Clemson Star Linebacker Earns ESPN Preseason First-Team All-American Honors

After a First-team All-ACC campaign in 2025, Sammy Brown looks to take that next step and become an All-American as the sole operator of Clemson's defense.

On Thursday morning, Clemson star LB Sammy Brown was selected as an ESPN Preseason First-team All-American. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Clemson Tigers' linebacker room has drawn plenty of chatter heading into the 2026 season, standing out as one of the offseason's biggest question marks. However, there's been no doubt about what star linebacker Sammy Brown will bring to the table, regardless of who lines up beside him.

On Thursday morning, ESPN's Eli Lederman and Max Olson honored the standout junior as a Preseason First-Team All-American. He was also recently named to the Athletic's annual College Football Freaks list, as well as the Butkus Award Watch List, which is given annually to the nation’s best linebacker.

He is one of just three ACC players to earn the selection from ESPN, with the two others being Miami wide receiver Malachi Toney (all-purpose selection) and his teammate Ahmad Moten Sr. (defensive tackle selection).

Both writers understandably focused on last year, but this All-American nod has been a long time coming, so let's rewind and look at how Brown got here.

Coming out of Jefferson High School (Ga.), the 6-foot-2, 235-pound linebacker was one of the best players in the nation, ranking as the No. 14 overall recruit and the No. 2 linebacker in the country, according to 247Sports rankings.

He opened up his true freshman season as a backup behind linebackers Barrett Carter and Wade Woodaz, who have both since departed for the NFL. 

By Week 11, though, he became a full-time starter for the remainder of the season, finishing his 2024 campaign with totals of 80 tackles, 11.5 for a loss, five sacks and three pass deflections en route to earning the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Carter then went on to get selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, conveniently opening up a spot for Brown alongside Woodaz entering last season. Expectations were high for the conference's reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year, but he made sure to live up to every bit of them.

During his 2025 campaign, Brown was one of the most productive linebackers in all of College Football, setting career highs of 106 tackles, 13.5 for a loss, five sacks, five pass deflections, one forced fumble and one interception on his way to earning a First-team All-ACC selection.

He finished with the most tackles on the team, the second-most tackles for loss, the second-most sacks and the third-most pass deflections.

Heading into the 2026 season, he'll be the sole operator of a Tom Allen-led defense at middle linebacker following the departure of Woodaz. While head coach Dabo Swinney is still deciding on who will play alongside him, there's no doubt in anyone's mind that Brown can live up to the All-American hype, and possibly even become a first-round draft pick come April.