Clemson's success will largely hinge on Cade Klubnik coming back and being as good or better than he was in 2025, but that might not be it. The Tigers have lofty goals in 2025, and their dominant defense, which features three levels of top-10 units, will carry them to them.
The Clemson Tigers are bringing back Cade Klubnik, who may be the single biggest reason they're poised to win the ACC and are a legitimate national championship contender. One of the best QBs in football last year and easily one of the best to return, Klubnik could be a top draft choice come April.
But he's not necessarily the only reason they're poised for such a big season. In fact, he's far from it. QB is the most important player on the field, but Clemson's defense will deserve a lot of credit if they live up to the billing. PFF believes the Tigers have the third-best defense in the country, and it's largely because of their front four.
Max Chadwick said, "The Tigers boast the best defensive line in college football, largely thanks to defensive tackle Peter Woods and edge defender T.J. Parker. They’re both top-10 players in the nation and project as the best prospects at their respective positions in the 2026 NFL Draft."
Parker and Woods could easily end up as two of the top 10 selections next year in the NFL draft, so having them together on one unit is horrible news for any offensive lines in the ACC. They're not alone, though. "Clemson also has PFF’s fourth-ranked secondary thanks to an outstanding trio of corners and a top-10 linebacker unit as well," the PFF analyst added.
All told, the opposing offenses they face are going to have a really hard time. Let's say they're able to avoid getting pressured or sacked by Clemson's dominant defensive line, they will still have to go through some of the best cornerbacks in the nation. Perhaps their weakest spot is in the middle of the field, but incomprehensibly, they still have a really strong linebacking corps, so there's really nowhere to attack the Tigers in 2025.
Category: General Sports