Clemson may be sitting outside the AP Top 25, but ESPN’s latest player rankings still put three Tigers on a national stage.
The network released its top 100 players heading into the 2026 season, and Clemson landed three names on the list. Two come from the defense, one from the offense, and all three are back from the 2025 roster.
Brayden Jacobs was the first Tiger to show up, checking in at No. 91.
The sophomore offensive tackle grew into the season last year and finished by getting snaps on the left side of the line. At 6-foot-7, he drew a strong endorsement from ESPN’s Andrea Adelson.
“Brayden has imposing size and impressive ability, with the potential to be one of the best offensive linemen to come out of Clemson under Dabo Swinney,” she said.
A few spots ahead of him is edge rusher Will Heldt, who landed at No. 87. The senior led Clemson in sacks and tackles for loss last season after arriving from Purdue, and there’s a belief he can take another step in his fourth year of college football.
Adelson pointed to his importance if Clemson is going to make a serious push for the College Football Playoff.
“Heldt is the lone returning starter on Clemson's defensive front and will be expected to not only lead that unit but help the Tigers reestablish their line as among the most formidable in the country,” she said about the edge rusher.
The highest-ranked Tiger on ESPN’s list is linebacker Sammy Brown, who came in at No. 39. The junior was limited as a freshman, but after earning First Team All-ACC honors, he’s expected to keep climbing as the centerpiece of Clemson’s defense.
ESPN writer Dave Hale highlighted just how productive Brown was in 2025.
“Brown racked up 106 tackles, the second most in the ACC, with 13.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, six QB hurries, five pass breakups, an interception and a forced fumble,” ESPN writer Dave Hale wrote. “And for the year, he missed just seven tackles.”
Those three are set to be central to Clemson’s 2026 outlook, and any players left off the list may have a little extra motivation after being passed over. For now, though, the Tigers have enough talent showing up on ESPN’s rankings to remind everyone they still have plenty to prove.
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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 🡒]
Clemsons Defense May Hinge On 3 NFL-Caliber Playmakers
Clemsons defense has been built around the idea that a few high-end playmakers can lift the entire unit, and that formula may be especially important this season. Will Heldt, Sammy Brown and Ashton Hampton are all being mentioned as possible NFL-caliber talents, with their names already showing up in national player rankings and even a way-too-early mock draft projection for 2027. For a defense that needs to take a step forward, that kind of recognition is more than a compliment. It is a reminder that the Tigers have a core group capable of setting the tone.
The question is whether those three can carry the weight Clemson needs from them while the rest of the defense settles in, particularly up front. The defensive line remains an area with concerns, and the overall unit has to improve if the Tigers are going to look like a contender again. Heldt, Brown and Hampton bring production, leadership and upside, but Clemsons margin for error may come down to how consistently that trio can influence games when the defense needs it most. [Read more 🡒]
Clemson Just Lost Another Guard To An ACC Team Fans Know Well
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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 🡒]