ESPN released its College Football Player Rank, stacking up the top 100 players ahead of the 2026 season.

Clemson landed three players on the list, led by star junior linebacker Sammy Brown at No. 39.

A former five-star prospect in the 2024 recruiting class and a high school Butkus Award winner, Brown earned freshman All-America honors in his debut season in 2024 while also being named the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year. Last season, he collected first-team All-ACC honors and was a third-team All-America selection by college football guru Phil Steele.

The 6-foot-2, 235-pounder enters the 2026 season credited with 194 tackles (25 for loss), 10 sacks, 11 pass breakups, an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery over 27 games (19 starts) in his first two seasons.

“Brown arrived at Clemson as a five-star recruit with lofty expectations. He showed flashes as a freshman, but it was as a sophomore in 2025 that he blossomed,” ESPN’s David Hale wrote. “Brown racked up 106 tackles, the second most in the ACC, with 13.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, six QB hurries, five pass breakups, an interception and a forced fumble. And for the year, he missed just seven tackles.”

Next up among Clemson players on ESPN’s list is senior defensive end Will Heldt, who checked in at No. 87.

Heldt transferred to Clemson following two productive seasons at Purdue and enjoyed an outstanding first year as a Tiger in 2025, tallying 15.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks en route to earning third-team All-ACC honors.

The 6-foot-6, 260-pounder enters 2026 credited with 114 tackles (26.5 for loss), 12.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery (returned 16 yards for a touchdown) in 37 games (25 starts) over his career with the Tigers and Boilermakers.

Alongside Brown, Heldt is one of only 14 players nationally to post 10-plus tackles for loss and five or more sacks in each of the last two seasons.

“Heldt returns for one more season with the Tigers after making an impact in his first year with the program in 2025,” ESPN’s Andrea Adelson wrote. “Heldt started all 13 games and played 583 snaps, leading the team in both sacks and tackles for loss while adding four pass breakups and a forced fumble. Heldt is the lone returning starter on Clemson’s defensive front and will be expected to not only lead that unit but help the Tigers reestablish their line as among the most formidable in the country.”

Rounding out the trio of Tigers on ESPN’s list is sophomore offensive lineman Brayden Jacobs at No. 91.

Jacobs allowed just seven quarterback pressures while playing 368 offensive snaps over 10 games (four starts) in his impressive debut season in 2025. His freshman campaign was unfortunately cut short after he suffered a season-ending foot injury while celebrating with teammates after the win at Louisville last November.

A former unanimous four-star prospect in the 2025 recruiting class, he enrolled at Clemson in January of last year and is the son of Brandon Jacobs, a two-time Super Bowl champion who had a nine-year NFL career during which he amassed 60 rushing touchdowns and more than 5,000 rushing yards.

“The 6-7, 345-pound sophomore is expected to anchor the Clemson offensive front this season after impressing as a true freshman in 2025,” Adelson wrote. “Jacobs got better as the season went on, going from playing one snap in the opener to starting four games before a foot injury ended his season early. The son of former NFL player Brandon Jacobs, Brayden has imposing size and impressive ability, with the potential to be one of the best offensive linemen to come out of Clemson under Dabo Swinney.”

As for the top half of ESPN’s top 100 players list, Clemson is scheduled to face a number of players in the top 50 during the 2026 regular season: Miami WR Malachi Toney (No. 4); South Carolina DE Dylan Stewart (No. 14); Miami DL Ahmad Moten Sr. (No. 18); Miami QB Darian Mensah (No. 23); Miami RB Mark Fletcher Jr. (No. 29); LSU OT Jordan Seaton (No. 34); LSU QB Sam Leavitt (No. 37); LSU S Ty Benefield (No. 38); LSU LB Whit Weeks (No. 41); Cal QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele (No. 46); and LSU TE Trey’Dez Green (No. 49).

Clemson opens the 2026 season on the road at LSU on Sept. 5 (7:30 p.m., ABC).