Topper Clemons

Clemons accepted a football scholarship from Wake Forest University. As a freshman, he was a backup at running back behind Michael Ramseur. He collected 73 carries for 269 yards, 3 touchdowns, 7 receptions for 46 yards and 23 kickoff returns for 460 yards (20-yard avg.). As a sophomore, he tallied 132 carries for 562 yards, a 4-3-yard average, 6 touchdowns and 6 receptions for 64 yards.

As a junior, he became a starter at fullback, forming with Ramseur one of the best backfield duos in the ACC.^[1] He posted 137 carries for 732 yards, a 5.3-yard average (fourth in school history), 2 rushing touchdowns, 15 receptions for 61 yards and one receiving touchdown. He had 182 rushing yards against the University of Richmond.

As a senior, he led the team with 164 carries for 916 yards, a 5.6-yard average (third in school history), 2 rushing touchdowns, 21 receptions for 113 yards and 5 receiving touchdowns. He had 111 rushing yards against the University of Tennessee and 126 rushing yards against the University of Virginia.^[2][3]

He finished his college career with 506 carries for 2,479 yards (third in school history), a 4.9-yard average, 13 rushing touchdowns, six career 100-yard games (tied for seventh in school history), 49 receptions for 284 yards, 6 receiving touchdowns and 3,123 all-purpose yards (fifth in school history).

Clemons was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the eighth round (212th overall) of the 1986 NFL draft.^[4][5] He was waived on August 18.^[6]

After the National Football League Players Association went on strike in the third week of the 1987 season, the games scheduled for that week were canceled (reducing the 16-game season to 15) and the NFL decided that subsequent games would be played with replacement players. Clemons was signed in October to be a part of the Philadelphia Eagles replacement squad as a backup at running back behind Reggie Brown. In three games, he posted no rushing yards and one reception for a 13-yard touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys.^[7] He was cut on October 20, at the end of the strike.^[8]

On January 12, 1988, he was re-signed to participate in training camp.^[9] He was released on August 22.^[10]