Clemson's 10 Best: Top Linebackers in Program History
Today's installment of Clemson's best players ranks the 10 best linebackers in Tiger football history.
Before the modern days of high-octane offenses in Death Valley, Clemson was historically recognized as a more defensive team.
Through that reputation, the Tigers have produced several noteworthy defensive players through the years including several at the linebacker position.
Sometimes referred to as the quarterback of the defense, linebackers are often the glue that helps keep the defense together. The importance of a quality linebacker to a team's overall success is quite evident in today's list as all three of Clemson's National Championship teams are represented in the ten best linebackers in program history.
10. Dorian O'Daniel (2014-2017)
O'Daniel certainly saved his best season for his last, emerging as one of the country's top linebackers in 2017. He capped his career with 227 tackles, 28 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, three interceptions (two returned for touchdowns), caused two fumbles and recovered two fumbles through 1,456 snaps in his career. O'Daniel was a first-team All-American and one of five finalists for the Dick Butkus Award. He was drafted in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft and won Super Bowl LIV with the Kansas City Chiefs.
9. Stephone Anthony (2011-2014)
Anthony tallied 330 tackles, 34.5 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, three interceptions, caused five fumbles and recorded one fumble recovery. He earned first-team All ACC honors his senior season in 2014. His interception in the 2014 Orange Bowl against Ohio State thwarted a late Buckeye drive and sealed the 40-35 win for the Tigers.
8. Ben Boulware (2013-2016)
The nearby T.L. Hanna (Anderson, S.C.) High School product was a two-year starter for the Tigers and posted 352 tackles, 26 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, five interceptions and caused six fumbles in his career. He tallied 10 tackles in the national championship win over Alabama which led to Defensive MVP honors. He is remembered for his hit on a goal-line stand against Notre Dame in 2015 as well as a 46-yard, pick-six against Oklahoma in the 2014 Russell Athletic Bowl.
7. Wayne Simmons (1989-1992)
Simmons was a four-year player at Clemson logging 45 career games and 206 tackles. As a rookie in 1989, he posted a career-high 59 tackles. He had 36 career tackles for loss and 19 sacks. He's fondly remembered for this 73-yard interception touchdown return in Clemson's 34-23 win at Florida State in 1989. The Hilton Head, S.C., native was the 15th overall pick of the 1993 NFL Draft for the Green Bay Packers. Simmons passed away in 2002 from injuries sustained in a single-vehicle accident near Kansas City. He was 32 years old.
6. Ed McDaniel (1988-1991)
McDaniel was teammates with former Tiger great Levon Kirkland. McDaniel notched 389 career stops including 30 tackles for loss, 10 forced fumbles, 14 pass breakups, and one interception during his college career. McDaniel led the Tigers in tackles in 1988, 1989, and 1991 — earning first-team All-American honors his senior season. He went to play 10 years with the Minnesota Vikings, earning a Pro Bowl bid in 1998.
5. Keith Adams (1998-2000)
Adams was a three-year letterman for the Tigers from 1998-2000. A finalist for the Dick Butkus award, he led Clemson in tackles, tackles for loss and sacks in 1999 and 2000. His record of 19 sacks in 1999 is still a program-best for a single season. Adams was a two-time All American and earned the ACC's Defensive Player of the Year award in 1999. As a pro, he played in 85 games recording 169 career tackles.
4. Jeff Davis (1978-1981)
Nicknamed "The Judge" Jeff Davis was an anchor for Clemson's 1981 national championship defense. The senior paced the Tigers with 14 tackles to earn Defensive MVP honors for the 1982 Orange Bowl. He was a first-team All American and the ACC's player of the year in 1981. He finished his career with 469 tackles including 179 during the 1981 season. Davis still holds the Clemson career record for caused fumbles (10) and recovered fumbles (8) and his 24 tackles against North Carolina in 1980 are second-most in school history.
3. Levon Kirkland (1988-1991)
A recent Ring of Honor inductee, Kirkland finished his career with 273 tackles, 19 sacks and 40 tackles for loss. The Tigers won a pair of ACC Championships during his career and Kirkland was a 1991 All-American and 1989 Gator Bowl MVP as a Clemson linebacker. The Tigers were 39-8-1 record over his four years as a starter. Kirkland went on to have a very successful pro career with the Pittsburgh Steelers where he was All-Pro and Steelers MVP twice through nine seasons. He notched 1,023 tackles, 19.5 sacks and caused 16 fumbles in 11 seasons overall in the league.
2. Isaiah Simmons (2017-2019)
The most versatile defender in school history, Simmons played significant snaps at linebacker, safety, and cornerback during his three years at Clemson. Finished his college career with 253 tackles (28.5 tackles for loss), 10.5 sacks, 22 pass breakups, five forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and four interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown. In 2019, Simmons was the Butkus Award winner and ACC Defensive Player of the Year. He was the 8th overall pick of the 2020 NFL draft to the Arizona Cardinals.
1. Anthony Simmons (1995-1997)
In the late 1990s, Simmons joined Clemson legend William Perry as the second ACC player to be named AP All-American recognition three years in a row. In his three years before jumping off to the NFL, Simmons was responsible for 486 tackles and 52 tackles for loss. As a rookie, he became the league's first true freshman to earn Associated Press All-America honors as an offensive or defensive player. Led in the ACC in tackles per game in 1996 as a sophomore. He was a consensus All-American and one of 10 finalists for the Butkus award his junior year.
