Clem-Vegas? Raiders keep up run of drafting some of Dabo’s top players
Las Vegas Raiders general manager Mike Mayock was asked Friday night if he had bookmarked Tanner Muse as a player to keep an eye on as he was scouting players for last year’s NFL Draft.
The Raiders selected three Clemson players a year ago — Clelin Ferrell, Trayvon Mullen and Hunter Renfrow — and Muse surely appeared on tape as Mayock watched film of that trio.
“It’s hard to bookmark Clemson players because there are so many of them, but you’re 100 percent right,” Mayock said. “I was at their national championship game a year ago. You watch that tape at least eight to 10 times on both sides of the ball.”
It’s safe to say that the Raiders selecting Clemson players was not just a one-year trend as Las Vegas took two more Clemson players in the 2020 draft in Muse and offensive lineman John Simpson. Muse was picked in the third round No. 100 overall late Friday night, while Simpson heard his name called early Saturday, going No. 109 overall.
“I see myself being a full core special teamer, just a special teams war daddy,” Muse said of his role. “Getting to linebacker and sub packages, just being able to do everything I can, but mainly linebacker and special teamer.”
Muse played safety at Clemson but will transition to linebacker with the Raiders, and Mayock said he will learn both the Mike and Will position.
Muse was projected to be a fifth-round pick by most outlets but came off the board late in the third round instead. He helped himself by running a 4.41 at the NFL Combine.
“Last year he impressed me because he played all over the field. He wasn’t just a safety. He wasn’t just a strong safety. He played some linebacker. He came off the edge. He covered some man,” Mayock said. “The role for him Day 1 is to be a core special teams player.”
The North Carolina native also helped himself with a zoom call meeting he had with Mayock and Raiders coach Jon Gruden. He proved to the Raiders during that call that he was capable of making a smooth transition to linebacker.
“We questioned him for an hour on linebacker fits and he knew every one of them,” Mayock said.
Muse was a first-team All-ACC selection in 2019 and a third-team All-American. A permanent team captain, Muse had 73 tackles, six tackles for loss and a team-high four interceptions as a senior.
About 12 hours after Muse was selected by the Raiders, his former teammate was as well with Simpson landing in Las Vegas.
A consensus All-American this past season, Simpson was a two-year starter for the Tigers and is looking forward to reuniting with Muse, Ferrell, Mullen and Renfrow in Las Vegas.
“All those guys, we’re all like brothers. It’s a bond that you can’t break,” Simpson said. “Right now I’ma just go in there and compete as much as I can. I’m not really sure what role I’m going to have for sure, but whatever it is I’m going to try to do it and do it at my best.”
Other players to get drafted on the second and third day of the draft include: receiver Tee Higgins to the Bengals (2nd round, No. 33 overall), safety K’Von Wallace to the Eagles (4th round, No. 127 overall) and offensive lineman Tremayne Anchrum to the Rams (7th round, No. 250 overall).
Clemson NFL Draft picks
First round
8. Arizona Cardinals, Isaiah Simmons, LB
16. Atlanta Falcons, AJ Terrell, DB
Second Round
33. Cincinnati Bengals, Tee Higgins, WR
Third Round
100. Oakland Raiders, Tanner Muse, S
Fourth Round
127. Philadelphia Eagles, K’Von Wallace, S
Seventh Round
250. Los Angeles Rams, Tremayne Anchrum, G
This story was originally published April 25, 2020 at 5:31 PM.
