Clemson’s linebacker unit could be a position of strength in 2025 – and one of the country’s best linebacker units, according to this national outlet.

Pro Football Focus (PFF) ranked the top 10 linebacker corps in college football entering the 2025 season, and Clemson’s LB group was pegged as the ninth-best in the nation.

With Tom Allen taking over as defensive coordinator and Ben Boulware being named as linebackers coach, Dabo Swinney hopes his linebackers will be much-improved in 2025. The talent is undoubtedly in place.

While Barrett Carter has moved on to the NFL, Wade Woodaz returns as a senior leader, while rising sophomore phenom Sammy Brown returns as well. Former five-star Jeremiah Alexander was also added via the transfer portal after spending his first three seasons at Alabama.

Kobe McCloud also returns for his fourth year after tearing an ACL last season, while Dee Crayton and Jamal Anderson are both entering their third seasons. Additionally, after redshirting last season, C.J. Kubah-Taylor now has a year under his belt.

Here’s what PFF’s Max Chadwick wrote about Clemson’s LB unit heading into the upcoming season, specifically the tandem of Woodaz and Brown:

“The Tigers’ duo of Wade Woodaz and Sammy Brown is a perfect blend of veteran leadership and a youngster with immense potential. Woodaz was the honorable mention on my top-10 linebacker rankings and is incredibly versatile in coverage as a former safety. He forced five incompletions last season and has picked off three passes since 2023. The rising senior is also a weapon as a blitzer, tallying 22 pressures last year — a top-20 mark in the Power Four.

“Brown was a five-star recruit from the 2024 cycle and played 454 snaps as a freshman. His five sacks were tied for 17th among Power Four linebackers. Brown will be expected to take the next step as a full-time starter during his sophomore campaign.”

Clemson’s opponent for the 2025 season opener, LSU, landed at No. 2 in PFF’s LB rankings behind only Texas at No. 1:

“[LSU’s] Whit Weeks is my No. 3 linebacker in the country following a terrific sophomore campaign. His 21 tackles for loss or no gain were the fourth most among all linebackers in the nation, while his 25 pressures were a top-15 mark last season.

“Harold Perkins Jr. was No. 1 on that list entering the 2024 season and is back for his redshirt junior year. As a true freshman in 2022, he led all Power Five linebackers with a 91.0 pass-rushing grade. He was among the top-15 linebackers the following year in coverage grade (81.1). Perkins is coming off a torn ACL that he suffered in September and will look to re-establish himself as one of the top linebackers in the country.

“Davhon Keyes is back for his sophomore season and earned 70.0-plus PFF grades both as a run-defender and in coverage as a true freshman last year. The Tigers also have three players who were top-10 linebacker recruits coming out of high school in Tylen Singleton, Charles Ross and Jaiden Braker.”

Besides Clemson, the lone ACC team that made PFF’s LB rankings is Pittsburgh at No. 3. Georgia and Notre Dame comprise the rest of the top five.

Kansas State rounds out the top 10 behind Clemson, with the Tigers coming in behind Alabama (No. 8), Ohio State (No. 7) and Texas A&M (No. 6).