HENDERSON, Nev. – The Las Vegas Raiders have signed unrestricted free agent Christian Wilkins, the club announced Thursday.
Wilkins, a 6-4, 310-pound defensive tackle, joins the Las Vegas Raiders after spending the last five seasons (2019-23) with the Dolphins, after initially being drafted by Miami in the first round (13th overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft. Wilkins has appeared in 81 career games (77 starts), totaling 353 tackles (202 solo), 20.5 sacks, 43 tackles for loss, one interception, 19 passes defensed, four forced fumbles and six fumble recoveries. He has also added two career receptions for two yards and two touchdowns.
A two-time team captain with the Miami Dolphins, Wilkins’ 353 career tackles since entering the league in 2019 are the most among all defensive linemen over that span and the second most in NFL history among defensive linemen in their first five NFL seasons.
Last season, Wilkins started in all 17 games and finished with 63 tackles (36 solo), 9.0 sacks, 10 tackles for loss, two passes defensed, 23 quarterback hits, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries. His 9.0 sacks were a single-season career high and ranked fifth in the NFL among defensive tackles.
In 2022, Wilkins racked up 98 total tackles (59 solo), at the time the most tackles in a single season by a defensive lineman since 1994 and now the second most tackles in a single season by a defensive lineman in the NFL since 2000 – only behind Derrick Brown’s 103 tackles in 2023.
A native of Springfield, Mass., Wilkins was a four-year letterman and three-year starter at Clemson, playing in all 59 games (45 starts), racking up 191 tackles (94 solo), 16.0 sacks, 16 passes defensed, two forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries along with two blocked kicks. He also saw limited action on offense, recording four carries for 13 yards and two touchdowns as well as two receptions for 32 yards (16.0 avg.) and one touchdown. He helped Clemson to two national championships (2016, 2018) and won the Bill Willis award as a junior (2017). He was also one of only four players in program history to earn All-American honors in three different seasons.