Clemson Tigers Football Team Selected As Squad That Will Dominate Next Season

Recently, there have been a lot of questions about the Clemson Tigers football program about whether they are true title contenders anymore.

Head coach Dabo Swinney faced a lot of scrutiny for his outright refusal to use the transfer portal, missing out on impact players who could help put the team over the top.

However, as the Tigers prepare for the 2025 season, he has begun changing his approach to transfers. Clemson added a few this winter, headlined by Purdue Boilermakers defensive end Will Heldt.

His arrival, along with defensive end T.J. Parker, the potential No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and defensive tackle Peter Woods gives the Tigers one of the most talented defensive fronts in the nation.

Depth won’t be as much of an issue in 2025 as it was in 2024 when Woods was playing some defensive end out of necessity. Sixth-year player DeMonte Capehart, redshirt sophomore Stephiylan Green and five-star freshman Amare Adams offer elite insurance in the middle.

An upgrade was made to the coaching staff as well with Tom Allen taking over as defensive coordinator, replacing Wes Goodwin.

He is inheriting a high-upside group that is loaded with NFL-caliber talent at every level.

On the offensive side of the ball, the most important position in the game will be filled by senior Cade Klubnik.

The former five-star prospect certainly looked like the star many projected him to be during his second year as the starter in 2024.

A true dual threat, his production skyrocketed as a junior with an improved supporting cast around him. He threw for 3,639 yards with 36 touchdowns and only six interceptions.

On the ground, he added 463 yards and seven more scores as one of the most productive players in the nation.

The Clemson offense will no longer have Phil Mafah carrying the load in the backfield, but have two incoming freshman that can make immediate impacts in Gideon Davidson and Marquise Henderson.

They will certainly rely on Klubnik to carry the load while the running game gets figured out, but that shouldn’t be too much of an issue.

His top three receivers from 2024, Antonio Williams, Bryant Wesco Jr. and T.J. Moore, are all returning for the 2025 campaign.

It is an embarrassment of riches for Swinney and his staff to work with, which is why Chris Low of ESPN believes the Tigers are one of the teams who will dominate college football next fall.

“This should be Dabo Swinney's best team since his last national title in 2018…and most of the Tigers' toughest games are at home,” Low wrote.

Playing their toughest matchups in Death Valley, coupled with an incredibly talented roster has Clemson in line to compete for another ACC championship and a spot in the College Football Playoff for the second straight year.

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