Clemson’s defense has the kind of star talent that can change a season, and Tom Allen now has to turn that talent into a unit that actually carries the Tigers.
That starts with three names that keep popping up: linebacker Sammy Brown, edge rusher Will Heldt, and cornerback Ashton Hampton. Clemson can afford some optimism this year, but with a new starting quarterback stepping in, the defense may have to be the stabilizing force. Allen has playmakers at every level, and the Tigers may have more high-end firepower on that side than people first realized.
ESPN’s preseason list reflected that. Brown was Clemson’s highest-ranked player at No.
39, Heldt came in at No. 87, and offensive tackle Brayden Jacobs rounded out the Tigers’ three players inside the top 100 at No. 91.
Hampton didn’t make that cut, but the draft buzz around him suggests he was close. His upside is hard to miss.
That showed up again in Jordan Reid’s latest 2027 NFL mock draft for ESPN. Hampton was the first Clemson player projected in the first round, landing at No. 19 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Heldt followed as the final pick in the round at No. 32 overall to the Miami Dolphins. Put it together, and Clemson could be looking at three defensive players who end up going in the top 40.
The traits are easy to see. Hampton has 14 career passes defended.
Heldt has 15.5 tackles for loss. Brown, meanwhile, may have been held back only by the position he plays, since linebackers have been devalued.
Even so, he still averages over eight tackles a game.
Allen isn’t walking into a blank slate, either. His first Clemson defense last year had plenty of talent, with defensive tackle Peter Woods, defensive end T.J.
Parker, and cornerback Avieon Terrell all projected as top-50 picks. But that group came from a team that opened the season ranked fourth and still finished 7-6.
Brown, Hampton, and Heldt were part of that roster, so they already know where things went off track.
Now the expectation is bigger than just production. Brown and Heldt were two of the three players Clemson sent to ACC Media Days, which tells you where the leadership conversation starts.
Hampton didn’t go, but that doesn’t mean he can’t be a voice in the room. He may just have to lead a different way, with his play doing the talking.
Clemson is going to need that kind of response, especially with LSU on the schedule. The defensive line still has questions, and Dabo Swinney made it clear last year’s secondary was the worst he has coached at Clemson. Hampton has the kind of pride that should make that stick with him.
Allen has enough standout pieces to make his defense dangerous. The real challenge is getting those pieces to answer when the pressure hits.
In Other News...
Clemsons Playoff Hopes Just Got An Early National Reality Check
ESPNs early look at the top 100 college football players entering the 2026 season offered a small but useful snapshot of where Clemson stands nationally, and it included three Tigers who figure to shape the conversation around the programs playoff chances. Offensive tackle Brayden Jacobs came in at No. 91, edge rusher Will Heldt at No. 87, and linebacker Sammy Brown landed much higher at No. 39, a sign that Clemsons most important pieces are already drawing attention before the season even gets going.
For Clemson, the takeaway is less about the exact order and more about the company it keeps. Having three players on a list like this underscores the level of talent on the roster, especially on the lines and at linebacker, where Jacobs and Heldt are projected to help steady the front and Brown is viewed as one of the teams top defensive playmakers. ESPNs rankings are only projections, of course, but they also serve as an early national reminder that Clemsons path back into the playoff picture will likely ride on whether those expected standouts play up to the billing. [Read more 🡒]
Clemsons New Offensive Identity Faces Its First Real Test At LSU
Clemsons preseason work has centered on a more physical, more aggressive running game, and sophomore offensive lineman Brayden Jacobs has been one of the players pointing to the shift. He said the group has taken on a different mentality up front, with a better connection to the rest of the offense than it had a season ago, a detail that matters as the Tigers try to build a sturdier identity.
The timing makes it even more relevant, because that new attitude will get its first true measuring stick at LSU. Jacobs described a team that feels more committed and more hungry to win, but preseason confidence is one thing and carrying that mindset into a road game against a major opponent is another. For Clemson, the trip will show whether the run-game makeover is real or just another training camp talking point. [Read more 🡒]
Clemson Just Lost Another Guard To An ACC Team Fans Know Well
Efrem Butta Johnson is heading to a familiar ACC stop for his final season of college basketball, leaving Clemson after one year to transfer to Virginia Tech. The guard spent his first two seasons at UAB before joining the Tigers, where he settled into a rotation role and averaged 6.3 points per game last season.
Virginia Tech gives Johnson a chance to finish his college career in a system run by Mike Young, whose teams have already reached the NCAA Tournament twice. For Clemson, its another backcourt departure to track, while for the Hokies, Johnson is expected to help in the push to get back into the field. [Read more 🡒]