Jordan Leggett was immortalized as a Clemson football icon when he hauled in an incredible catch to help set up the Tigers’ game-winning touchdown in the National Championship last month, but in reality he earned the label long before that, producing the most impressive career by a tight end in program history. Now set to take his talents to the professional stage, Leggett has all of the makings of becoming a great NFL tight end.
The ultimate matchup problem, Leggett is a 6-5, 260-pound tight end with the athleticism and hands of a wide receiver. Consistently going tit for tat with wideout Mike Williams this past season in terms of catch difficulty, Leggett served as quarterback Deshaun Watson’s most reliable target on late-game drives, punctuated by his clutch grab in the national title game.
Leggett joined the Tigers after a decorated prep career at Navarre High School in Florida. After joining the Tigers, Leggett gradually earned his keep in a pass-catching unit stacked with stars and solidified himself as one of the top tight ends in the country during his junior season.
A two-time finalist for the John Mackey Award, which is presented annually to the top tight end in FBS, Leggett was arguably the X-factor behind Clemson’s dominant offenses in 2015 and 2016. This past season, en route to being named First Team All-ACC, Leggett hauled in 46 receptions for 736 yards and seven touchdowns. A seemingly unstoppable force downfield in crunch time, Leggett frequently made big plays late in close games, garnering a reputation as a clutch performer.
He finished his college career as the all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns by a Clemson tight end, making an indelible mark on the illustrious history of stellar offensive playmakers to suit up for the Tigers. Opting to return to Clemson after having a definitive chance of hearing his name called in the early rounds of the 2016 NFL Draft, Leggett chose to pursue fulfilling unfinished business at the college level and certainly did so by helping lead the Tigers to national championship glory.
Leggett is not a prototypical tight end, but that is what makes him such an enthralling prospect. Resembling future Hall of Famer Antonio Gates in build and playing style, Leggett boasts an uncanny catch radius and a route-running prowess befitting more so of a slot receiver than a towering tight end.
Jordan Leggett never ceased to amaze as a collegian and hopes to continue to impress throughout the course of his pre-draft workouts, which could directly improve his draft stock. A tight end with the size of a small forward and the intangibles of a wide receiver is a precious commodity in today’s offensive-oriented NFL, meaning that Leggett should be able to mesh with any team that opts to select him in April’s draft. With a lengthy college highlight reel to support his cause, he should be expected to succeed at the next level. A game-changer in every sense, Leggett is quite the talent and is primed to catch on in the NFL, as he has already made it known that catching is, without a doubt, his forte.
April 25, 2024
