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Clemson's footprint on the NFL was yet again stated to the public as three former Tigers were named to All-PFF era teams for the last 20 years, with Tee Higgins and D.J. Reader earning spots on the Cincinnati Bengals’ team and Christian Wilkins landing on the Miami Dolphins’ list.
For Clemson fans, Cincinnati has basically become one of the NFL’s orange-and-purple satellite campuses. Higgins is still one of the Bengals’ top offensive pieces, while Reader gave the franchise high-level interior defensive line play during his time there.
Higgins is coming off his first Pro Bowl selection after catching 59 passes for 846 yards and a career-high 11 touchdowns in 15 games. His touchdown total led all AFC players and tied for second in the NFL. He also had a career-long streak of four straight games with a touchdown catch from Week 7 through Week 11.
PFF gave Higgins the final receiver spot over Bengals legend Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, pointing to Higgins’ route volume, higher receiving grade and touchdown edge during the PFF era. Higgins has already posted four seasons with a PFF grade of 80.1 or higher, including an 88.2 mark in 2024.
Reader earned his spot after becoming one of the most dependable interior defenders in Cincinnati. After finishing his final season in Houston with an 85.4 PFF grade, Reader followed it with three straight seasons of 79.5 or better from 2021-23. His best Bengals mark came in 2022, when he posted an 85.2 grade.
Cincinnati’s Clemson connection has only grown since. The Bengals traded for former Clemson defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence this offseason, adding him to a roster that already includes Higgins, Myles Murphy and Barrett Carter. Reader, meanwhile, signed with the New York Giants, where he helps fill the hole Lawrence left in the middle.
Wilkins gave Clemson another former defensive lineman on an AFC All-PFF era team. The former 2019 first-round pick became a centerpiece of Miami’s defense, posting PFF grades of 83.3 in 2021 and 82.2 in 2022. He closed his Dolphins tenure with a 61-pressure season, 40 solo tackles and the kind of disruptive interior play that made him one of Clemson’s best defensive players before his NFL career began.
Wilkins is currently a free agent after dealing with a lingering preseason injury in 2025 and being released by the Las Vegas Raiders, but his Miami run was still strong enough to land him on the Dolphins’ All-PFF era team.
Higgins, Reader and Wilkins making these lists is not just a nice Clemson note. It is another reminder of how well some of the program’s best players have translated to the NFL, especially at receiver and along the defensive front.
Contact us @Clemson_Wire on X, and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news and notes, plus opinions.
This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Clemson stars show up across AFC All-PFF era teams
Continue reading...
For Clemson fans, Cincinnati has basically become one of the NFL’s orange-and-purple satellite campuses. Higgins is still one of the Bengals’ top offensive pieces, while Reader gave the franchise high-level interior defensive line play during his time there.
Higgins is coming off his first Pro Bowl selection after catching 59 passes for 846 yards and a career-high 11 touchdowns in 15 games. His touchdown total led all AFC players and tied for second in the NFL. He also had a career-long streak of four straight games with a touchdown catch from Week 7 through Week 11.
PFF gave Higgins the final receiver spot over Bengals legend Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, pointing to Higgins’ route volume, higher receiving grade and touchdown edge during the PFF era. Higgins has already posted four seasons with a PFF grade of 80.1 or higher, including an 88.2 mark in 2024.
Reader earned his spot after becoming one of the most dependable interior defenders in Cincinnati. After finishing his final season in Houston with an 85.4 PFF grade, Reader followed it with three straight seasons of 79.5 or better from 2021-23. His best Bengals mark came in 2022, when he posted an 85.2 grade.
Cincinnati’s Clemson connection has only grown since. The Bengals traded for former Clemson defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence this offseason, adding him to a roster that already includes Higgins, Myles Murphy and Barrett Carter. Reader, meanwhile, signed with the New York Giants, where he helps fill the hole Lawrence left in the middle.
INCOMING Wilkins gave Clemson another former defensive lineman on an AFC All-PFF era team. The former 2019 first-round pick became a centerpiece of Miami’s defense, posting PFF grades of 83.3 in 2021 and 82.2 in 2022. He closed his Dolphins tenure with a 61-pressure season, 40 solo tackles and the kind of disruptive interior play that made him one of Clemson’s best defensive players before his NFL career began.
Wilkins is currently a free agent after dealing with a lingering preseason injury in 2025 and being released by the Las Vegas Raiders, but his Miami run was still strong enough to land him on the Dolphins’ All-PFF era team.
Higgins, Reader and Wilkins making these lists is not just a nice Clemson note. It is another reminder of how well some of the program’s best players have translated to the NFL, especially at receiver and along the defensive front.
Contact us @Clemson_Wire on X, and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news and notes, plus opinions.
This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Clemson stars show up across AFC All-PFF era teams
Continue reading...
