The Clemson Tigers are loaded with talent heading into the 2025 season and are projected by many to return to national title contention. Leading the way is senior quarterback Cade Klubnik, a projected first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. But according to one analyst, two other players will be just as essential to Clemson’s success this season.
Analyst Points To Two Tigers Aside From Cade Klubnik that Are Key to Clemson’s 2025 Success
It’s no secret that Klubnik is a superstar for the Tigers. He exploded in the 2024 season, throwing for 3,639 yards, 36 touchdowns, and just six interceptions.
If the Tigers are going to return to the top of college football, where they lived from 2015 to 2020, winning two national titles, a lot of that will be because of Klubnik’s success.
But it’s not just the quarterback position that is in a fantastic spot, just like it was in 2016 and 2018 with Trevor Lawrence and Deshaun Watson.
According to CBS Sports’ Chip Patterson, the defensive line is also resembling those championship rosters, with Peter Woods and TJ Parker leading the way.
“For the first time in a long time, we’ve got Clemson with surefire certified dudes along the defensive line,” Patterson said. “We remember when they had Dexter Lawrence out there and Clelin Ferrell and just body after body of future NFL picks. Well, that’s what they have, now it’s Peter Woods on the inside and it’s TJ Parker on the outside.”
Patterson isn’t wrong. Clemson’s national title teams were defensive line factories, with their 2018 squad producing four draft picks across the defensive line in the 2019 NFL Draft.
Woods and Parker are elite talents, and Patterson’s comparisons to the defensive linemen of the 2016 and 2018 squads are valid.
Woods is a disruptive force at defensive tackle. He dominated in 2024 during his true sophomore season with 26 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, and three sacks in 11 games. He’s already gaining NFL attention, projected as the No. 9 overall pick in PFSN’s latest 2026 NFL mock draft.
Parker, who plays off the edge, also had a stellar 2024. In 14 games, he recorded 57 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, and 11 sacks. He’s also viewed as a first-round talent, landing at No. 11 in the same mock.
O MY SACK 😳@tomarrion forces the fumble with the Tigers 6️⃣th sack of the day!
📺 @ClemsonFB x @espn pic.twitter.com/q28vLH4N3J
— ACC Football (@ACCFootball) November 16, 2024
If Woods and Parker stay healthy through the 2025 season, it’s a safe bet that Clemson will field one of the best defensive fronts in college football. That dominance up front, paired with the Tigers’ explosive offense, should make them one of the most dangerous teams in the country.
It’s been a few years since Clemson was a true national title contender, but in 2025, they’re firmly back in the conversation.