Where Is Clemson in ESPN’s 2026 Recruiting Class Rankings?
By: Gavin Oliver May 6, 2025

ESPN recently released its latest top 25 rankings for the 2026 recruiting class.

Clemson is No. 5 in the rankings right now.

The Tigers’ 2026 class is currently comprised of 14 total commits, with seven of them being ESPN 300 commits (ranked by ESPN among the nation’s top 300 overall prospects). All seven ESPN 300 commits are prospects on the offensive side of the ball.

Four-star wide receiver Naeem Burroughs (pictured above) is Clemson’s top-ranked commit according to ESPN, which touts him the No. 102 overall prospect nationally. Meanwhile, defensive tackle Kameron Cody (No. 34 DT nationally) is Clemson’s top defensive prospect, per ESPN.

Here’s what ESPN national recruiting analyst Craig Haubert wrote regarding the Tigers’ 2026 class:

Clemson is coming off a College Football Playoff appearance, but the Tigers are still chasing the heights of their mid-2010s success under Dabo Swinney, and their 2025 class ranked just 37th in the country. Their 2026 group is looking more promising, especially after a red-hot March in which Swinney landed eight verbals, including five ESPN 300 commits.

Much of the talent is currently concentrated on offense. Burroughs is a burner in the 100-meter dash who can take the top off a defense and has a high football IQ. Fellow receiver Connor Salmin is another big-play threat, and both Grant Wise and Adam Guthrie are four-star linemen. They could one day protect fellow four-star Tait Reynolds, a dual-threat QB out of Arizona who could push to be part of the long-term solution to replace Cade Klubnik.

Southern Cal checks in at No. 1 in ESPN’s 2026 recruiting class rankings, followed by Ohio State, Notre Dame, LSU and then Clemson.

Penn State, Texas A&M, Syracuse, Kansas and Arizona State round out the top 10, in that order.

North Carolina and Louisville are No. 11 and No. 12, respectively, while a trio of other ACC schools are also in the top 25 – Miami (No. 17), Florida State (No. 19) and Boston College (No. 21). Like ESPN, Clemson’s 2026 class is currently ranked No. 5 nationally by both Rivals and 247Sports.