Former Clemson Players On NFL Rosters

July 20, 2006

Clemson, SC – Twenty-five former Clemson football players are listed on NFL rosters heading into the preseason camps. Most of the camps start this weekend, leading towards the opening of the NFL season the weekend of September 9.

Leading the way in terms of experience is Chris Gardocki, the punter with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who is in his 16th year in the NFL. He won his first Super Bowl Championship ring last year with the Steelers. Brian Dawkins has completed 10 seasons in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles, including five years in which he has been chosen to the Pro Bowl.

Trevor Pryce is a third former Tiger with double digits years of experience. Now in his 10th year, Pryce is now with the Baltimore Ravens after nine seasons with the Denver Broncos. Pryce, an All-ACC defensive tackle at Clemson in 1996, has been named to the Pro Bowl four times and has two Super Bowl Championship rings.

Anthony Simmons is another veteran of the NFL who had an All-America career at Clemson. Simmons missed last season due to injury and is now with the New Orleans Saints.

The 25 former Tigers are on 21 different NFL teams. Three are with the Oakland Raiders, while two each are with Seattle and two with the Atlanta Falcons. There are 14 former Clemson players on rosters who are defensive players, nine on offense and one on special teams. Six of the players (Keith Adams, Brian Dawkins, Chris Gardocki, LeRoy Hill, Justin Miller and Trevor Pryce) were considered starters during the 2005 season.

The list includes five players who were members of Clemson’s 2005 team. Tye Hill is a cornerback with St. Louis after he was chosen in the first round, the 15th pick of the draft. Charlie Whitehurst is in camp with the San Diego Chargers after he was drafted in the third round, and Charles Bennett is with Tampa Bay after he was chosen in the seventh round. Steven Jackson (Minnesota) and Jamaal Fudge (Jacksonville) are two members of the 2005 Clemson team who are still on NFL rosters after signing free agent contracts.

The list of former Tigers going to camps could increase in the next few weeks. Four former Tigers who played in the NFL in 2005 are free agents, but have not yet signed with a team. The list included 12-year NFL veteran Brentson Buckner, who was with the Carolina Panthers last year, cornerback Dexter McCleon, tight end Lamont Hall and cornerback Antuan Edwards.

No	Name	Pos	Yrs	CU Years	Team
50	Keith Adams	LB	4	1998-00	Carolina Panthers
93	Charles Bennett	LB	R	2002-05	Tampa Bay Bucs
17	Airese Currie	WR	1	2001-04	Chicago Bears
20	Brian Dawkins	SS	10	1992-95	Philadelphia Eagles
98	Nick Eason	DT	2	1998-01	Cleveland Browns
42	Jamaal Fudge	FS	R	2002-05	Jacksonville Jaguars
82	Rod Gardner	WR	5	1997-00	Green Bay Packers
17	Chris Gardocki	P	15	1988-90	Pittsburgh Steelers
84	Ben Hall	TE	1	2001-04	Arizona Cardinals
88	Derrick Hamilton	WR	2	2000-03	San Francisco 49ers
66	William Henry	OG	1	2000-03	Seattle Seahawks
56	LeRoy Hill	LB	1	2001-04	Seattle Seahawks
31	Tye Hill	CB	R	2002-05	St. Louis Rams
71	Corey Hulsey	OG	5	1996-98	Oakland Raiders
33	Steven Jackson	FB	R	2003-05	Minnesota Vikings
90	Vontrell Jamison	DE	1	2002-04	Dallas Cowboys
53	John Leake	LB	1	2001-04	Atlanta Falcons
98	Bryant McNeal	LB	1	1999-02	Oakland Raiders
22	Justin Miller	CB	1	2002-04	New York Jets
90	Trevor Pryce	DE	9	1996	Baltimore Ravens
50	Anthony Simmons	LB	7	1995-97	New Orleans Saints
95	Khaleed Vaughn	DE	2	2000-03	Denver Broncos
95	Donnell Washington	DT	3	2001-03	Oakland Raiders
6	Charlie Whitehurst	QB	R	2002-05	San Diego Chargers
17	Kevin Youngblood	WR	1	2000-03	Atlanta Falcons

Former Clemson Players who played in the NFL last Year who are unsigned free agents at the current time:

No	Name	Pos	NFL	CU Years	Team
22	Dexter McCleon	CB	9	1993-96	Kansas City Chiefs
99	Brentson Buckner	DT	12	1990-93	Carolina Panthers
89	Lamont Hall	TE	5	1994-97	New Orleans Saints
24	Antuan Edwards	CB	7	1995-98	Atlanta Falcons