The Carolina Panthers, in their almost 30-year history, have never drafted a player from nearby Clemson University. Heck, they even played their inaugural season at Clemson before Ericcson Stadium (later to be named Bank of America Stadium) was established in 1996.
But, hey, at least they just signed a guy who went there.
As announced by the team on Wednesday night, Clemson Tiger and Central, S.C. native DeShawn Williams has agreed to terms to come back home.
Let’s go home! pic.twitter.com/elTNXYplXI
— DeShawn Williams (@iamDeShawnW) March 15, 2023
The 6-foot-1, 291-pound defensive lineman broke into the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2015. He’d sign on with the Cincinnati Bengals that year, and hit the field for the first time in 2016.
After a number of practice squad stops and a year in the CFL with the Calgary Stampeders, he found some comfort with the Denver Broncos in 2020. Williams spent the last three years there—recording 34 starts over 46 games while stacking up 113 combined tackles, 7.5 sacks, an interception and eight passes defensed.
He will be reunited with new Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, who led Denver’s defense in 2022. Williams may serve as the starting end opposite of Derrick Brown in the defense’s new 3-4 base.
