McCloud, Smith leaving Clemson for NFL Draft

CLEMSON, S.C. (WOLO) A pair of Clemson Tigers announced their intentions to leave school early and declare for the NFL Draft.

Juniors Ray-Ray McCloud and Van Smith each are the first players from the program to state their intentions for the future, forgoing their senior seasons to turn pro.

McCloud played on both sides of the ball and in all three phases of the game in 2017,  finishing third on the team in both receptions (46) and receiving yards (502), catching one touchdown. He played defensive back in the team’s victory over NC State, coming up with a pair of tackles. The Tampa, Fla. native also returned a team-high 25 punts for 303 yards, with one touchdown.

Smith started 12 games at safety for Clemson, finishing as their sixth-leading tackler (54). He intercepted one pass, returning it for 38 yards to help clinch a victory over Florida State in November.