Asked on Wednesday about Trenton Simpson’s impressive Pro Day performance on Tuesday and how he looked during workouts, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney smiled before delivering a funny response.
“I mean, that’s what we’d all like to look like in underwear, wouldn’t we?” Swinney said, laughing. “Life goals right there, man. Geez almighty.”
The chiseled 6-foot-2, 234-pound Simpson put on a show during Clemson’s Pro Day in the Poe Indoor Facility. With personnel from all 32 NFL teams looking on, the former Tiger linebacker flashed his athleticism during on-field workouts and tested very well, posting the best times among the participants in the three-cone drill (4.24 seconds) and the L-drill (7.06).
While Simpson didn’t run the 40-yard dash at Pro Day (he understandably stood on the blazing 4.43 he ran at the NFL Scouting Combine), Simpson was convinced by a scout to take part in the vertical jump and ended up jumping 40.5 inches — what he said was the best vertical jump he’s ever recorded — one that would have topped all the jumps done by the linebackers at the combine.
“That dude, he’s special,” Swinney said. “He wasn’t even gonna jump, and a scout talked him into jumping. I think he told him, ‘Hey, you’re welcome,’ when it was over.”
A 2022 Butkus Award semifinalist and third-team All-ACC selection, Simpson tied for third on the team with 77 tackles (4.0 for loss) as credited by the coaching staff and had 2.5 sacks to go with three pass breakups and two forced fumbles across 12 games. In his Clemson career (2020-22), he racked up 187 tackles (22.5 for loss), 12.5 sacks, six pass breakups and three forced fumbles over 37 games.
It remains to be seen if Simpson will be a first-round pick, but regardless, he figures to hear his name called in the early stages of April’s NFL Draft.
And not only will an NFL team be getting a great player, but a great person as well.
“Y’all know, he’s fast and strong and a great, great human being,” Swinney said. “He’s just an awesome kid. It makes your heart smile every time you’re around him. He’s just a great kid.”
Dear Old Clemson has added the Tiger Sack Pack to our online store. Save by getting the Two Pack of signed cards from two of the nation’s top defensive ends, Myles Murphy and Xavier Thomas.
Now there is a new way you can support Clemson student-athletes. Purchase collectibles from Dear Old Clemson and the proceeds with go to support Clemson student-athletes. 
Dear Old Clemson is doing NIL the ‘Clemson way’, but we need your help to make sure we build a sustainable, repeatable model that will help keep Clemson competitive with the other top programs around the nation.
Dabo Swinney: “We need your assistance more than ever to provide meaningful NIL opportunities. Tiger Impact, Dear Old Clemson and other collectives allow student-athletes to utilize their voice and platform to maximize their NIL opportunities and strengthen their impact in the community.”
Graham Neff:
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