ESPN NFL Draft analysts Matt Miller and Jordan Reid went through every position in the 2026 draft class and gave their personal top-five rankings at each position.
Five Clemson stars – quarterback Cade Klubnik, wide receiver Antonio Williams, defensive end T.J. Parker, defensive tackle Peter Woods and cornerback Avieon Terrell – stand highly at their respective positions in the early rankings from Miller and Reid.
Both Miller and Reid have Klubnik as the No. 1 quarterback in next year’s draft class, with Miller ranking Klubnik ahead of LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, and Reid ranking Klubnik ahead of South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers.
“Klubnik maintains a strong platform while going through his reads and is consistent no matter the defensive structure,” Reid wrote. “He also has the mobility to escape pressure, but he has B-level arm strength, so it will be important for him to show that he can throw into tight windows this season. His game reminds me a lot of Bo Nix.”
One of Klubnik’s top targets, Williams, is the No. 1 wide receiver in next year’s draft class according to Miller, while Reid has Williams as the third-best wideout behind Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson at No. 2 and Southern Cal’s Ja’Kobi Lane at No. 1.
On the defensive side of the ball, Parker is Miller’s top-ranked edge rusher, with Reid ranking Parker as the No. 2 edge rusher in the 2026 draft class behind Auburn’s Keldric Faulk.
“Parker had a breakout season in 2024, with 11 sacks, 16.5 tackles for loss and four forced fumbles,” Reid wrote. “He is a versatile player capable of playing from multiple pre-snap alignments and stances, using his length as a run defender and closing speed in the pass rush.”
Woods, meanwhile, is the No. 1 defensive tackle in both Miller and Reid’s rankings, with Miller placing Woods above Alabama’s Tim Keenan III and Reid slotting Woods above Florida’s Caleb Banks.
“If I were making a way-too-early rankings board, Woods would have an argument to be at the top,” Reid wrote. “At 6-foot-3 and 315 pounds, he has a nonstop motor and wreaks havoc. He has excellent hand power to stack, shed and disrupt plays.”
As for Terrell, Miller has him as the second-ranked cornerback behind Tennessee’s Jermod McCoy, while Reid ranks Terrell as the fourth-best draft prospect at his position.
“At 5-foot-11 and 180 pounds, Terrell is smaller than his older brother A.J., who plays corner for the Falcons. But Avieon is a pest for opposing receivers, as his 11 pass breakups tied for the 15th most in the FBS last season,” Reid wrote. “The loaded Clemson defensive front should bring a lot of pressure this season, which could lead to more interceptions for Terrell (two).”
The 2026 NFL Draft will take place from April 23-25 in Pittsburgh.
In his early 2026 mock draft released last month, Reid projected Klubnik (No. 1 overall to the Browns), Woods (No. 3 to the Titans), Parker (No. 9 to the Colts) and Terrell (No. 27 to the 49ers) to all be selected in the first round.