Clemson Most Represented Team Among ESPN’s Early NFL Draft Prospects

ESPN released its top five players at each position for next year’s NFL Draft. According to Matt Miller and Jordan Reid, five Clemson Tigers found their way onto the list: quarterback Cade Klubnik, wide receiver Antonio Williams, edge rusher T.J. Parker, defensive tackle Peter Woods, and cornerback Avieon Terell. 

The Tigers were the only team with five players who were listed by each of the analysts.

Klubnik enters 2025 with the third-best Heisman Trophy odds of any player in college football, trailing only Texas’s Arch Manning and LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier. The Clemson signal caller is coming off a career year, throwing for 3,639 yards, 36 touchdowns, and just six interceptions.

Both Miller and Reid have Klubnik ranked as their top quarterback for the 2026 NFL Draft, ahead of names such as Nussmeier, South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, Penn State’s Drew Allar, and Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza.

Miller and Reid are less united on the receiver front, however. Miller has Williams listed as his top wideout in the class, while Reid lists the Clemson pass catcher at third behind USC’s Ja’Kobi Lane and Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson. 

Much like Klubnik, Williams is also coming off the best season of his collegiate career. Williams caught 75 passes in 2024 for 904 yards and 11 touchdowns. Williams should also benefit from the development of Clemson’s receiver room, especially the dynamic sophomore duo of Bryant Wesco Jr. and T.J. Moore, both of whom had over 650 yards in 2024.

Despite the offensive talent, the defense is where the Clemson prospects really shine. Both Woods and Parker were mocked top 10 in Reid’s first 2026 NFL Mock Draft, and each player is listed as the top two at their position by Reid. Woods is listed as the top defensive tackle, and Parker is his second edge rusher behind Auburn’s Keldric Faulk. Miller, however, has both players listed as the best at their position in the draft class.

Woods and Parker anchored the Clemson defensive line in 2024, Parker leading the team with 11 sacks and Woods recording 3 sacks despite missing five games with a leg injury suffered against Appalachian State and playing injured for much of the season. The duo should only improve in 2025, especially if both are able to stay healthy.

The final player listed for Miller and Reid is Terrell, listed No. 2 for Miller and No. 4 for Reid. The younger brother of former Tigers star and current Atlanta Falcons standout A.J. Terrell, Avieon will be Clemson’s top corner this season. The junior recorded 2 interceptions and 12 passes defended in 2024, frequently turning half the field into a no-fly zone for opposing quarterbacks.

The top-end experienced talent, as well as young stars such as Wesco, Moore, freshman running back Gideon Davidson, and freshman defensive lineman Amare Adams, are a big reason why the Tigers enter the 2025 season with the seventh-best odds to win the National Championship according to ESPN.

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