Clemson lineman Will Putnam carries chip on shoulder in prep to be a pro

Will Putnam is looking to prove doubters wrong in his path to the pros.

by Ariana Pensy - Correspondent - Sat Mar 16 07:00:03 GMT-04:00 2024

CLEMSON - After five seasons with the Tigers in, offensive lineman Will Putnam has a much-coveted skill in the NFL: versatility. He has the ability to play either of the guard spots as well as a center since he played all of those positions during his time at Clemson and was successful at each. Nonetheless, through the scouting process, he is mostly viewed as a center.

“I think most people are probably looking at me at center. But again, a guy like me, I’m going to come in and be able to play all three. I think (that) versatility is the greatest asset you can have, especially in the NFL when they only have (a) certain amount of guys on a roster. They don’t have 20 offensive linemen in the room. They got like seven, or maybe eight. I want to be one of those guys that can kind of fill in the cracks,” Putnam said. “Maybe some people only think of me as just ‘You’re a center-only guy.’ I think some people may think, ‘We think you can do both’ and then some people are like, ‘We need you to be able to do both for us to really have serious interests with you.’ (For) a guy like me looking at that, I want to be able to play all three positions because that’s the best thing for me. That’s the fastest way for me to get to where I want to be, seize the opportunity. So, I just have to be ready to do it all.”

According to NFL Draft Mock Database, he is projected to be an undrafted free agent. This is not surprising given the lack of attention he has garnered through the scouting combine. Unlike some of his fellow Clemson teammates, Putnam did not get invited to the NFL combine or any all-star games, leaving Clemson’s Pro Day as his best opportunity to show NFL scouts and coaches what he is capable of.

“I didn’t get invited to the combine. I didn’t get invited to any of the all-star games. I’m a person that, I really believe that I should be in that conversation for that stuff. But for whatever reasons, I haven’t been and it’s really out of my control,” Putnam said. “That’s why I say a guy like me is someone who really has a chip on his shoulder, a guy that understands that nothing’s going to be given. Everything must be earned and that’s just kind of how I view this process.”

At his pro day, he came in a little lighter than expected at 301 pounds. This is a bit on the lighter side for an offensive lineman. However, throughout his career, he has shown the ability to fluctuate in his weight and add on pounds if necessary.

“I probably lost six, seven pounds. I usually would always play around 310, give or take some. I leaned-up this past season from the season prior. Orange Bowl, I weighed 325,” Putnam said. “So, I leaned-up for that and this too and I think teams understand that I can fluctuate my weight. I can get heavier if need be.”

Part of the weight loss for Putnam was the training for the pro day. With both the NFL combine and pro day, some of the drills are more similar to track and field than those of an NFL player. For an offensive lineman, this particularly applies to the 40-yard dash since it is highly unlikely in the course of a football game that a lineman will be running straight for 40 yards. His time was definitely on the longer side with a 5.45 40-yard dash. However, he possesses strong lateral movement that is essential for an offensive linemen in the NFL.

If Putnam is drafted, it will occur on the last day of the NFL Draft, Saturday, April 27, and covers the fourth through seventh rounds.