The 2025 Clemson season has been a catastrophic failure by every measure. The offense is broken, the 3-5 record is the worst of the Dabo Swinney era, and the championship hopes evaporated weeks ago.
But in the eyes of the NFL, the Clemson brand is still gold.
A wave of new 2026 NFL mock drafts released this week confirms that scouts are willing to bet on the elite talent, not the team's disastrous record. Three Tigers remain consensus first-round projections, a stunning testament to their individual skill in a sea of team-wide dysfunction.
The Head-Scratcher: T.J. Parker's Production vs. Potential
In the latest CBS Sports mock draft, defensive end T.J. Parker lands just outside the top 10 at No. 11 overall to the Washington Commanders.
This projection comes despite a head-scratching drop in his on-field production. After racking up 16.5 sacks in his first two dominant seasons, Parker has tallied just two sacks during this 2025 collapse.
But scouts, it seems, are looking past the box score. CBS analyst Cooper Petagna notes that Parker's "well-rounded skill set" and ability to "play the run with equal effectiveness" make him an ideal fit for the pros, regardless of his current stats.
The 'Reliable' Force: Peter Woods Stays in the Top 20
Defensive tackle Peter Woods, one of the few bright spots on the team, lands at No. 16 overall to the Carolina Panthers in the same mock.
Petagna calls Woods "one of the most experienced and reliable prospects" in the entire draft, praising the "quick-twitch, explosive interior defender" as a "bona fide instant-impact player." Other outlets, like A to Z Sports and The Draft Network, are even higher on Woods, projecting him as a top-10 pick.
The Lockdown Corner: Avieon Terrell Rounds Out the First
Cornerback Avieon Terrell solidifies Clemson's first-round defensive trio, landing at No. 32 to the Indianapolis Colts in the CBS mock.
Terrell is lauded for his "excellent instincts" and "sticky man-coverage" ability after starting 26 career games. Most mock drafts agree, placing him firmly in the late first round.
The draft interest doesn't stop there. A to Z Sports also projects wide receiver Antonio Williams as a second-round pick (No. 54 overall), proving that scouts are still digging for talent in Death Valley.
While the 2025 season is a lost cause for Clemson's College Football Playoff hopes, it's becoming crystal clear that the program's primary function this fall is to serve as a high-priced, heavily-scouted audition for the NFL.