Pro Football Focus recently unveiled its ranking of the top 101 players from the 2023 NFL season, and a couple of former Clemson defensive linemen made the list.

The highest-ranked is New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, who cracked the top 10 and came in at No. 8.

Lawrence’s fifth season as a pro in 2023 was another stellar one. The 6-foot-4, 340-pounder was dominant over 16 games in 2023, when he stuffed the stat sheet while racking up 21 quarterback hits, 4.5 sacks, 53 tackles (32 solo), seven tackles for loss, two passes defended and 60-plus total pressures.

Along with earning his second straight Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors, Lawrence was named to the Pro Football Writers of America All-NFC Team for the second straight season and was also named to the NFLPA Players’ All-Pro Team for the second consecutive year, along with being picked to PFF’s 2023 All-Pro team.

“Lawrence doesn’t get enough appreciation for what he achieves because he aligns mostly as a true nose tackle within the Giants’ defense,” PFF wrote. “He notched 65 total pressures over the year, tied for fourth among interior linemen, but he racked up more pressures from a nose tackle alignment than any other lineman by an order of magnitude. Lawrence is a throwback player who dominates in today’s league.”

Lawrence’s former Clemson line mate, Christian Wilkins, checked in at No. 77 on PFF’s list.

Wilkins had a career year in his fifth season with the Dolphins in 2023, tallying 65 total tackles (10 for loss), 23 quarterback hits, two passes defended, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries to go with nine sacks – double his previous career-high of 4.5 sacks in 2021.

The 6-foot-4, 310-pounder is set to hit unrestricted free agency after the Miami Dolphins decided not to franchise tag him.

“With Miami losing a series of pass rushers over the season, more and more responsibility for disruption fell on the broad shoulders of Christian Wilkins,” PFF wrote. “He picked up that slack and finished the year with 61 quarterback pressures and 34 defensive stops.”

Lawrence and Wilkins were teammates at Clemson from 2016-18, helping the Tigers win two national titles in that span, before both went on to be selected in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

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