With this year’s NFL Draft now in the books, mock drafts for next year are already rolling out online, and Clemson is prominently featured in first-round projections from various outlets.
Draft Network projects Clemson to have five first-round picks, including one top-five pick and a pair of top-10 picks in defensive linemen Peter Woods and T.J. Parker.
Draft Network’s mock draft has Woods going to the Tennessee Titans with the fourth overall pick, followed by Parker to the Indianapolis Colts with the seventh overall selection.
Draft Network sees another Tiger defensive lineman, DeMonte Capehart, being drafted by the Houston Texans with the No. 16 overall pick.
Wide receiver Antonio Williams (Baltimore Ravens, No. 28 overall pick) and cornerback Avieon Terrell (Kansas City Chiefs, No. 31) round out the Clemson selections in Draft Network’s 2026 mock draft.
Meanwhile, like Draft Network, USA Today’s 2026 mock draft has both Parker and Woods coming off the board in the top 10, with Parker being a top-five pick to the Titans (No. 5 overall) and Woods as the No. 8 overall pick to the Las Vegas Raiders.
“Addressing the problem behind center was a natural call for Tennessee at the No. 1 overall pick, but it left the franchise ill-equipped to boost a flagging edge rush, with second-rounder Oluwafemi Oladejo only doing so much to reshape the group,” USA Today’s Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz wrote. “The 6-3, 265-pound Parker, who tied for ninth in the Football Bowl Subdivision with 11 sacks while adding six forced fumbles, could serve as the spark to get the defense going.”
“After a stellar debut as a freshman, Woods played out of position on the edge for much of last season before being bumped back inside,” Middlehurst-Schwartz wrote. “That might have obscured just how much of a problem the 6-3, 315-pounder can pose for offenses. Pairing Woods with fellow Clemson product Christian Wilkins would give Las Vegas two matchups problems on the interior.”
Terrell went to the Ravens (No. 29 overall) in USA Today’s mock draft, while Williams went to the Philadelphia Eagles with the final pick of the first round (No. 32).
“With a modest build at 5-11 and 180 pounds, Terrell doesn’t quite size up physically to his older brother, Atlanta Falcons standout cornerback A.J. Terrell,” Middlehurst-Schwartz wrote. “But his route-recognition and ball skills help him play with an urgency that would make him an attractive option for the Ravens, who ranked 31st in passing yards allowed last season and are seemingly always on the hunt for high-end cornerbacks.”
Added Middlehurst-Schwartz of Williams to the Eagles: “Is this a luxury for a team that already has A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith in the fold? Sure. But with the Eagles set to decline Jahan Dotson’s third-year option, per multiple reports, Williams can round out the receiving corps as a tertiary threat.”
A mock draft from CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards forecasts Woods to the Colts with the No. 9 overall pick, and Parker to the Seattle Seahawks with the 11th overall pick.
“Indianapolis went tight end in the first round as expected, but it is important to identify pieces to that interior defensive line in the coming years. The hope is that Woods continues on his upward trajectory,” Edwards wrote.
“Parker is the second Clemson defender off the board in this instance. He managed 11 sacks last season, but more impressively, also had six forced fumbles. Parker does a great job targeting the quarterback’s arm on dropbacks.”
A separate mock draft from CBS Sports’ Blake Brockermeyer has Woods going to the Titans with the fifth overall pick, Parker going to the New England Patriots with the 10th overall pick, and Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik going to the Los Angeles Rams with the 27th overall pick.
“The Matthew Stafford era in LA can’t go on forever, though they’ll give it another big run this fall. Even if Los Angeles picks a QB in the next few rounds, which it should, I can see Sean McVay going for some nice long-term security here in Klubnik, who came on like gangbusters to end the 2024 season,” Brockermeyer wrote. “McVay would make things easy for Klubnik, a dual-threat who thrives when under duress and has gotten much better at taking care of the football. Klubnik has a great winning pedigree going back to high school.”
The 2026 NFL Draft will take place in Pittsburgh, and based on the early projections, there could be plenty of Clemson flavor in next year’s draft.