A national outlet named the MVP for each top 25 team entering the 2025 season, and for Clemson, it’s probably not who you might expect.

CBS Sports highlighted a potential Most Valuable Player for every top 25 team in Dennis Dodd’s way-too-early rankings.

For Clemson, a star like projected 2025 Heisman Trophy candidate Cade Klubnik would have been an easy choice.

Instead, CBS Sports went with a true freshman – running back Gideon Davidson – as the player who could be Clemson’s MVP.

“This is a real out-of-the-box pick, but the path is wide open for Davidson to start for a national title contender as a true freshman,” CBS Sports’ Will Backus wrote. “Not only that; there’s a real chance that Davidson becomes a bell cow for the Tigers. Phil Mafah is gone, Jay Haynes is working his way back from a torn ACL and likely won’t be able to practice until closer to the season, and Keith Adams Jr. has 43 carries in three years of football. If Davidson can take advantage of his opportunities in the spring and fall, he’ll fill arguably the biggest need on an otherwise solid and experienced roster.”

Davidson generated a lot of buzz and drew plenty of praise this spring after enrolling at Clemson in January.

A unanimous four-star prospect, Davidson was regarded as one of the top running backs in the nation for the 2025 recruiting class. The Liberty Christian Academy (Va.) product helped his team to an undefeated season and a second straight state championship in 2024, when he was credited with 2,054 rushing yards on 223 attempts (9.2-yard average) with 34 rushing touchdowns.

Davidson was named Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Virginia, as well as MaxPreps Virginia High School Football Player of the Year.

Klubnik is among the members of the Clemson team who have been highly impressed by Davidson, and during spring practice, Klubnik compared Davidson to a legendary former Tiger running back – Travis Etienne – who wore the same No. 9 that Davidson is now sporting as a Tiger.

Davidson and Clemson will open the 2025 season against LSU at Memorial Stadium on Aug. 30.

After winning the 2024 ACC Championship and making the College Football Playoff for the first time since the 2020 season, Clemson (10-4, 7-1 ACC in 2024) landed at No. 8 in CBS Sports’ way-too-early top 25 for 2025.