One Clemson receiver makes NFL decision, other Tigers still pondering next move
Clemson has a pair of receivers who are draft-eligible, and one has already made a choice about his future.
Tigers junior Amari Rodgers will return for his senior season, he said Tuesday during Clemson’s on-campus media day for the Fiesta Bowl. Rodgers made the decision to return for one more year during the Tigers’ final bye week prior to the South Carolina game last month.
The Tennessee native is planning to return to school to try to improve his draft stock.
“I’m not gonna go. I’m coming back. It’s set… I’m definitely going to be back next year,” Rodgers said. “I was thinking about it, but towards the end of the season I was just like, “There’s no point in leaving.’ It’s a very deep receiver draft. So I’m not gonna rush and leave if I know that I’m better than what I’ll get drafted. … So I’m definitely gonna stay.”
Rodgers spoke with his dad, Tennessee receivers coach Tee Martin, before making his final decision. Rodgers has 27 catches for 380 yards and four touchdowns on the year. He missed the first game of the season as he returned from a torn ACL suffered this spring and was limited early on.
“He’s been through the process, so he gave me the best feedback possible,” Rodgers said of his dad. “I also talked to my other family members too. All in all it’s a good decision.”
Fellow receiver Tee Higgins, who is projected as a first-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft by ESPN’s Todd McShay, will wait and make his choice after the season.
Higgins said he is completely up in the air at this time.
“I don’t know what I’m doing. I made a promise to my mom that I’m going to graduate college, so that’s one thing I’m looking at,” Higgins said. “But other than that I’m just focused on this season and not worried about the future.”
Clemson also has several other juniors who have a decision to make. Redshirt junior linebacker Isaiah Simmons is projected as a top 10 pick and has already announced that he will turn pro, but running back Travis Etienne and cornerback A.J. Terrell are still working through the process.
Higgins, Etienne and Terrell are all waiting until after the season to make a final choice on their futures.
“I’ll make that decision after the season. Whenever the season is over I’ll sit down with my family and probably give it a couple of days or so,” Etienne said. “It’ll come down to what I’d be coming back for and if I leave what I’d leave for and just my draft grade. Just weighing the pros and cons of everything going into the future because this is a life decision. You can’t take this back in a month or so. Just have to just get a paper and do my pros and cons and weight it all.”
Next
Who: Clemson (13-0) vs. Ohio State (13-0)
Where: PlayStation Fiesta Bowl in Phoenix
When: 8 pm Saturday, Dec. 28
TV: ESPN
Early line: Clemson by 2
This story was originally published December 17, 2019 at 12:53 PM.
