Athlon Sports ranked college football’s rosters for the 2026 season using recruiting rankings — the national recruiting ranking averages over the last five classes (2022-26), according to the 247Sports Composite Team Rankings.

Clemson (15.6 average) landed at No. 14 nationally in average final recruiting class ranking over the last five years, according to Athlon.

Alabama (five-year average of 2) is No. 1 nationally, while Georgia (2.8), Ohio State (4.2), Texas (4.4) and Oregon (6.6) round out the top five.

Clemson will open the 2026 season against LSU on Sept. 5 in Baton Rouge, La. The Bayou Bengals are tied for sixth nationally with Notre Dame, with an average five-year recruiting class ranking of 9.

Miami (9.8 average) is No. 8 nationally, while Florida State (17 average) is right behind Clemson at No. 15.

Clemson’s archrival, South Carolina, checks in at No. 17 nationally with a 19.4 average five-year recruiting class ranking.

North Carolina is also in the top 25, at No. 22, with a 25.8 average five-year recruiting class ranking.

As for the ACC in particular, Clemson’s 15.6 average five-year recruiting ranking is good for second in the ACC, behind Miami (9.8).

“In 2023, Clemson averaged a finish of 7.8 nationally in its five-year recruiting average (2019-23),” Athlon Sports’ Steven Lassan wrote. “That total has slipped to 15.6 over the last five seasons, and coach Dabo Swinney’s team has slipped behind Miami for the No. 1 roster in the ACC.”