D.J. Reader

Longtime backup at defensive tackle who found his way into the starting lineup as a senior en route to a lengthy NFL career … finished career with 145 tackles, nine tackles for loss, five sacks and 24 quarterback pressures in 1,087 snaps over 46 games (10 starts) in his career … became the second Tiger to letter on top-25 football and baseball teams in one academic year (2012-13) since 1994-95 (Kyle Parker (2009-10) is the other) … played in the 2016 Senior Bowl.

2015: Permanent team co-captain … finished season with 35 tackles and three quarterback pressures in 259 snaps over nine games (six starts) … returned to action after a personal leave of absence at Miami, and did so in fine fashion … logged 17 snaps, and had seven tackles … played 28 snaps and graded 84 percent in win over NC State … had five tackles and earned first start of the season against Florida State … posted four tackles against North Carolina … had great game against Oklahoma in the Capital One Orange Bowl, where he contributed 1.5 tackles for loss and half a sack against the Sooners … posted four tackles in National Championship Game vs. Alabama, earning a share of defensive player-of-the-game honors from coaches along with Kevin Dodd.

2014: Had 27 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and 10 quarterback pressures in 250 snaps over 12 games (one start) … had five tackles and 0.5 tackles for loss in 23 snaps at No. 12 Georgia on Aug. 30 … had five tackles in 22 snaps at No. 1 Florida State on Sept. 20 … had three tackles and two quarterback pressures in 23 snaps against Syracuse on Oct. 25; also played one snap on offense … had three tackles, 0.5 sacks and a team-tying-high three quarterback pressures in 25 snaps at Wake Forest on Nov. 6; also played one snap on offense … had three tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and one sack in 22 snaps against South Carolina on Nov. 29 … had two quarterback pressures in 21 snaps against No. 24 Oklahoma in the Russell Athletic Bowl on Dec. 29.

2013: Had 43 tackles, five tackles for loss, three sacks and eight quarterback pressures in 342 snaps over 13 games (three starts) … played four snaps on offense … had five tackles and 0.5 tackles for loss in 33 snaps against SC State on Sept. 7 … had five tackles and 0.5 tackles for loss in 26 snaps against Wake Forest on Sept. 28; also played one snap on offense … had four tackles and his first career sack in 29 snaps at Syracuse on Oct. 5; also played one snap on offense … had one tackle and two quarterback pressures in 28 snaps against Boston College on Oct. 12; also played one snap on offense … had two tackles and one sack in 37 snaps against No. 5 Florida State on Oct. 19 … had five tackles in 32 snaps at Maryland on Oct. 26; it was his first career start … had four tackles, a team-high two tackles for loss and one sack in 24 snaps at Virginia on Nov. 2; also played one snap on offense … had two tackles and a team-high three quarterback pressures in 33 snaps against Georgia Tech on Nov. 14 … had five tackles in 21 snaps against The Citadel on Nov. 23 … had six tackles in 41 snaps at No. 9 South Carolina on Nov. 30.

2012: Had 40 tackles, three quarterback pressures and one pass breakup in 236 snaps over 13 games … averaged one tackle every 5.9 snaps, one of the best figures on the team … had two tackles in six snaps against No. 25 Auburn at Atlanta, Ga. on Sept. 1; it was his first career game … had five tackles in 25 snaps against Ball State on Sept. 8 … had five tackles in 13 snaps at Boston College on Sept. 29 … had three tackles in 19 snaps against Georgia Tech on Oct. 6 … had seven tackles in 27 snaps against Virginia Tech on Oct. 20 … had three tackles in 21 snaps at Wake Forest on Oct. 25 … had three tackles and a pass breakup in 20 snaps at Duke on Nov. 3 … had two tackles in 20 snaps against NC State on Nov. 17 … had three tackles in seven snaps against No. 7 Louisiana State in the Chick-fil-A Bowl on Dec. 31. Baseball (2013): First-baseman who was 0-for-3 with one run, two walks, one hit-by-pitch, a .500 on-base percentage, three putouts and one assist with no errors in seven games off the bench.

Before Clemson: Rated as the No. 19 offensive guard in the nation and No. 20 player in North Carolina by Rivals.com … No. 20 offensive guard in the nation by Scout.com … No. 58 offensive guard in the nation and No. 27 player in North Carolina by ESPN … No. 41 defensive lineman in the nation and No. 8 player in North Carolina by SuperPrep … SuperPrep All-American … had 50 tackles, seven tackles for loss and five sacks as a senior … starting center on the basketball squad … standout baseball player (righthander and DH) who has been clocked in the 90s … all-conference in baseball as a sophomore, junior and senior … all-region in baseball as a junior and senior … team MVP in baseball as a junior and senior … batted .529 as junior … lettered four times in football, four times in baseball and four times in basketball … coached by Damon Coiro at Grimsley High School … recruited by Robbie Caldwell.

Personal: His mother, Felicia, played softball at North Carolina A&T from 1985-88 … his uncle, Glenn Ford, played football at Tennessee from 1978-80 … majoring in communication studies … born July 1, 1994.