Clemson Lands Nation's MVP & Sweeps ACC Honors on Offense and Defense

CLEMSON, SC – The numbers don't lie, and according to the analytics gurus at Pro Football Focus (PFF), Clemson football is not just loaded – they're bringing back the nation's MVP and have officially swept the ACC's top individual honors on both offense and defense! This unprecedented recognition from PFF signals a massive season ahead for Dabo Swinney's Tigers, who join only Ohio State nationally in achieving this dual-conference dominance.

Leading the charge and earning the title of the nation's returning leader in PFF's Wins Above Average (WAA) metric (1.04 WAA) is quarterback Cade Klubnik. After a modest 2023 season, Klubnik underwent a stunning transformation, posting the third-largest single-season PFF pass grade improvement since 2018. He rocketed from 102nd among FBS signal-callers in 2023 (63.9 grade) to a elite 87.7 PFF passing grade in 2024, ranking fifth nationally.

"There may not have been a more improved quarterback in college football this past season than Klubnik," PFF's Dalton Wasserman noted. "Only Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders threw more touchdowns than the junior (36). Klubnik also ranked fifth in big-time throws (28)."

PFF's Max Chadwick emphasized that "The former No. 1 quarterback recruit from the 2022 class is finally living up to the hype. With a loaded Clemson roster around him, Klubnik has a real shot to take the Tigers back to the promised land as a senior. He enters 2025 as PFF’s top-ranked quarterback."

On the defensive side, a nightmare for opposing offensive linemen, Peter Woods has been tabbed as the ACC's best defender. Woods isn't just an ACC standout; he's a national force. "Over his first two years of college football, he is both the highest-graded and most valuable returning Power Four defensive tackle, according to PFF WAA," Wasserman explained. "Woods leads all returning Power Four interior defenders in PFF run-defense grade (89.7) and pass-rush win rate (14.9%) since 2023. His combination of power and agility, at 6-foot-3 and 315 pounds, makes him a nightmarish matchup."

In fact, Woods is so dominant that PFF ranks him as the No. 3 overall player in college football entering 2025. This means Clemson boasts three players in PFF's Top 10, including Klubnik (No. 7) and defensive end T.J. Parker (No. 10), with cornerback Avieon Terrell (No. 27) giving them four players in the PFF Top 50 overall!

This level of individual dominance, coupled with a roster widely projected as one of the most talented in the nation, sets the stage for a monumental season in Death Valley. With the nation's "MVP" at quarterback and the ACC's best defender anchoring an elite unit, Clemson is poised to turn PFF's glowing analytics into tangible championship glory.