Forget The 2025 Season, Experts Are Already Saying The 2026 NFL Draft Will Be The Year of The Tiger

Forget The 2025 Season, Experts Are Already Saying The 2026 NFL Draft Will Be The Year of The Tiger originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

In a stunning projection that has the college football world buzzing, a recent 2026 NFL mock draft from CBS Sports' Ryan Wilson has Clemson looking like a future NFL powerhouse, with a staggering five Tigers slated to be first-round picks. Even more impressively, three of those are projected to go in the top 10.

Leading the charge are defensive linemen T.J. Parker and Peter Woods, who are projected to be off the board in the top five. Wilson has Parker going to the New York Jets at No. 3 overall, praising his "long frame," "speed and power," and "high-motor." He describes Woods, projected to the Tennessee Titans at No. 5, as a player with "leverage, power and a low center of gravity," who can "toss offensive linemen off-balance."

But the Tigers' dominance doesn't stop in the trenches. Wide receiver Antonio Williams is projected to be a top-10 pick as well, landing with the Miami Dolphins at No. 10. Wilson notes that Williams "consistently wins off the line of scrimmage" and "has legit separation ability."

Rounding out the Clemson first-rounders are cornerback Avieon Terrell and quarterback Cade Klubnik. Terrell, who has "NFL bloodlines" as the brother of former first-rounder A.J. Terrell, is projected to the Minnesota Vikings at No. 20. Wilson highlights Terrell's physicality and ball skills. Klubnik, a 2025 Heisman contender, is projected to the Los Angeles Rams at No. 27. Wilson writes that Klubnik "got better as the '24 season progressed" and praises his "big arm" and "deep-ball" accuracy.

While Clemson is getting a lot of love, the mock draft also features some of their upcoming opponents. LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is projected as the No. 1 overall pick to the New Orleans Saints. Other notable prospects include Duke cornerback Chandler Rivers (No. 11, Rams) and South Carolina defensive back Jalon Kilgore (No. 19, Texans) and quarterback LaNorris Sellers (No. 32, Jets).

The 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh is still a long way off, but if this early mock draft is any indication, expect to hear a lot of "Clemson" called on day one.

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 16, 2025, where it first appeared.