Springfield, Mass., native Christian Wilkins had a wildly successful collegiate run at Clemson, and now the defensive lineman is hoping to career that over to his professional career.
The Miami Dolphins selected Wilkins with the No. 13 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft after the 23-year-old made two first-team All-American appearances and won two national championships. Now, the defensive tackle is getting set to face the New England Patriots.
Head coach Bill Belichick is well aware of Wilkins’ presence and noted that when discussing his team’s upcoming matchup.
“Obviously, they addressed the defensive line in the draft with Wilkins,” Belichick said, per MassLive. “He’s an outstanding player.”
That’s high praise for any player.