Christian Wilkins

DT, DE · Clemson
It is not often that a player is voted a Freshman All-American and a year later is asked to switch positions but that is precisely what the Clemson Tigers did with Wilkins, a testament not only to his unique talent but the remarkable depth which has led the team to playoff berths the past three consecutive seasons. The fact is, at 6-3, 300 pounds Wilkins looks the part of an everyday defensive tackle. His initial quickness, agility, instincts and unrelenting motor, however, are more common among defensive ends, where Wilkins earned All-American honors again in 2016 only to move back inside as a junior. Wilkins signed with Clemson as one of the more highly regarded prep prospects in the country and immediately lived up to his billing, recording an eye-popping 84 tackles, including 4.5 for loss and two sacks despite only starting one of 15 games as a true freshman. He was at his best with the spotlight shined brightest, including against Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl, recording 10 tackles in just 35 snaps on defense and catching a 31-yard pass on a fake punt. Not surprisingly, Wilkins earned Freshman All-American honors by many publications and was being bandied about as a future star defensive tackle. As such it was the more surprising when Wilkins was slid outside to defensive end in 2016. Just as before, however, Wilkins was up to the task. Though his tackle numbers dropped (56), Wilkins improved in the big play department, recording 13 tackles for loss and three sacks while leading the Tigers with 20 quarterback hurries. He also set a new school record for defensive ends with 10 passes broken up. Wilkins again earned All-American nods and was one of three finalists for the Bronko Nagurski Award as the nation's top defensive lineman. Despite being moved back inside and emerging as the focus of most opponents' blocking schemes in 2017, Wilkins recorded a solid 47 tackles over the regular season, including 8.5 tackles for loss and a career-high 4.5 sacks, leading the Tigers once again to an ACC crown and berth in the playoffs. BACKGROUND Wilkins signed with Clemson as one of the top 40 ranked prep prospects in the country by recruiting experts and almost universally regarded as the top talent out of the state of Connecticut. The footwork that makes Wilkins such a unique defensive tackle dates back to his days on the basketball court. Besides starring on the gridiron, Wilkins was a four-year letterman in basketball who averaged 19.9 points and 11.8 rebounds per game as a junior.