Where Clemson’s Top Prospects Landed in PFF’s Latest NFL Draft Rankings

This past Tuesday, PFF released their Updated 2026 NFL Draft Big Board, with 11 total Clemson Tigers named and eight in the top-200 prospects.

The first Tiger named on the list is, unsurprisingly, defensive tackle Peter Woods, sitting at the No. 3 spot. He is also projected to go to the New Orleans Saints with the No. 5 overall pick in PFF's most recent first-round mock draft.

"Woods entered the season as a top-three player on the PFF big board, and with Clemson's struggles this season, it would be fair to wonder if Woods should still be considered a high pick. After going back through his film, the answer is yes," PFF's Trevor Sikkema said. "He isn't having as dominant a year as we thought he could as a pass-rusher, but this is still a rare athlete for someone who is 6-foot-3 and 310 pounds with the ability to discard blockers at will. He still has an 84.2 run-defense grade with a 75.1 pass-rush grade against true pass sets, and he isn't even 21 years old yet."

The only other top-20 player representing Clemson on the big board is defensive end T.J. Parker, sitting right behind Woods at No. 4. Similarly, in the same mock draft mentioned earlier, Parker is projected to be drafted right after Woods with the sixth overall pick to the Tennessee Titans.

After a 12-sack campaign last year, Parker entered the 2025 season with expectations and was the No. 2 player on PFF's Way-too-early 2026 NFL Draft Big Board.

But the 6-foot-3 edge rusher hasn't quite lived up to the lofty expectations through six games, recording 18 tackles (5.5 for loss), two sacks, and one pass deflection. Still, Parker's potential and upside at the next level remain undeniable.

"Like Woods, Parker was in the top five of PFF's initial preseason big board, and like Woods again, Parker's future NFL ability is still evident even through Clemson's struggles as a team," Sikkema shared. "At 6-foot-3 and 260 pounds, Parker has the frame to play multiple edge alignments in multiple defensive fronts. He has a 15.2% pass-rush win rate in addition to a variety of pass-rush moves (both speed and power) this season. He has also earned a 78.0 run-defense game, which showcases a well-rounded game."

After Woods and Parker, the next Clemson defender to crack the top 25 is cornerback Avieon Terrell. Though he dropped ten spots from the Way-too-early 2026 NFL Draft Big Board, going from No. 11 to No. 21, Terrell remains one of PFF's most highly regarded corners, praised for his versatility and consistency in coverage.

"Terrell already has a brother who plays in the NFL, and you can tell he's been able to watch him play at a high level to follow in his footsteps,” Sikkema explained. “Even as just a true sophomore in 2024, he showed a high football IQ and some great cornerback instincts. That manifested in good ball production with interceptions and forced incompletions."

"He also recorded very good PFF run-defense and pass-rush grades over the last two years despite a small frame. His weight profile is below the 10th percentile for the pros, and his arm length could be a limiting factor for press. But as an off-zone coverage defender, he is smart, sound, calculated and impactful in all areas of playing the position."

Beyond Terrell, PFF's rankings reveal a significant dip for Clemson, with no other Tiger cracking the top 90. The drop doesn't come as too much of a shocker, considering the team's 3-3 record through seven weeks.

Quarterback Cade Klubnik, once billed as the No. 5 prospect on the Way-too-early Big Board and early Heisman hopeful, has fallen all the way to No. 92 – a reflection of both his struggles and Clemson's odd season so far.

Through six games, Klubnik has amassed 1,634 total yards, 13 touchdowns and five interceptions. While these aren't horrible statistics, they're certainly not first-round worthy, let alone top-five.

Rounding out Clemson's representation on PFF's updated big board are WR Antonio Williams (No. 93), OT Blake Miller (No. 95), DE Will Heldt (No. 162), DT DeMonte Capehart (No. 173), CB Jeadyn Lukus (No. 222), OT Tristan Leigh (No. 363) and LB Wade Woodaz (No. 389).

While the Tigers' star power at the top remains strong, the sharp dip to Klubnik and beyond shows how much Clemson's overall draft profile has shifted midway through a disappointing 2025 season.