Clemson Tigers Defensive Star Lands With Emerging NFC Power in Mock Draft

Throughout the history of their football program, the Clemson Tigers have notoriously had star-studded defensive units.

They are regularly developing star players to anchor the unit collegiately before going on to represent the school in the NFL. When taking a look across rosters, Clemson defenders litter the league with some, such as New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, developing into bonafide stars.

Who could be the next Tigers player to ascend to superstardom in the NFL?

Defensive end T.J. Parker has a chance to be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft as one of the best edge rushers in the country. Linebacker Sammy Brown was incredible as a freshman is only improving.

They still have some things to accomplish at the collegiate level; the same cannot be said for their teammate, linebacker Barrett Carter, who is off to the NFL this year.

After four productive seasons with the Tigers, where he steadily improved his production and became one of the more consistent second-level players in the nation, he is ready to take his talents to the next level.

He is someone who has been on the radar of NFL scouts and teams for years and his dreams will come to fruition in just a few short months.

In a recent mock draft shared by Pro Football Network, he is selected on Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft, landing with the Washington Commanders at pick No. 61.

“At this point, most draftniks have probably evaluated closer to 10 on Carter’s résumé. He’s still a compact, explosive mover with an impressive finish rate in the open field despite his lackluster height. Additionally, he sets an awfully firm edge, considering how much length he’s giving up there.”

His lack of prototypical size will be used against him and some teams will assuredly knock him down their boards in favor of players who fit the linebacker mold more closely.

But, he has never let that stop him, as he stuffed the stat sheet with Clemson.

In four seasons, he recorded 233 tackles, playing sideline-to-sideline and had 33 tackles for loss. For the last three seasons, he recorded double-digit tackles for loss.

What helps Carter land in the second round is a well-rounded skill set, as he can rush the passer and play pass defnse adequately, too.

“Unfortunately, Carter’s height is an issue. He’s anatomically unable to consistently find windows to the backfield, and he’s often caught out of position because of it. A SAM role at the NFL level could suffice, because he’s proven he can rush the passer a bit as well as survive in coverage.”

In college, he racked up 12.5 sacks and 21 passes defended with three interceptions. He more than holds how own in every facet of the game that a linebacker needs to excel in and should not be overlooked based solely on his height.

Carter flashes on tape for a reason and teams that overlook his production because of his size are going to regret it.