Clemson DT Nyles Pinckney Grateful For Extra Year Of Eligibility
After Clemson's loss to L.S.U. in the national title game last season, Tigers defensive tackle Nyles Pinckney had a decision to make. He could enter the NFL Draft, or either return to Clemson for one more season as a fifth-year senior.
Pinckney earned third team All-ACC honors last season after totaling 27 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, a sack, and a fumble recovery in 2019. However, a late season ankle injury that required surgery had him spending most of the offseason rehabbing instead of focusing on improving his play on the field and getting ready for the draft.
"I had surgery over the offseason to make my ankle better, and it was a long process," Pinckney said on Tuesday. "I was in a boot for probably six to eight weeks. I had to kind of learn how to walk again by walking a different way because I was in a boot for so long."
The NCAA's decision to grant an extra year of eligibility to all college football players, whether they play this season or not, means Pinckney could possibly find himself in a similar position of having to make a decision at the conclusion of this season.
For now though, Pinckney is fully healthy and has turned his attention towards the coming season. He feels like he can be better that what he was last season and is hoping to use his fifth year to solidify himself as a pick in the next NFL Draft.
"I want for myself the best situation," Pinckney said. "I'm trying to get better each and every day...every day. Last year I feel like I didn't play that well and I'm grateful for my fifth year."
However, knowing he has that extra year in his back pocket kind of serves as a security blanket for Pinckney. Football players are at risk every time they step on the field and after the way last season ended, Pinckney knows all to well how quickly things can go from good to bad.
"It's a great opportunity, very efficient for the NCAA especially in a year like this," Pinckney said. "Because anything can happen. We can start the season, and knock on wood, hopefully not, they can cut it short because of to many cases, or something happens. So it's kind of a situation where I think about it here and there. I know I want to go to the next level, but if I feel like I need another opportunity, I got that year to use."
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