steers-clemsons-tight-ends-in-2025-quick-look

Clemson Offensive Line

Podcast, https://youtu.be/pqoXa9D_LZA

Blog, Clemson’s best of all time: https://clemsonkickoff.com/news/best-ever-clemson-offensive-linemen-john-simpson-joe-bostic-plus-tigers-2025-season-preview

Blog, 2025 quick-look preview, https://clemsonkickoff.com/news/blake-miller-tristan-leigh-bookend-clemson-offensive-line-in-2025

Clemson Running Backs

Podcast, https://youtu.be/GTkz93TxyGI

Blog, Clemson’s best of all time: https://clemsonkickoff.com/news/best-clemson-running-backs-travis-etienne-will-shipley-followed-footsteps-of-c.j.-spiller-terry-allen-many-more

Blog, 2025 quick-look preview, https://clemsonkickoff.com/news/adam-randall-sparks-clemson-running-backs-in-2025-quick-look

Clemson Quarterbacks

Podcast, https://youtu.be/d2fX1Gs1oVg

Blog, Clemson’s best of all time: https://clemsonkickoff.com/news/best-clemson-quarterbacks-all-time-and-tigers-2025-qbs-preview

Blog, 2025 quick-look preview, https://clemsonkickoff.com/news/clemson-quarterback-cade-klubnik-critical-to-tigers-2025-quick-look

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Tags: Reign Supreme Alway podcast

Clemson, FSU could benefit from ACC realignment’s undercurrent of a TV rivalry

Posted by Staff Report on September 23, 2024 | 8:14 PM

Amid lawsuits and widespread speculation, TV stands as the stealth factor while ACC leaders and the conference’s school presidents decide how to handle Clemson and Florida State in a way that can placate all parties.

As we’ve discussed on the Reign Supreme Alway podcast, it’s hard to ignore the strong potential that Fox wants into Southern markets in a significant way — and that the network would make that financially worthwhile for the Big Ten.

Why is Fox even relevant, though, when the ACC is under contract with ESPN (where Clemson will kickoff against Florida State on Oct. 5 at either 7 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. ET)?

Because the two schools with the conference’s biggest viewerships want out badly enough that they are paying lawyers to try to make it happen. The legal back-and-forth makes the conference unstable — and creates a shaky future at a time when ESPN has the ability to simply forgo its broadcast rights and walk away.

The potential early end of ESPN’s contract serves as a driving force while ACC officials offer up uneven revenue distribution as a means to settling lawsuits between the conference and two of its biggest brands. A plan that gives high-viewership teams such as Clemson and FSU much higher annual payouts, and gets them significantly closer to the massive amounts earned by Big Ten and SEC teams, can give ESPN the stability it wants in a broadcast property worth $42 million a year. The network needs to be sure its investment stands protected. Because an ACC that lacks Clemson and FSU should the two schools win in court (not to mention any others who might then follow) lacks a significant percentage of relevant viewership that can be sold to broadcasters’ advertising clients.

Virginia Tech, Pitt and N.C. State just can’t carry that load without teams like Clemson and FSU on their schedules. ESPN knows that.

It’s easy to wonder what the thinking is like for presidents and chancellors of schools such as that middle-of-the-road trio, as they face the prospect of casting a vote to accept a smaller piece of the ACC pie.

Let’s lay out some of the possible outcomes if the ACC were to crack apart, driven behind the scenes by Fox licking its chops to try to expand the Big Ten into the South as a truly nationwide superconference.

Fox would want Clemson, FSU and UNC for eyeballs … aka ratings … driven by a mix of generally solid competition (or at least intrigue), loyal fan bases and valuable reach into multiple solid media markets.

It’d want Georgia Tech and Louisville for new-to-B1G geography and occasional upcycles of strong competition.

Then … Maybe Va. Tech? Maybe Pitt? Maybe N.C. State is able to stay connected alongside UNC for a move? Or do those schools end up in the American or MAC making, say, about $35 million less in TV money per year?

So, do schools in that position blink and decide they’re better off accepting a $10 million, $12 million cut (or more) in TV money after all? How confident could Louisville’s thinking be as it sits in the 58th largest media market? Or Va. Tech, more than two hours from 51st-largest Richmond?

If ESPN declines the broadcast option in its ACC contract, all of that moves squarely into consideration. Thus, the conference needs to keep ESPN happy more now than ever before. This significantly motivates the resurfacing talks of uneven revenue distribution.

It’s important to know the numbers behind the points that have been referenced above.

First, here’s a look at the top 10 ACC football programs ranked by their TV ratings, weighted to lessen being skewed by an unusually strong opponent and more accurately reflect their ability to draw viewers week in and week out:

Clemson
Florida State
Miami
Louisville
Virginia Tech
North Carolina
Stanford
Pitt
N.C. State
Georgia Tech

From 2016-2023, in numbers curated by strategy and analytics consultant Tony Altimore using data from Sports Media Watch, Clemson rode the strength of its last five playoff appearances to draw 142 million viewers, not counting its four strongest opponents. FSU was the only other ACC team to draw more than 100 million viewers by that standard. Miami topped the 70 million mark, while the rest ranged from 47 million for Louisville to 25 million for Georgia Tech – effectively 1/3 of Clemson’s total or substantially less.

With that in mind, here’s a look at the biggest media markets, meaning populations of at least 1 million, in the home states of those 10 top-drawing ACC universities who don’t have a Big Ten university in their state:

Atlanta (7th-largest nationally)
Miami (11th)
Tampa (16th)
Charlotte (20th)
Orlando (30th)
Raleigh-Durham (35th)
Jacksonville (44th)
Greensboro (47th)
West Palm Beach (48th)
Fort Myers-Naples (54th)
Greenville-Spartanburg (57th)
Louisville (58th)

Clearly, Florida State’s media presence carries importance, even in a down season. Make no mistake, the size of its alumni base means FSU can carry South Florida markets on its own. As for Clemson, try driving around Atlanta or North Carolina for a day without seeing an orange paw tilted to 1 o’clock. Greenville can’t keep all of Clemson’s grads employed where the Blue Ridge yawns its greatness, so the alumni base spreads out.

A conference moving into Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina for the first time would gain a foothold in 11 markets of 1 million or more viewers age 12 and up – with five of them above 2 million.

Also consider UCLA’s string of five straight losing seasons from 2016-2020 and realize that teams’ current stretches of success or failure on the field really isn’t much of a factor for either the Big Ten or SEC as their TV partners look to grow the conferences. Further, consider that schools such as Northwestern and Vanderbilt haven’t been given the boot yet.

So a couple of “whys” become readily apparent — why Clemson, FSU and UNC top the widely reported wish lists of the Big Ten or the SEC; and why Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech and Louisville can earn best-of-the-rest billing, especially for Fox and therefore the Big Ten.

A national live broadcast property is a strikingly valuable thing, as evidenced by the NBA’s recent TV deal, which on a yearly basis will be worth nearly 7 times what the Big Ten and SEC are making.

-- See our past discussion of TV networks’ role in potential ACC realignment (blog continues below):

Months before the NBA deal emerged, Bill and Daniel discussed the importance of Fox lacking Southern markets on its air and how that could turn into a rivalry battle with ESPN for top ACC schools’ athletic programs — as well as why broadcast markets will still matter to networks for a while longer.

Maybe a broken ACC without its top draws could still manage to bring in more annual revenue than the AAC’s reported $8 million to $9 million per team — a payout cited during SMU’s move to the ACC, and a figure so small that Mustangs boosters volunteered to cover it so the program could ascend into the Power 4 conferences. But keep in mind, the ACC deal with ESPN is driven by factors that vary from year to year, including ACC Network revenue.

As for ESPN, the network’s decision over its future with the ACC surely is impacted to some degree by wanting to keep Fox away from its markets. But it likely is more focused on regaining certainty from the conference’s most-viewed members before coughing up the third-highest price in college sports to keep the ACC on its air. If the ESPN deal vanishes, the ACC quickly splinters much like the Pac-12 did.

That takes us back to the potential outcomes of a vote among the 18 ACC presidents and chancellors (yes, Notre Dame gets a vote somehow) regarding uneven payouts in the conference.

Several school leaders who have been making truckloads of money on the shoulders of ratings prowess from Clemson, FSU, Miami and others? They surely don’t like giving away, say, $12 million to their lead dogs. But they now must come to the realization that dropping down to a hypothetical $30 million annually from the ACC beats settling for $10 million or less from the American – or even just a fraction of that from the MAC or Sun Belt.

Some have said for months now to just let Clemson and FSU walk, and good luck finding a spot because the Big Ten and SEC have said they aren’t looking to add anybody else. That’s a short-sighted stance. What else would those conferences publicly say right now? They don’t want to harm the stature of their current product or potentially draw a tampering lawsuit. Their tunes will very likely change should the most-viewed ACC schools become available.

That’s the picture that drives realignment right now. If the people in charge at ACC schools with low viewerships will not let their egos give way to the needs of the TV partners who market their product, their programs’ revenue will plummet and their student athletes’ livelihoods will be greatly altered — not to mention those execs’ own salaries will be at significant risk.

Hard to say how this will go.

Like it or not, FSU’s overall stature isn’t harmed by its 1-3 start and Clemson’s long-term attractiveness isn’t undone by its disastrous second half against Georgia. The future of the ACC hinges on the money they generate, and the avenues to bringing it in.

Sources:

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Best Clemson defensive ends: Da’Quan Bowers, Vic Beasley shone in Death Valley | Plus: T.J. Parker leads 2025 Tigers DEs season preview

Statistics: Who are the best-ever Clemson defensive ends?

2025 Clemson Football Season Previews with Best-All-Time Tigers by Position

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Best-ever Clemson defensive tackles include Dexter Lawrence, Christian Wilkins. Plus: Peter Woods leads Tigers DTs season preview for 2025

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Clemson Defensive Tackles

Clemson Defensive Ends

Clemson Linebackers

Clemson Safeties

Clemson Cornerbacks

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Clemson Tight Ends

Clemson Offensive Line

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Clemson Quarterbacks

Clemson, FSU could benefit from ACC realignment’s undercurrent of a TV rivalry