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Clemson T Isaiah Battle to enter NFL supplemental draft
Clemson is looking for a new starting left tackle.
The school announced Thursday that LT Isaiah Battle would enter the NFL's supplemental draft. Battle has played 27 games in his Clemson career. 16 of those are starts and he started 11 of 12 games in 2014.
“I have some family matters to address, with a child due this summer, and I feel it is in my best interest to enter the NFL Supplemental Draft,” Battle said in a team statement. “I want to thank everyone at Clemson, especially Coach Swinney and the assistant coaches, for what they have done for me the last three years. I also want to thank my teammates. They have all had a big impact on my career.”
The supplemental draft is held in July. NFL teams can draft a player in the supplemental draft by submitting a bid via a round. If the highest bidder submits a third-round pick, the team loses its third-round pick in the next year's NFL draft.
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney mentioned freshman Mitch Hyatt as a replacement for Battle. Hyatt was a four-star recruit in the class of 2015 and the No. 3 offensive tackle prospect in the country.
“This will create a great opportunity for Mitch as a true freshman,” Swinney said. “We liked what we saw from Mitch in the spring, and look forward to seeing his progress in August. We have other young offensive linemen who will also have a new opportunity for playing time.”
The most notable supplemental draft pick in recent history is Cleveland Browns WR Josh Gordon. The Browns used their 2013 second-round pick on Gordon in 2012. He had been dismissed from Baylor in August 2011 and transferred to Utah but never played there.
Without Battle, center Ryan Norton is the only returning starter on Clemson's offensive line.
For more Clemson news, visit TigerIllustrated.com.
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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
