Eagles Add Former Clemson Standout Who Grew Up Bleeding Midnight Green

Tate (6-5, 321 pounds) was a tryout player at Philadelphia’s rookie minicamp earlier this spring. After showing enough promise despite his injury history, the Eagles rewarded him with a contract, making him the second tryout player to earn a spot this offseason, joining wide receiver Giles Jackson from Washington.

A four-year contributor at Clemson, Tate played in 42 games with 37 starts and logged 2,502 offensive snaps—primarily at left guard, with occasional reps at tackle. He was named a second-team All-ACC selection in 2024 and became just the third true freshman offensive lineman in Clemson history to start a season opener, which came against Georgia in 2021.

Despite a productive college career, injuries derailed his draft stock. Tate underwent reconstructive surgery on his MCL and MPFL after the 2024 season, opting to play through the pain for his teammates during Clemson’s run to the College Football Playoff.

“I wanted to finish the season,” Tate told TigerNet. “I gave us the best chance to be successful, and I wanted to do whatever I could to be on the field with my guys… We had a great year.”

NFL evaluators like Dane Brugler and Lance Zierlein still saw enough talent in Tate to project him as a late-round pick, but his inability to participate in pre-draft workouts left his evaluation incomplete.

Now healthy, Tate will compete with a young group of offensive linemen in Philadelphia that includes fellow rookies Drew Kendall, Myles Hinton, Cameron Williams, and Hollin Pierce.

But for Tate, this signing is more than a chance to prove himself—it’s a lifelong dream realized.

From holding an Eagles jersey as a kid to suiting up at the NovaCare Complex, Marcus Tate’s story just added its most meaningful chapter yet.