CLEMSON – After months of intense training and years of dreaming, it is finally NFL Draft week — a chance for Clemson players to hear their names called as selections for professional teams.
On the Jim Rome show last week, head coach Dabo Swinney was confident about the potential for this year’s Tiger Draft class.
“I think we’re gonna get nine players drafted, I really do,” the Clemson coach said about Thursday’s start to the 2026 NFL Draft.
The NFL Draft will run Thursday-Saturday in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Though Clemson fell to a 7-6 record last season, the Tigers have 17 draft-eligible players, their most since 24 in 2019. As many as nine former Tigers, according to analysts and draft boards from national outlets, have a chance to be selected over the next three days.
Here is where The Clemson Insider believes Clemson players could be selected.
Defensive Tackle Peter Woods: Los Angeles Chargers, Round 1, Pick 22
After a 7-6 season with lower productivity at many different positions, Clemson will send several polarizing picks out into the draft ether this year. At the top of the list of picks that are widely disagreed upon sits Peter Woods, a three-year defensive tackle for the Tigers.
Some national networks, like Fox Sports and PFF.com, currently have Woods as a second-round pick after a lackluster 2025 season, in which he recorded just 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks across 12 starts.
As a sophomore, however, Woods recorded 8.5 tackles for loss and three sacks, coming off of a freshman All-American campaign his rookie year. This time last April, Woods was considered a Top-10 pick, and while he may not reach that level of pedigree, he still has a very good chance to become a first-rounder.
CBS Sports has Woods headed to the Los Angeles Chargers at pick No. 22, where teammate T.J. Parker has also been linked ahead of the draft.
Offensive Tackle Blake Miller: Cleveland Browns, Round 1, Pick 24
When you search Blake Miller’s name on nearly any major draft board, it does not take long to come across the words “iron man.” In four seasons at Clemson, the offensive lineman has lived up to that moniker.
Miller, primarily a right tackle, started in all 54 games during his college career, finishing with a program-high 3,778 offensive snaps. He earned All-ACC honors three times along the way.
Miller has been slotted as one of the Top-10 offensive tackle prospects in his class by ESPN, the Athletic, NFL.com, and several other major outlets.
If taken in the first round, Miller will become the first Clemson offensive lineman selected in the first round of an NFL Draft since Lou Cordileone in 1960. Cordileone was selected No. 12 overall that year by the New York Giants.
Defensive End T.J. Parker: Chicago Bears, Round 1, Pick 25
Like Woods, defensive end T.J. Parker could be a primary first-round target for several NFL teams in need or could fall deep into the second round.
Parker had a breakout season in 2024, finishing with 19.5 tackles for loss and 11 sacks as a sophomore, but recorded less than half of those numbers as a junior, though he had a three-sack game against rival South Carolina to cap off his career.
Parker, a violent edge rusher, performed well at the NFL Combine and Clemson’s Pro Day, notching a 37-inch vertical jump and a 1.61-second 10-yard-dash. He drew national attention for his dominant play at the Senior Bowl, as well.
If teams decide to pursue Parker as a prominent, first-round priority, Chicago could be a solid landing spot for the Phenix City, Ala., native. The Bears, despite winning the NFC North title last season, finished 30th in sack percentage and 31st in total pressures. Veteran edge Montez Sweat led the unit with 10 sacks, but defensive coordinator Dennis Allen would benefit from bringing his star some help.
Cornerback Aveion Terrell: Miami Dolphins, Round 1, Pick 30
In the third iteration of TCI’s 2026 mock draft, we have four former Tigers being taken in the first round. Rounding out the group is yet another player who has bounced around draft boards ahead of, during, and after his junior season at Clemson.
Last season, Terrell started 12 games, notching 46 tackles (4.5 for loss). The younger brother of Pro-Bowler A.J. Terrell, Aveion also notched 11 pass breakups and forced five fumbles. Though he did not have an interception in 2025, Terrell made up for it with his “ball-hawk style,” playing larger than his 5-foot-11 frame.
Two months ago, Terrell could have easily been a lock for a first-round slot, but a nagging hamstring injury kept him from participating at the Combine, Clemson’s Pro Day and his own private showcase a few weeks later.
Wide Receiver: Antonio Williams: San Francisco 49ers, Round 2, Pick 58
Williams, a veteran wide receiver from Irmo, S.C., was recently named ESPN’s player with “the best receiving instincts” in the 2026 Draft class.
In three full seasons at Clemson, and another limited by injury in 2023, Williams caught 21 touchdowns on 2,336 yards for the Tigers, maintaining consistency before and after his injuries, as well as through two offensive coordinators.
He also completed 4-of-4 passes for two touchdowns and 143 yards, showing off his overall athleticism, though he probably will not do much quarterbacking in the NFL.
Though Williams is widely considered a Day 2 pick, he could later prove to be a steal for several NFL Teams looking to bolster their slot receiver options. Williams has been linked to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Atlanta Falcons, and the Saints, all of which hold second round picks and are in need of receivers.
With a “high football IQ,” according to his Clemson coaches and several years of experience as a primary target, Williams could be a steal for the 49ers at pick No. 58. If not, we do not believe he will fall much lower on Day 2.
Running Back Adam Randall: Denver Broncos, Round 4, Pick 111
Very rarely do prospective NFL running backs stand 6-foot-3 and 232 pounds. It is even more rare to see them run a 4.50 40-yard-dash and catch as well. However, converted receiver-to-running-back, Randall fits those criteria.
Randall caught two touchdowns on 38 receptions in his first three years as a receiver at Clemson. After transitioning to the backfield ahead of the 2025 season, however, he caught three touchdowns, in addition to scoring 10 on the ground with 814 total rushing yards.
Randall has a high ceiling as a back. He used strength to push past defenders for extra yardage last year and fought his way to become Clemson’s rushing leader.
The Broncos are in need off a running back and this could be the part of the draft where the Broncos add some depth at that position.
Defensive Tackle Demonte Capehart: Pittsburgh Steelers, Round 5, Pick 161
Like Randall, Capehart may not be the flashiest choice at his position, but he brings tremendous athletic ability and upside.
Capehart had an up-and-down career at Clemson, limited by injuries and a coinciding struggle to stay in playing shape. However, the Hartsville, S.C., native showed his full scale of healthy athletic ability at Clemson’s Pro Day and at the NFL Combine, recording a 4.85 40-yard-dash and a 33.5-inch vertical jump.
Capehart finished with a total 13.5 tackles-for-loss, one sack, and two pass breakups over his career with the Tigers. Though the numbers do not jump out as exceptional over a near-half-decade span, his 6-foot-5, 312-pound frame does.
Capehart’s explosiveness and ability to play multiple positions could benefit any professional team looking for a rotational piece– one that could provide a splash of speed and physicality. Due to his college statistics and age, Capehart may not be a Day 1 or 2 Pick, but his tough, loyal personality and hard-nosed playing style could align well with the Steelers.
Pittsburgh took two defensive linemen in last year’s draft, but could still add to the room with other veterans getting closer to contract years or retirement. He would fit in well with the Steelers’ 3-4 defensive scheme due to his size and violent burst that is synonymous with Pittsburgh’s style.
Quarterback Cade Klubnik: Philadelphia Eagles, Round 5, Pick 178
Readers, viewers, and scouts can form many opinions about Klubnik, but they all have to agree on one thing — Clemson’s three-year starter has played a lot of football.
Klubnik, a former five-star recruit out of Austin, Texas, made 39 starts as the Tigers’ signal-caller from 2022–2025. Highlighted by a career-high 36 touchdowns and a College Football Playoff appearance in 2024, along with two ACC Championship Game MVP Awards, Klubnik was a central part of the last era of Clemson football.
Though Klubnik’s stats waned his senior season to 16 touchdowns and six interceptions, we believe he is still a very “draftable” option for an NFL team seeking a quarterback with a ton of starting experience. Klubnik had experience with two different offensive schemes and coordinators in college, stayed loyal in a transfer portal era, and played through an ankle injury for much of the 2025 season.
Offensive Tackle Tristan Leigh: Tennessee Titans, Round 6, Pick 184
Leigh is one of four offensive linemen that participated in Clemson’s Pro Day, and, after Miller, is the second most likely to hear his name called.
Leigh, a Fairfax, Va., native, made 33 starts in his four-year career with the Tigers, and surrendered no sacks last year, according to Pro Football Focus. Leigh primarily served as a left tackle, opposite Miller.
Though he struggled at times last season, Leigh was a sturdy and reliable option for offensive line coach Matt Luke over the last two seasons. Despite missing three games to injury, he still notched 549 snaps last year.
Linebacker Wade Woodaz: Houston Texans, Round 7, Pick 243
One of the themes of the back-half of Clemson’s projected draft picks this year is experience, and Woodaz perfectly fits that bill.
Woodaz made 30 starts across four years at Clemson, appearing in 51 total games overall. The Tampa, Fla, native fell just behind fellow backer Sammy Brown in total tackles for the Tigers in 2025.
Though not built like a prototypical linebacker standing at 6-foot-3, Woodaz has versatile athleticism that can be attributed to his former career as a high school baseball and track standout.
Woodaz finished with seven tackles-for-loss and four pass breakups last season, with 77 total tackles. He finished with a 70.5 PFF grade, coming in at fifth among all defensive starters, three of which are expected to be drafted ahead of him this year.
While Woodaz improved his tackling abilities over his career, his technique still appears unpolished at times. Still, with years of special teams experience and a 4.54 40-time, Woodaz could bring in some immediate athleticism and maturity to a team in need.
He told TCI recently that he had spoken to the Seattle Seahawks and the Houston Texans, among other teams, since the NFL Combine. Both teams hold a pick in the sixth or seventh rounds, and if they are in the market for a developmental, rangy linebacker, Woodaz could serve as an asset.