Underdogs of the Eagles: Corey Clement

College Career

After a great career at Glassboro High School where he rushed for 6,245 yards, 34 rushing touchdowns and 90 touchdowns overall. Clement finished his high school career by rushing for single-game (478) and season (2,510) Southern New Jersey rushing records. Rivals.com ranked Clement as the 17th best running back in recruiting class and was named the fifth best player in the state of New Jersey. Clement was named the 16th best running back of the last 30 years in New Jersey by NJ.com.

Clement committed to head coach Paul Chryst and the University of Pittsburgh – a school known for producing NFL running backs such as LeSean McCoy, Dion Lewis, and most recently James Conner. Although he was committed to Pitt, he still scheduled visits with power five schools like Penn State, Notre Dame, and Wisconsin. A few months passed before Clement decommitted from the western Pennsylvania school and began to reweigh his options. 

Clement had offers on the table from Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Temple, Syracuse, Rutgers, Purdue, Penn State, Ohio State, Iowa, Florida State, Connecticut, Boston College, Nebraska, Notre Dame, and Wisconsin. He chose to become a Badger under new head coach Gary Andersen. Wisconsin a school that has produced high profile running backs like Melvin Gordon, Montee Ball, and 1999 Heisman Trophy winner Ron Dayne. 

Clement told ESPN after his decision that Wisconsin offered him more than just a shot at the NFL. "I felt secure in the campus and felt wanted by Wisconsin and could become a better person. As far as sports and academics, it offered the best package."

While Clement wanted to build on his personal character and intellect, he was still a great football player for the Badgers. 

He began his college career by learning from two NFL running backs in current New England Patriots' running back James White and current Los Angeles Chargers' running back Melvin Gordon. White went to the NFL after 2013 but Clement remained behind Gordon for one more season as Gordon went on to win the Doak Walker which distinguishes the nation's best running back.  

Despite serving in a backup capacity in his first two seasons Clement still racked up 1,496 yards (6.9 yards per carry), and 16 rushing touchdowns. 

2015 saw the Wisconsin Football Program begin their first season under Paul Chryst, the same coach that Clement turned down as a high school recruit. Clement was finally the starter in his junior season, but immediately fell victim to the injury bug. A sports hernia and a later ankle injury sidelined Clement for all but four games in 2015, running for five touchdowns in those four games. 

Clement's draft stock took a hit in 2015 not only because of the time missed to injury but due to an off-field incident in which Clement was cited for disorderly conduct. Clement was suspended one game for getting into a fight, raising the eyebrows of NFL teams. 

In 2016 Clement returned strong by rushing for 1,375 yards (105.8 yards per game) and 15 touchdowns to help lead the Badgers to an 11-3 record and a victory in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl. Clement ran for 71 yards and a touchdown along with two catches for 28 yards in the most prestigious game of his career. 

The coaches named Clement first-team All-Big 10 and the media gave him second-team honors for his efforts in his senior season. 

Despite getting off on the wrong f00t with head coach Paul Chryst in 2015 Clement left a great impression on the former Pittsburgh boss before he graduated from the university with a bachelor's degree in communications and a minor in entrepreneurship.

Chryst had nothing but positive things to say about his running back as he departed to pursue his NFL dream:

"Corey was great this year! He was terrific as a player, as a teammate, and as an individual. Corey cared more about this team than he did his future as an individual prospect in the NFL. He was unselfish, a diligent worker, and kept getting better and better as the year progressed. As a staff, we thought Corey was a big factor in the success we had as a team this year. I can highly recommend with confidence Corey Clement.”

2017 NFL Draft

Despite the glowing recommendation from Chryst, which the coach sent to every NFL team, Clement still had work to do. 

Clement's exceptional senior season could not quell the concerns of NFL teams, with the topic of his off-field incident coming up in his private meetings with staffs from around the league. 

“I’ve talked to some coaches and they just wanted to know if I learned from it. That’s just basically everyone’s outlook; that I learned from it and I matured from it. A lot of teams are willing to put it behind me if I can not let it affect my production on the field. Everyone messes up. They all say the same message. Don’t dwell on it and at the end of the day move on. Everyone makes mistakes but it’s all about how you bounce back from it.”

Clement had a chance to open eyes at the NFL Combine, but he did not have his best showing, ranking in the bottom group of running backs in the 40-yard dash, vertical jump, and broad jump. 

Clement did not impress at the combine but won some teams over during his pro day. “The combine, yeah, it really wasn’t what I wanted, but I turned that around on my Pro Day," said Clement. "I ran better numbers, I put up a better 40, a better broad, a good 20, a 10.”

Clement had to hope that improved measurables and his on-field ability would be enough for teams to deem him worthy of an NFL draft selection. “If you do a lot of film work on me, I really think you’ll see a lot of patience. I try to watch other defenders work out their play before I even make my next move. I always try to be ahead of the game before the snap," said Clement. Clement also began to prove himself at the 2017 Reese's Senior Bowl as a pass catcher despite having just 29 receptions during his four-year Wisconsin career. 

Clement only had individual workouts with the New England Patriots and the Eagles ahead of the draft, one which was considered the deepest running back class maybe ever. 

Eight running backs were taken in the first three rounds of the 2017 NFL Draft, and 26 were taken over the entirety of the three-day weekend. None of those 26 were Glassboro's Corey Clement. 

Clement said prior to the draft that he's "not worried about this being a deep running back class at all. If anything, once I get my chance, I’ll make the most of it.”

2017-18 Rookie Year with the Eagles

Make the most of it he did. 

Clement signed with his hometown Eagles after the draft and quickly set his sites on making the team's 53-man roster despite veterans LeGarrette Blount, Darren Sproles, Wendell Smallwood, and Byron Marshall along with rookie fourth-round pick Donnel Pumphrey Jr. standing in his way. 

Clement did not let the other running backs phase him, finishing second in rushing yards in the preseason, and leading the team in rushing touchdowns. Color commentator and NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock stated repeatedly in the preseason that if you told him that Clement was drafted in the fourth round he would not have batted an eye – a testament to the ability that 31 other teams missed on. 

After the preseason Clement awaited a decision from the coaches and Howie Roseman. Clement was asked if he felt that he would make the 53-man roster. "Yes, I do," said Clement. "I think I did everything in my power to be able to keep me here on this roster. It's just going o be thankful if they do keep me. I'm just going to wait patiently, and calmly. I'm not even thinking about the negativity, I'm just looking at the positive things." 

Clement went into cut day confident that he made the decision difficult for the front office. "I think I left it all out there on the field for the last game, and hopefully I made it as hard as possible for them."

The roster became official and Clement did indeed force the Eagles' hand. The team carried only eight offensive lineman out of the preseason in order to have five running backs on the roster, with the fifth being Clement who finally earned his NFL chance. 

Clement was active for all 16 games in his rookie season, at first thanks to his special teams value. Clement finished in a tie for second on the team in special teams tackles with 10 during his rookie season. 

As the season wore on Clement worked his way into the running back rotation after injuries to Darren Sproles, Donnel Pumphrey Jr,. and Wendell Smallwood. Once Smallwood was back to full health Clement had entrenched himself as a regular for the offense and Smallwood found himself as an inactive for much of the remainder of the season. 

Clement produced quietly and consistently until he broke out against what was the Denver Broncos elite defense. Clement ran for 51 yards on 12 carries, crossing the goal line twice. Clement added a third touchdown on a 15-yard reception to help the Eagles blow out the Broncos 51-23. 

Clement finished his rookie season with 321 yards (4.3 yards per carry), and four rushing touchdowns. He also had ten receptions for 123 yards and two touchdowns. 

Clement's six total touchdowns was tied for sixth among 2017 rookies, proving that he deserved to hear his name called during the draft. His six touchdowns are also tied for third most of any Eagles' rookies in team history and the most since Hal Giancanelli in 1953. 

Clement did not stop producing in the regular season however, becoming the first Eagles' rookie since Jeremy Maclin to catch five passes in a playoff game. Clement did so in the divisional round against the Atlanta Falcons. Clement led all Eagles in receptions in the game. 

Corey Clement went from being a sought after high school recruit to being off of many teams' radars during the 2017 NFL draft. Now Corey Clement will get to play in a Super Bowl in a rookie season that almost did not exist for the team that he grew up cheering for.