Who Are Clemson’s Highest-Graded Defensive Players?

As the 2025 college football season reaches its halfway point, the Clemson Tigers look to turn their season around as they prepare to play five conference games in the next seven weeks.

While the Tigers’ season hasn’t gotten off to an ideal start, their defense hasn’t been a glaring weakness (outside of their loss to Syracuse) through five games, as they’ve allowed the third-fewest points in the ACC.

Clemson Tigers on SI takes a look at the Tigers' three highest-graded defenders up to this point of the season.

Edge T.J. Parker (84.0)

Parker entered the season as PFF’s tenth-highest-graded player and has likely been at the center of most teams’ game plans heading into their matchups against Clemson.

While he isn’t on pace to reach even half of the sack total he recorded last season, Parker has continued to make an impact by drawing double-teams and creating opportunities for others. Players like Will Heldt and Jahiem Lawson have benefited from the extra attention Parker commands, giving them more one-on-one chances against blockers.

The projected top-ten pick has totaled 15 tackles, two sacks (second-most on the team), five quarterback hits and eight hurries this season. 

CB Avieon Terrell (81.6)

Building off an impressive sophomore season, Terrell has likely shown enough talent to forgo his senior year and become a first-round pick if he chooses to declare.

So far, Terrell has allowed just one touchdown in coverage this season and has also served as Clemson’s fourth-leading tackler. 

Throughout the season, Terrell has regularly been trusted in man coverage without help over the top, allowing just 58.3% of all passes thrown in his direction to be completed. 

His best game of the season came against Syracuse, when he was targeted 12 times and gave up just four catches for 40 yards.

DL Peter Woods (79.6)

Woods wraps up Clemson’s trio of projected first-round picks and has picked up from where he left off after being PFF’s highest-graded Power Four defensive tackle last season. 

He may not light up a stat sheet, but the former Freshman All-American has been one of the most disruptive defensive tackles in college football since he arrived at Clemson. While pass-rushers like Parker and Will Heldt wreak havoc off the edge, Woods clogs up the middle and creates matchup nightmares for interior offensive linemen.

This season, he is already on pace to top his tackle total from 2024. Through five games, he has made 13 tackles and generated six pressures.

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