The Luke Ferrelli dilemma has left Clemson with an interesting linebacker situation for 2026. Ferrelli’s arrival was supposed to give the Tigers one of the best linebacker duos in the country
His presence would’ve improved the depth at the position drastically. Not so much in the number of players at the position, but its overall talent and experience. The Ole Miss tampering fiasco has made Clemson’s offseason task of building the second-level, much tougher.
On the way out
Besides losing Ferrelli, Clemson will be without three linebackers from the 2025 roster going into next season. The biggest loss is of course the two-year starter, Wade Woodaz.
Woodaz had 70 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, and 0.5 sacks last season. He’s been a key part of the Tigers defense since 2023, when he became a heavy rotation player. Woodaz has now exhausted his eligibility, and will try his hand at the pros after he recovers from an injury he suffered against South Carolina.
The two other linebackers leaving the Clemson program are Jamal Anderson and Dee Crayton, who both chose to enter the transfer portal. This might’ve had to do with knowledge of the Tigers pursuing Ferrelli when the transfer portal first opened. Both players received very minimal in-game reps at Clemson, and weren’t likely to see a drastic increase of snaps played.
Anderson and Crayton have both found homes for 2026 with other FBS programs. Crayton will be moving west to play for UNLV. Anderson will be transferring to ACC foe SMU. They combined for 16 total tackles and two tackles for loss last season.
Likely Starters
With Ferrelli off the books, that leaves Sammy Brown as the only known starting linebacker for next season. The 2025 First-Team All-ACC selection continues to stay loyal to Clemson.
He finished last season with 106 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, a forced fumble and an interception. Brown was one of the most exciting signings in the 2023 freshman class, and has completely lived up to the hype. He will need to continue to do so in order to anchor the second-level of the defense.
Who starts next to Brown in 2026 is more up in the air at the moment. The most likely candidates look to be either redshirt senior Kobe McCloud, or 2025 transfer Jeremiah Alexander. Both players finished with similar stats as rotation pieces last season.
Alexander had 36 total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack in his first season as a Tiger. He has a bit more versatility as an athlete, but McCloud has more playing experience especially in a Clemson uniform. McCloud had himself 26 total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and sack.
The competition between these two players could last much of the offseason. However, there are a couple players below them on the depth chart right now that could insert themselves in the race as well.
Depth Pieces
Outside of the players already mentioned, the depth of this group does not have much experience. The only player left whose played meaningful reps is former walk-on Fletcher Cothran.
The redshirt senior played well in the defensive reps he earned at the end of the season. Against Furman, he had four tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. A few weeks later in the Pinstripe Bowl, Cothran racked up nine total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and 0.5 sacks. If Cothran stays on this trajectory, he could fit as a key piece for the defense in 2026.
After Cothran, there are two redshirt sophomores with very minimal defensive reps in their careers. CJ Kubah-Taylor is a player Swinney has talked much about the last couple of offseasons. Hopefully he makes some noise in the spring and has a true breakthrough year.
Drew Woodaz has a chance to step out of his older brother’s shadow over the next two years. This upcoming season serves as a great chance for the younger Woodaz to step his game up. He needs to earn himself more reps to prove himself, while his position group lacks its typical depth.
The Tigers also still have one linebacker making his way into the program in freshman Brayden Reilly. The four-star prospect was ranked the 14th best player in Ohio, which helped drum up a ton of excitement around his commitment. If Reilly can live up to the expectations, he could find himself on the field getting important reps very early on.