Clemson Has Record-Setting Three Rounds
By: Will Vandervort April 25, 2026

CLEMSON — On Thursday, Clemson had an offensive lineman selected in the opening round of an NFL Draft for the first time in the common draft era.

Clemson had another first by the end of Friday night, as five former Tigers were selected in the first three rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Not a bad two days for the Clemson Football Program.

Offensive tackle Blake Miller (17, first round, Detroit) and defensive tackle Peter Woods (29, first round, Kansas City) were taken in Day 1 of the draft, while defensive end T.J. Parker (35, second round, Buffalo), cornerback Avieon Terrell (48, second round, Atlanta) and wide receiver Antonio Williams (71, third round, Washington) were selected in Day 2.

Clemson’s previous record of four picks through the first three rounds of a draft was accomplished five times in 1991, 2016, 2019, 2020 and 2021. Clemson was one of five schools to produce five selections among the first 75 picks this year and presently stands tied for the fifth-most selections in this year’s draft.

  • NOTES ON CLEMSON’S 2026 NFL DRAFT (THROUGH FRIDAY):
  • Clemson has now had at least one player selected in 24 consecutive drafts since 2003, tying the school record set across the 1951-74 NFL Drafts. Every year in the current streak has come during a seven-round format; the streak from 1951-74 featured between 17 and 30 rounds. 
  • The 2026 NFL Draft marked the ninth time that Clemson has produced multiple first-round picks in a single draft. The school record of three was set in 2019, and the 2026 haul ties the 1979, 1982, 2015, 2017, 2020, 2021 and 2023 drafts (two each) for second in school annals. 
  • Clemson was one of nine schools to produce multiple first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, alongside Alabama, Arizona State, Indiana, Miami (Fla.), Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon and Utah.
  • Clemson has now had at least one first-round draft choice in 11 of the last 14 years, standing alongside Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Ohio State as the only programs to produce a first-round pick in at least 11 of the last 14 years.
  • Since 2013, Clemson has produced at least one first-round pick from each of the QB, RB, WR, OL, DE, DT, LB and DB position groups. The only other schools with at least one first-rounder at all those positions in that span are Alabama and Ohio State.
  • Clemson entered the 2026 NFL Draft as one of only six schools to have produced multiple draft picks in each of the last 23 NFL Drafts (LSU, Michigan, Oklahoma, Ohio State and USC). Clemson extended that streak to 24 years in the first 29 picks of this year’s draft.
  • With his 19th and 20th first-round selections of Dabo Swinney’s head coaching tenure, Swinney and Kirby Smart are now the only active coaches in the nation to have produced 20 or more first-round draft picks in their head coaching careers.
  • Clemson has now had at least three selections in 17 of the 18 drafts since Dabo Swinney was elevated to head coach. Through Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft, the only programs to produce three or more picks in at least 17 drafts in that span are Clemson, Alabama, Ohio State and LSU. (Oklahoma and USC can join the list with more picks on Day 3.)
  • Clemson has now produced multiple defensive draft picks in 15 of the 18 drafts of the Dabo Swinney era. Clemson, LSU, Alabama, Ohio State and Georgia are the only programs to produce multiple draft picks from their defenses in at least 15 drafts in that span.
  • With two picks in Round 1 on Day 1 and three picks in Rounds 2-3 on Day 2, Clemson set a school record with five picks through the first three rounds of a draft. Clemson’s previous record of four was accomplished five times in 1991, 2016, 2019, 2020 and 2021.
  • The 2026 NFL Draft marked the third draft in school history in which Clemson has had at least one selection in each of the first three rounds of a draft, joining the 2020 and 2021 NFL Drafts.
  • With the selections of Peter Woods in Round 1 and T.J. Parker in Round 2, Clemson had multiple defensive linemen selected in the first two rounds of a draft for the fifth time since the institution of the Common Draft in 1967 (2011, 2016, 2019, 2023 and 2026).
  • Clemson produced three top-50 picks from its defense in a single draft for the first time since 2019, when Clelin Ferrell, Christian Wilkins, Dexter Lawrence and Trayvon Mullen were all selected in the first 40 picks. Clemson, Ohio State and Texas Tech were the only defenses to accomplish the feat in 2026.
  • Clemson was one of five schools to produce five top-75 picks (Ohio State, Texas Tech, Texas A&M and Miami.
  • —Clemson Athletic Communications contributed to this story
Clemson wide receiver Antonio Williams (0) scores against Louisville during the first quarter on Saturday, November 2, 2024 at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, S.C. (Bart Boatwright/The Clemson Insider)