A couple of national outlets pegged a pair of Clemson pros among the top soon-to-be NFL free agents.

Both CBS Sports and Pro Football Focus named former Clemson star receivers Tee Higgins and DeAndre Hopkins as two of the best players who could be available this offseason when the new league year begins and free agency officially opens.

CBS Sports and PFF each ranked Higgins as the No. 1 player slated to enter free agency and hit the open market.

Higgins has dealt with injuries at times over the course of his NFL career, but has been highly productive when on the field since the Cincinnati Bengals selected him in the second round (33rd overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft.

To date, the 6-foot-4, 219-pound wideout has racked up 315 catches for 4,411 yards and 31 touchdowns across 68 games in his five-year Bengals career (2020-24). He posted consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons in 2021 and 2022, scoring 13 total touchdowns in that span.

Higgins, who has been looking for a long-term deal and playing under the franchise tag this season, has caught 58 passes for 727 yards and seven touchdowns over 10 games in 2024.

“Higgins is the unquestioned top receiver on the market and arguably the top player overall,” CBS Sports wrote. “Given the financial commitment that the Cincinnati Bengals will need to give to fellow wideout Ja’Marr Chase and already franchising Higgins last offseason, he’s on track to reach the open market in 2025. While Chase is the top dog in that receiver room, Higgins has flashed the ability to carry an offense as a No. 1 option throughout his career. Higgins’ numbers aren’t jumping off the page this season, but that’s largely due to injury. When healthy, the eye test shows the high upside the 25-year-old possesses, and it will likely result in a massive contract from some WR-needy team.”

“Higgins rarely missed playing time over his first three seasons but has, unfortunately, been bitten by the injury bug in back-to-back contract years,” PFF wrote. “That said, when Higgins has suited up so far in 2024, he has consistently produced at a high level. The fourth-ranked player in PFF’s Free Agency Rankings last season, Higgins figures to be one of the most sought-after players on the market again in 2025.”

Hopkins, meanwhile, is ranked as the No. 14 impending free agent by both CBS Sports and PFF.

A five-time All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowler, Hopkins was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs from the Tennessee Titans on Oct. 24.

In 10 games for the Chiefs this season, Hopkins has recorded 41 receptions for 437 yards and four touchdowns after catching 15 passes for 173 yards and a score in six games with Tennessee.

The 32-year-old has amassed 984 receptions for 12,965 yards and 83 touchdowns during his 12-year NFL career with the Houston Texans, Arizona Cardinals, Titans and now the Chiefs.

“Hopkins was traded at the deadline from the struggling Tennessee Titans to the perennial Super Bowl contender Kansas City Chiefs,” PFF wrote. “A national spotlight through the playoffs never hurts, and Hopkins has continued to play through a knee injury that would suggest he can fully heal up over the offseason in time for 2025.”

“Hopkins will be 33 years old at the start of next season, which is one of the only reasons why he’s not higher on this list,” CBS Sports wrote. “The veteran receiver has been sensational since stepping into the league in 2013, earning five All-Pro nods. He spent the previous two seasons with the Tennessee Titans, and their muted offense did see his statistical output dip, but has since played well after being traded to Kansas City. Hopkins could be a major X factor in the postseason, which could further improve his free agent stock.”