This national writer says he is higher than others on a couple of Clemson draft prospects.
Ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft, CBS Sports senior writer Pete Prisco released his “Better-Than Team” – players he likes more than NFL scouts do.
A pair of Clemson products made Prisco’s list in linebacker Barrett Carter and defensive tackle Payton Page.
Here’s what Prisco wrote about each of them:
(Carter) first caught my eye a few years ago watching other Clemson prospects. He is a perfect run-and-chase linebacker for the modern game. At just over 6-feet tall and 230 pounds, he has the speed to run down plays and excel in coverage. He was also the green dot at Clemson, which means he called the defenses. He’s smart, tough, athletic and will be a player in the Lavonte David mold on the next level. He wasn’t as good in 2024 as he was the year before, but the speed and talent to chase down plays is there.
(Page) weighed 400 pounds when he first came to Clemson, but he has trimmed over 100 pounds off his body. He is 6-3, 300 and looks like he can be even heavier. He played behind a lot of quality NFL players in his first few years but became a starter last season. He flashed with his power and ability to push the pocket, even if he didn’t get the sack numbers. With a little seasoning, he can become a productive NFL rotational player for a third-day pick. There is a lot to like.
Carter is ranked among the top 150 overall prospects in this year’s draft class by ESPN’s Matt Miller, Jordan Reid and Field Yates. Miller is the highest on Carter among that trio of draft analysts, with Miller ranking Carter as the No. 99 overall prospect and No. 4 linebacker. Reid ranks Carter as the No. 137 overall player and a Round 4 prospect, while Yates has a Round 5 grade on Carter and ranks him as the No. 143 overall prospect and 10th-best linebacker.
Page, meanwhile, is pegged as a Round 7 prospect by Reid, who ranks him as the No. 297 overall prospect in this year’s draft, while Miller ranks Page No. 322 overall.
The first round of the 2025 NFL Draft will kick off at 8 p.m. Thursday, April 24, followed by Rounds 2-3 at 7 p.m. April 25 and Rounds 4-7 at noon April 26.
A two-time All-America selection and two-time All-ACC honoree, Carter was credited by Clemson’s coaching staff with 254 tackles (31.5 for loss), 12.5 sacks, 24 pass breakups, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries over 52 games (40 starts) from 2021-24. He was a Butkus Award finalist as a senior in 2024, when he recorded 84 tackles (10.5 for loss), 3.5 sacks, nine pass breakups and a fumble recovery over 14 games (all starts).
At the conclusion of his career, Carter’s 2,482 career snaps were the most by a Tiger linebacker on record. He was the only player in the nation during his four-year career to record at least 30 tackles for loss, at least 20 pass breakups and three or more interceptions.
Page grew into one of Clemson’s defensive leaders as a senior in 2024, when he earned third-team All-ACC honors while posting 36 tackles (2.5 for loss), 0.5 sacks, a pass breakup and a pick-six over 14 games (all starts).
Page finished his four-year Clemson career (2021-24) credited with 69 tackles (6.5 for loss), a half-sack, two pass breakups and two fumble recoveries across 53 career games (14 starts).