Swinney: Shipley's 'One Gear' Will Pay Off in NFL

Clemson’s star running back is taking his game to the NFL, but it’s his mentality that will set him apart.

Ever since he took the field for the first time as a Tiger, Will Shipley was polarizing for the way he carried himself. The competitive nature was something he never hid and it showed up on the field.

That’s why he was selected No. 127 overall to the Philadelphia Eagles. Head coach Dabo Swinney’s comment on Shipley’s selection had a heavy sentiment about the person he is. It’s something he believes can’t be understood until you see it.

“Wherever Will Shipley got drafted, he was going to be underrated. Didn’t matter if he went in the third round or the seventh round. He’s an underrated guy. I say that because he’s just one of those people that I don’t know you can really appreciate unless you get to work with him and you get to see him work on a daily basis: how he practices, how he prepares, how he competes,” Swinney said.

Over his three seasons at Clemson, Shipley totaled 2,748 rushing yards and 31 touchdowns on the ground. He wasted no time, going for 11 touchdowns as a freshman and only raised the ante as his career went along.

As a junior, Shipley took a step as a receiver. He set career highs with 244 receiving yards and two touchdowns. It’s taken his versatility to the professional level and it’s an important layer with his 4.39 40-yard dash speed.

“The other thing about Shipley that I think teams love is that he’s dynamic. He can change the game with the ball in space. He can break tackles between the tackles. He can play receiver for you in the slot or make plays on the outside, and he can impact the game as a special teams guy in the return game. He brings a lot to the table,” Shipley said.

Shipley will join Pro Bowl running back Saquon Barkley as newcomers to Philadelphia as well as fellow Tiger Jeremiah Trotter Jr. in this draft class. He’ll have to compete for snaps as an Eagle, but that’s no issue for someone with a drive like Shipley.

” He elevates everyone’s competitiveness because he’s only got one gear,”Swinney said. “I’m excited about what he’s going to bring. They’re getting a really, really good football player that will have a chance to make an impact as a rookie.”