Hunter Renfrow is heading back to the NFL.
On April 27, Renfrow signed with the Carolina Panthers after a one-year hiatus from the professional ranks. He also becomes a rarity for the Panthers’ franchise who have historically, and inexplicably, shunned Clemson players.
Renfrow, a Clemson legend and two-time national champion, became a household name in college football with back-to-back national championship games with two touchdown receptions against vaunted Alabama defenses. His touchdown grab on a pass from DeShaun Watson with one second left in the game gave the Tigers their second national title in program history in 2016.
Meanwhile, the NFL team closest to the Clemson campus, the Carolina Panthers, have never drafted a single Clemson player in the history of its franchise which played its first season in 1995. Only two other former Clemson Tigers, DeShawn Williams and Shaq Lawson, have ever signed a free agent contract with Carolina. Renfrow is now the third.
Hunter Renfrow was an unlikely star. Coming out of Socastee High School near Myrtle Beach, at 5-feet-10 inches and just over 150 pounds, Renfrow only had a small number of FCS offers to play football and baseball. Instead, he chose to walk on at Clemson and earned a scholarship after his first season.
From 2014 to 2018, Hunter Renfrow recorded 186 receptions and 2,133 yards as a Tiger while scoring 15 touchdowns. He was selected by the Raiders in the 2019 NFL draft and played five seasons for the team, recording 269 catches for 2,884 yards and 17 touchdowns. Renfrow became one of the most reliable receivers in the league during that time and earned a selection to the 2021 NFL Pro Bowl.
After being released by the Raiders following the 2023 season, Hunter Renfrow did not play in 2024. Now, he has a chance to restart his career close to home. At 29 years old, he is still a relatively young player and should have a chance to climb the Panthers’ depth chart.
