Ex-Clemson Tigers Now High Paid NFL Players

By MikeBullock  |   Monday, April 26, 2010  |  Comments( 1 )

Clemson Tigers
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While it’s obvious new Buffalo Bills running back C.J. Spiller will be the highest paid member of the Clemson Tiger’s 2010 NFL draft class, even the newest Indianapolis Colt, Kavell Conner will make at least the league minimum salary of $325,000 this season, if he sticks on the roster. For those keeping score at home, that’s about nine times what the average American will make in 2010. While it may not seem like much to the big deals dolled at to Sam Bradford and the other early first rounders, it’s still more than enough to set someone up for life, if they’re smart about it.

Spiller might have made enough cash last Thursday night to set himself up for life even if he isn’t smart.

Next off the board for the Tigers was fleet footed receiver, Jacoby Ford, someone I expected the Oakland Raiders to draft in the first or second round. While the Raiders did grab Ford, they patiently waited until the fourth. Once again, Oakland has a track team for a receiving corps and with last year’s first round pick, Darrius Heyward Bey having issues bringing the rock home, Ford has a great shot at breaking the starting lineup and filling the ‘Z’ spot opposite Louis Murphy.

Ricky Sapp got the next call, hearing his name announced after the words “With the 134th pick, the Philadelphia Eagles select…” Sapp is a little undersized to play four down defensive end in the NFL, but with the Eagles’ complex defensive schemes, don’t be surprised if they plant Sapp on the outside edge as a linebacker in passing situations. He has the speed and quickness to get around opposing tackles and disrupt opponents’ backfields. Maybe he’ll even meet Donovan McNabb a few times this season.

Cornerback Crezdon Butler heard his name called by the Pittsburgh Steelers and might find himself as the fastest man in their secondary. While a draft day trade for ex-Steeler corner Bryant McFadden cast a shadow on Butler’s odds of cracking the starting lineup, his speed will certainly come into play in nickel and dime situations, as well as special teams.

And that brings us back to Kavell Conner. While he’s not the biggest, nor the best linebacker to land on a team last weekend, Conner may be an immediate impact player on the Colts special teams. He doesn’t possess the mass of a big hitting linebacker, but is the prototypical undersized backer the Colts have proven can work in their system time and again. And, like Ford, Spiller and Butler, Conner comes complete with the patented Clemson speed which will certainly pay dividends on Indy’s kick coverage and return blocking.
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