Trenton Simpson

2020: Produced an impressive true freshman campaign as he was credited with 32 tackles (6.5 for loss), 4.0 sacks and a forced fumble in 281 snaps over 12 games (three starts) … along with fellow true freshmen Myles Murphy and Bryan Bresee, their four sacks each tied William Perry (4.0 in 1981), Ricky Sapp (4.0 in 2006) and Shaq Lawson (4.0 in 2013) for third-most sacks by a Clemson true freshman all-time … made collegiate debut at Wake Forest, adding one tackle … recorded two tackles including his first career sack vs. The Citadel … contributed six tackles at Georgia Tech … added two tackles vs. Syracuse … made three tackles with a sack and forced fumble vs. Boston College … registered seven tackles (0.5 for loss) at No. 4 Notre Dame … notched his third sack of the season among his two tackles vs. Pitt … added four tackles (one for loss) at Virginia Tech … had two tackles for loss and a sack among his five tackles in ACC Championship Game vs. No. 2 Notre Dame.

Before Clemson: Played for Michael Palmieri at Mallard Creek High School in Charlotte, where he helped his team to a 10-1 record and No. 3 ranking in the state of North Carolina according to MaxPreps … started his high school career as a running back, playing both running back and linebacker in 2019 … led the Mallard Creek defense with 20 sacks … had 44 carries for 371 yards and six touchdowns … named first-team postseason All-American by Sports Illustrated … for his career, recorded 97 carries for 799 yards and seven touchdowns with 8.2-yard average per carry …  won the Arnold R. Solomon Award for the North Carolina High School Football Player of the Year from NCPreps.com in 2019 … at the time of his signing, ranked as the No. 13 overall player in the nation by 247Sports, which also listed him as the second-best linebacker and top player in North Carolina … Rivals.com rated him as the No. 26 overall player, the second-best linebacker and top player in North Carolina … ESPN.com ranked him No. 107 overall, the 11th-best linebacker and fourth-best player in North Carolina … listed as the top player in North Carolina by the Charlotte Observer … selected to Under Armour All-America Game … originally committed to Auburn … committed to Clemson on Dec. 14, 2019 and signed with the Tigers four days later … recruited to Clemson by Danny Pearman and Brent Venables.

Personal: Born June 14, 2001 … wore No. 22 in high school … enrolled at Clemson in January 2020 … sports communication major.


*Courtesy Clemson Media Guide