Clemson Linebacker Heading to NFL

Trenton Simpson says he will forgo his senior year at Clemson and will enter the 2023 NFL Draft

CLEMSON, S.C. -- Linebacker Trenton Simpson has played his last game at Clemson.

Simpson told ESPN's Pete Thamel he will forgo his senior season at Clemson and will put his name into the 2023 NFL Draft pool.

On Tuesday, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said Simpson was not going to play in the Orange Bowl on Dec. 30 against No. 6 Tennessee because of an ankle injury he reinjured in the ACC Championship win over North Carolina on Dec. 3.

According to Swinney, Simpson plans to be with his teammates at the Orange Bowl, though he can't play. 

Simpson is rated as one of the top inside linebackers in the country heading into the draft. ESPN's Mel Kiper, Jr., ranks him as the third highest rated inside backer on his board.

Thamel reported an NFL scout projects Simpson as a first-round pick because he is physical, aggressive and instinctive.

"It's definitely a dream come true. Me and my family all talked, and I was able to sit down with my coaches," Simpson told ESPN. "I felt like this was what's best for me. I worked my whole life for this opportunity."

Simpson finishes his Clemson career with 183 tackles, 22.5 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and six passes defended. This past year, he ranked second on the team with 73 tackles.

In 2021, Simpson had 78 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and six sacks. The 6-foot-3, 225-pound linebacker said he will train at EXOS in Dallas after the Orange Bowl. 

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