It was an historic draft for Clemson that started with the first No. 1 pick in program history on Thursday and concluded Saturday with the fifth-round selection of Cornell Powell by the Kansas City Chiefs with the No. 181 overall pick. Powell’s selection gave Clemson five total picks in the 2021 NFL Draft.
With the vast majority of Clemson’s 2020 defense returning this season, the 2021 NFL Draft was a historical anomaly for Clemson in terms of the distribution of offensive and defensive picks. With the selections of quarterback Trevor Lawrence, running back Travis Etienne, offensive lineman Jackson Carman, wide receiver Amari Rodgers and Powell, the 2021 NFL Draft marked the first time Clemson’s entire draft class came from the offensive side of the ball since tight end Bennie Cunningham, running back Don Testerman, wide receiver Craig Brantley and offensive tackle Gary Alexander comprised Clemson’s 1976 NFL Draft class.