Clemson Tigers signal caller Cade Klubnik and junior defensive tackle Peter Woods received national acclaim this past afternoon, as both were officially named to the 2025 Walter Camp Player of the Year watch list.
The best of the best
— ACC Football (@ACCFootball) August 4, 2025
Our guys making their mark on the Walter Camp Player of the Year Watch List. pic.twitter.com/NF5l8uiyvn
This honor places the duo among an elite group of 45 standout players from across all of College Football (FBS), recognized as potential candidates for one of the sport’s oldest and prestigious awards.
Klubnik had a dominant junior year, accounting for 4,102 scrimmage yards, 43 touchdowns with just six interceptions, leading the Tigers to their first College Football Playoff since 2020.
With the highest returning production rate in College Football, 80%, the Tigers plan to contend for a National Championship with a Heisman candidate at the helm of their offense.
On the other side of the ball, Woods has steadily emerged as one of the most disruptive defensive linemen in the country. The junior from Alabama earned All-ACC honors last season and is expected to anchor Clemson’s defensive front in 2025 alongside 2025 projected first-rounder TJ Parker.
Woods is the only defensive tackle in the country and one of just eight defensive players to be named to the watch list..
While he had nagging injuries last year that caused him to miss some time, he still was able to follow up his Freshman All-American season with 28 tackles, 8.5 for a loss, three sacks, and one forced fumble in 11 games played.
Now fully healthy, Woods is expected to be the cornerstone of a Clemson defense that prides itself on physicality up front. Coaches and teammates alike have praised his leadership and growth over the course of this off-season. If he can stay on the field, Woods has a legitimate shot to become Clemson and College Football’s first-ever defensive tackle to win the award.
Clemson is the only team in the ACC to have two players nominated out of seven total, as the Tigers continue to dominate preseason polls and awards in the conference.
With both sides of the ball represented, the Tigers stands out as one of just a handful of programs nationally to feature multiple selections, alongside Texas (3), Ohio State (2), Penn State (2), Arizona State (2), South Carolina (2), Vanderbilt (2) and Oregon (2).
As the season approaches, all eyes will be on Klubnik, Woods, and the rest of Clemson’s veteran core to turn pre-season buzz into post-season success.
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