Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt ranks three Clemson players Top 10 in the country
Leading the way at No. 3 overall is quarterback Cade Klubnik, who's coming off a breakout 2024 campaign in which he threw for 3,639 yards and 36 touchdowns while adding 463 yards and seven scores on the ground. Klubnik's efficient and dynamic play helped lead Clemson back to the College Football Playoff for the first time since 2020, and Klatt believes the senior quarterback is poised for even more in 2025.
'I think Cade Klubnik is going to be the best quarterback in the country,' Klatt said. 'He's got a great chance to win the Heisman Trophy. He's grown a lot, and now he's entering his third season in Garrett Riley's offense.'
Klatt was particularly impressed by Klubnik's performance in a tough playoff road game against Texas. Despite the loss, the Clemson quarterback threw for 336 yards and three touchdowns—more passing yards than any other player managed against the Longhorns all season. Klatt pushed back on the idea that Klubnik was the reason Clemson came up short.
'He finished with 36 touchdown passes, only six interceptions, and seven more on the ground,' Klatt said. 'He protects the football, he's athletic, and he's surrounded by talent. I'd be very surprised if Clemson doesn't make the national semifinals again.'
Joining Klubnik on Klatt's list is T.J. Parker, who checks in at No. 8 after a dominant sophomore season at defensive end. Parker finished the 2024 campaign with 64 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, 11 sacks and six forced fumbles, becoming the only player in the country to rank in the top 10 in all three defensive categories. He earned second-team All-ACC honors and set the Clemson record for forced fumbles in a season.
Klatt called Parker a game-changing presence on the edge and believes new defensive coordinator Tom Allen could unlock even more from him in 2025. Allen coached Abdul Carter at Penn State last year before Carter became the No. 3 overall pick in the NFL Draft, and Klatt sees similar potential in Parker.
'This guy can wreck a game,' Klatt said. 'He's 6-3, 265 pounds, and he has the athleticism to dominate. He's one of the biggest reasons I'm so high on Clemson this season.'
Rounding out Clemson's trio in Klatt's top 10 is Peter Woods, who lands at No. 10 after making a significant impact during his sophomore season. Woods rotated between defensive tackle and end in 2024, finishing with 32 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, three sacks and a forced fumble in just 11 games. The former five-star recruit and top-five national prospect also earned freshman All-American honors in 2023 and has quickly become a centerpiece of Clemson's defensive front.
Klatt didn't hold back when assessing Woods' potential.
'I think he's the best defensive tackle in the country,' Klatt said. 'He's 6-3, 315 pounds, athletic enough to play inside and outside, and he can absolutely take over games. Clemson's defense starts with him.'
Woods, who helped lead his high school to four consecutive state championships in Alabama, brings a combination of power and agility that Klatt believes is essential to building a national championship-level defense. He noted that recent title winners like Michigan, Georgia, and Ohio State all thrived because of elite interior play—and sees Clemson in the same position now.
'Peter Woods disrupts timing, pressures the quarterback, and is excellent against the run,' Klatt said. 'I wouldn't be surprised at all to hear his name called very early in next year's NFL Draft.'
Klatt also mentioned cornerback Avieon Terrell as another Tiger who was close to cracking his list, underscoring just how stacked he believes Clemson's roster is heading into the fall. And when combining a veteran quarterback with an elite front seven, Klatt believes it could all come together in a big way.
'Clemson's going to be insane,' he said. 'I really think they could play for the national title. People talk like Dabo's lost his edge, but I think he's about to prove everyone wrong.'
Contact us @Clemson_Wire on X, and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news and notes, plus opinions.
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