It is hard to imagine a four-year starter on a team that played on four College Football Playoff teams and two national championship squads and was a two-time All-American did not get drafted by a single NFL team in the 2019 NFL Draft.

Mitch Hyatt can imagine it.

Clemson’s All-American left tackle, who was considered a sure thing in the 2019 NFL Draft by draft experts when he decided to return to Clemson last year for his senior year, was not taken in this weekend’s draft.

This time last year the 6-foot-5, 305-pound tackle was said to be a first-round pick. That started to change when the draft approached. Hyatt’s stock first slipped to the second and third rounds and most had him as a middle-round selection at best heading into the draft this week.

However, it was a complete surprise by many to watch the entire NFL Draft go by and Hyatt’s name not be called.

The Clemson Insider reached out and spoke to several members in the Hyatt camp. We were told Hyatt is as surprised as everyone else is. He is not injured and there was nothing in his physicals or anything that would cause NFL teams to pass on the All-American.

In all, 22 offensive tackles were drafted over the last three days, including nine on Saturday. Nine tackles were also taken on the second day of the draft.

Hyatt was one of several Clemson players hoping to get drafted that did not get the call. Defensive tackle Albert Huggins and cornerback Mark Fields did not get drafted either, like many expected them to.

The next step for all three players, as well as for former Tigers such as linebacker Kendall Joseph, tight end Milan Richard, kicker Greg Huegel, linebacker Tre Lamar and wide receiver Trevion Thompson, is to sign with a club as an undrafted free agent.

TCI has learned Hyatt is in negotiations and has offers from 15 NFL teams. The negotiations began around the fifth round Saturday. The best part about being an undrafted free agent is that the player can pick the team he thinks gives him the best chance to make the club depending on the depth chart.

The good news for Hyatt is he has someone to lean on that has been through it before. Former Clemson defensive tackle Dan Benish, Hyatt’s uncle, was an undrafted free agent in 1983.

Benish, who played on Clemson’s 1981 National Championship team, ended up playing in the NFL for seven years, including four with the Atlanta Falcons from 1983-’86. He later moved over to Washington where he played three years with the Redskins and was a part of the Redskins’ 1987 team that won Super Bowl XXII.

Hyatt played 3,754 snaps over 58 games (57 starts) in his career. He exited Clemson holding school records for career snaps from scrimmage and career starts.

One of five consensus All-America offensive linemen in school history and was a four-time All-ACC selection.

Hyatt was an Outland Trophy semifinalist and a consensus first-team All-American, earning selections by AFCA, AP, FWAA and Walter Camp. He  joined Harry Olszewski (1967), Stacy Long (1990), guard Jeb Flesch (1991) and Stacy Seegars (1993) to become the fifth consensus All-America offensive lineman in school history.

He was second-team All-America selection by Sporting News and won the ACC Jacobs Blocking Trophy winner, becoming the first Clemson player ever to earn the honor multiple times.

Hyatt was also a first-team All-ACC, unanimous first-team AP All-ACC selection.