Three Tigers ranked as the top players at their position in EA Sports College Football 26
Clemson football fans will have no shortage of star power to rely on when they boot up EA Sports College Football 26 this summer. Several Tigers landed among the highest-rated players in the game, giving virtual rosters plenty of firepower on both sides of the ball.
Leading the group is quarterback Cade Klubnik, who has been named the top-rated signal-caller in the game with a 92 overall. That puts him ahead of LSU's Garrett Nussmeier and Penn State's Drew Allar, showing the level of belief the developers have in Klubnik's potential to lead Clemson's offense this fall.
On the defensive side, T.J. Parker and Peter Woods are among the most dominant players in the entire game. Both defensive linemen were slotted at the very top of their positions, with Parker earning an impressive 95 overall rating and Woods just behind at 94. Their high marks make them not only key pieces in real life but also must-have defenders in the virtual world for anyone looking to build an elite defensive front.
Cornerback Avieon Terrell also received national recognition, checking in as the No. 4 corner in the game with a 92 overall. His rating reflects his breakout potential and how important he's expected to be for Clemson's secondary this season.
Altogether, Clemson's group of highly rated players should make the Tigers one of the more fun teams to use in the game's long-awaited return. With top-end talent on offense and defense, fans will get a chance to see just how far they can take Clemson in pursuit of digital trophies — a fitting mirror to the real championship aspirations swirling around Dabo Swinney's team heading into the 2025 season.
Contact us @Clemson_Wire on X, and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news and notes, plus opinions.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
26 minutes ago
- New York Times
Tigers Q&A: Answering key questions on trade deadline needs and more
During a wide-ranging live Q&A with The Athletic subscribers Monday, Cody Stavenhagen discussed the Detroit Tigers' strong first half, the looming trade-deadline decisions and players such as Spencer Torkelson and Javier Báez. Here are highlights from Tuesday's live discussion. To see answers to many more Tigers questions, read the full Q&A. Note: Questions and answers have been lightly edited for clarity and length. Do the Tigers need to get a third baseman on the trade market? — Patrick B. Colt Keith moving back to third makes the need a lot less urgent. I'd rank the deadline priorities as … 1. A swing-and-miss reliever. Maybe two. 2. A reliable starting pitcher 3. A right-handed bat With Matt Vierling back and Keith able to play third, there isn't a pressing need to acquire an everyday third-base type. Plus, other than Trey Sweeney (back with Kerry Carpenter going on the injured list), there aren't many candidates to be removed from the roster. Advertisement Jahmai Jones has played well, but the Tigers could seek a more proven right-handed platoon type in his place. I could see them being more interested in someone like Amed Rosario than a player like Eugenio Suárez. What is your take on Báez's turnaround this year? What are you seeing, and what does the 'eye test' tell you that is different from or better than the last few years? It seems like the hip surgery helped. I'm also wondering about the impact of having his pal Gleyber Torres on the team (it could be mutually beneficial; he's doing well, too). What will it take for Javy's performance improvements to be sustainable? — Patrick B. So many of the numbers still don't support Báez's play being sustainable. And yet, he just keeps producing. One number that is encouraging: He's hitting .281 against fastballs. He hit .197 and had a negative run value against four-seamers last year, and he hit .179 with a minus-8 run value against fastballs in 2023. He's been on time more often, and that has made a big difference, even though he's still chasing at a super-high clip and has a lower barrel rate than last year. The bat speed has always been there, but it's possible the surgery is allowing him to move better and more comfortably in the box. And yes, Torres has been a great positive influence. Plus, Báez always thrived on winning teams and big crowds. We have heard and read various comments from Scott Harris and Tarik Skubal regarding an extension for the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner. But there doesn't seem to be much coming out about Riley Greene's long-term future in Detroit. Have you heard anything on that front? — Thomas W. As of this past offseason, there hadn't been any dialogue between the Tigers and Greene's camp about an extension. Greene is a great player, but his injury history and the fact that he's already getting slower physically (his average sprint speed has declined from the 59th percentile last year to the 34th percentile this season) make it an interesting discussion. He's a proven All-Star worthy of a nine-figure deal. But if I'm the Tigers, I'd want to see as much of Greene as possible before committing to him long-term. He's great. But a lot of people are concerned about how he's going to age. Who would the Tigers build a trade around if they went after a pitcher with years of control left? Other than Sandy Alcantara, is anyone out there? — Zac S. I like Edward Cabrera, Alcantara's teammate. He's under control through 2028, and Stuff+ models love him, but he's still unproven enough that he wouldn't be enormously expensive. Advertisement (Addendum: We don't know if the Miami Marlins are shopping Cabrera. He's young enough to remain an asset for them. He had a 3.78 ERA with 9.65 strikeouts per nine innings this season entering Tuesday. His overall Stuff+ ranks 22nd among MLB pitchers who have thrown at least 60 innings. Fun to wonder what the Tigers could do with a talent like that. Plus, Jackson Jobe's injury could give them more incentive to think ahead to next year and beyond.) Is there a starting pitcher the Tigers could conceivably get at the deadline who would be better than a 'fixed' Jack Flaherty? Same for the pen with Tyler Holton and Alex Lange. Fans are fixated on the deadline, but last year the Tigers got more out of Sean Guenther, Brenan Hanifee, Will Vest and Beau Brieske than pretty much any team got out of anyone they traded for. What do you think? Are deadline concerns misplaced? — Robert J. This is a good point worth mentioning. It sounds exactly like something Harris would say! But it's also not wrong. An improved Flaherty (or even a healthy Reese Olson) is an addition in itself. Same with someone like Holton getting back to form. The Tigers are still likely to go after outside upgrades in the bullpen. But they'll also bank on a few of their existing guys getting right. Torkelson appears to have cooled off after a hot start. Do you have any insight into how he's perceived in the building right now and long term? He's obviously well liked, but what is he viewed as from a team-building perspective? — Dante U. Yeah, I'd be curious to get unfiltered thoughts from the front office on Tork. I'd guess they are encouraged but not over the moon. There's a chance the 2023 version of Torkelson — not the guy who struggled last year or the guy who was red-hot to start this season — is the best representation of him as a player. That means a right-handed first baseman with real power but meh average and OBP and some weak points in the field. Advertisement Unless he falls off a cliff in the second half, he has done enough to be the first baseman entering next season. But it's probably more cautious optimism than all-out excitement about him in the long term. Also, we should still step back and appreciate what Torkelson has done this season. He went from having a 92 wRC+ last season to a career-best 124 wRC+ this year. Even with a cold June, he's been a strong middle-of-the-order bat, and the Tigers need a power hitter like him in the lineup. (Top photo of Javier Báez: Duane Burleson / Getty Images)
USA Today
35 minutes ago
- USA Today
Former Iowa football star tabbed Steelers' 2025 X-factor
Kaleb Johnson's 2024 season was one of the best by an Iowa running back in the Kirk Ferentz era. Johnson rushed for 1,537 yards, averaged 6.4 yards per carry and set single-season Iowa records for total points (138), total touchdowns (23) and rushing touchdowns (21). The Hamilton, Ohio, native was the main reason that Iowa's offense was even competent last season. Johnson's efforts saw him selected in the third-round of the 2025 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 6-foot-1, 224-pound back was the first Hawkeye running back to be drafted since Shonn Greene in the third-round of the 2009 NFL draft. The Steelers drafted Johnson to fill a hole left by former first-round pick Najee Harris, who departed for the Los Angeles Chargers in free agency. With so many storylines, free agency additions and trades, the addition of Johnson to the offense has received far less attention than it probably should. But not from Sports Illustrated writer Gilberto Manzano. In his "32 teams in 32 days" series, Manzano examined Pittsburgh's big moves and projections for the 2025 season. In the article, Manzano listed Johnson as the Steelers' breakout player candidate/X-factor. How the Steelers' offense takes shape in 2025 might hinge on Johnson's development. If the rookie third-round pick makes an immediate impact, that would allow the young offensive line to establish a rhythm early in games and take pressure off Rodgers, who struggled with mobility last season with the New York Jets. There's also the lack of depth at wide receiver behind Metcalf meaning the Steelers might depend heavily on Johnson emerging as a productive playmaker in his rookie year. - Manzano, Sports Illustrated It's unclear what exactly Johnson's role will be on the Steelers in 2025, as fan-favorite running back Jaylen Warren is still on the roster and figures to be the favorite to start. The Steelers should continue to run a two-back system like they did with Warren and Harris, which would get Johnson on the field early and often. Plus, when you add in Aaron Rodgers, the Steelers seem primed to have a run-first mentality, which favors fans who want to see Johnson get some run. Regardless of what exact role he has, the former Hawkeye star will get a chance to show what he can do in the NFL this season. Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Zach on X: @zach_hiney
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Where does Yahoo Sports rank Bills' Josh Allen among NFL's best QBs?
The Buffalo Bills have the defending NFL MVP on their roster heading into the 2025 season. Even so, Yahoo Sports is among those not considering him the top quarterback in football heading into next season. Advertisement Yahoo named their top-10 QBs heading into 2025 and despite Allen winning that honor, he's not at the top of the list. You'll only need one guess to know who is. Ahead of Allen is Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. While it's hard to imagine anyone winning back-to-back MVP Awards, Allen could realistically rank ahead of Mahomes as of now. Instead, the Bills QB slots in at No. 2 overall but he's still ahead of plenty of other talented players at his position. Yahoo's top-10 QBs in the NFL pre-2025 season can be found below: This article originally appeared on Bills Wire: Where does Yahoo Sports rank Bills' Josh Allen among NFL's best QBs?
