Christian Wilkins (42) Days Away From College Football Kickoff
Talented Tiger
Wilkins graduated in December 2017 with a 3.33 GPA in communication studies, becoming the first scholarship player in Clemson football history to finish school in just two and a half years. He earned a master’s in athletic leadership the next year. He made the All-ACC Academic Team four times and won the ACC’s 2018 Jim Tatum Award as the top senior football student-athlete in the conference.
Wilkins was a team captain for two years and led Clemson to a perfect 15-0 season and a national title in 2018. Over his four seasons, he helped the Tigers win national titles in 2018 and 2016, reach the championship game three times, and make four straight trips to the College Football Playoff. Clemson reached the semifinals each year and never finished lower than No. 4 in the rankings during his four seasons.In 2018, Wilkins was named First Team All-American for the third year in a row, making him the fifth unanimous First Team All-American in Clemson history. He also earned this honor in 2017 and 2016.Wilkins was a finalist for the 2018 Bednarik Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, and Outland Trophy. He helped Clemson win their fourth straight ACC title and led a defense that ranked first in the nation for scoring. He was named All-ACC three times, earning first-team honors in 2018 and 2017 and second-team in 2016.
Wilkins made an immediate impact at Clemson. He was named First Team Freshman All-American in 2015 and was a finalist for the Nagurski Trophy in 2016.
Wilkins also made a difference off the field. During the 2018 offseason, he became a certified substitute teacher to inspire and guide K-12 students. He volunteered with Habitat for Humanity in college and returned to Springfield, Massachusetts, in 2021 to host a youth football clinic.
Clemson honored Wilkins with a new statue outside the football complex, highlighting the program’s “Culture of Care.”
In 2021, Wilkins finished his third season as a starter for the Miami Dolphins. He was picked 13th overall in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft. That year, he set an NFL single-season record for a defensive tackle with 82 tackles.
Another Great #42, Dick Kazmaier, Princeton
Kazmaier was named All-America in both 1950 and 1951. In 1951, he led the nation in total offense with 1,827 yards, was responsible for 22 touchdowns, and had a passing percentage of .626. He won both the Heisman Trophy and the Maxwell Award that year. United Press named him Player of the Year, and the Associated Press chose him as Male Athlete of the Year. Time Magazine featured him on its cover on November 19. Over three years, he also punted 102 times, averaging 36 yards per punt.
He graduated cum laude in 1952 and received the John Poe Award for student achievement. Kazmaier chose not to play professional football. Instead, he earned an MBA from Harvard and served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy from 1955 to 1957. After his service, he went into business, became president of five companies, and started Kazmaier Associates.
Editor’s Note: The countdown to college football kickoff has been a series on the Last Word on College Football social media platforms for the past 9 years. They consisted of a photo and a small blurb for each player, with the jersey corresponding to the number of days until kickoff. The rank of the players is sourced from articles by Bleacher Report, Fox Sports, and The Athletic. There are also some favorite players of the Last Word on College Football writers. Their bios are sourced from multiple online sources, including but not limited to the College Football Hall of Fame, their Heisman profiles, and school websites.
Main Photo: Ken Ruinard / staff, The Greenville News via Imagn Content Services, LLC
