When national media thinks of Clemson football in the 2010s, they tend to think about offense. And who could blame them? Deshaun Watson, Hunter Renfrow and Travis Etienne lit up the scoreboard (just to name a few players).
But the calling card of those national title-caliber teams was the Clemson defensive line. Headlined by standouts on the defensive front like Christian Wilkins, Dexter Lawrence II, and Clelin Ferrell, the Tigers nabbed a pair of national titles, and several ACC titles to boot.
In recent years, Clemson hasn’t seen the same top-tier level at the defensive line, but the 2025 edition of the team aims to change that. Will they be able to do it?
Key Returning Production
The foundation for the strong defense that incoming defensive coordinator Tom Allen wants to run lies in a strong group of returners. Edge rusher T.J. Parker (57 tackles, 11 sacks in 2024) will pair with interior rusher Peter Woods (26 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 forced fumble) to set the tone. Parker, one of the most explosive pass-rushers in the country, will look to follow in the footsteps of the newly-drafted New York Giant, Abdul Carter. Allen coached him up for a career year at Penn State last season (capturing the Big Ten’s Defensive Player of the Year award), and will aim to do the same with Parker. Interior rusher DeMonte Capehart (21 tackles, 2 passes defensed) will look to benefit from the attention that the junior Woods will receive.
Newcomers
To supplement the standouts that they already had up front, Dabo Swinney was able to land a pair of pieces that will be valuable to both the present and future of the team. In the transfer portal, he landed Purdue edge rusher Will Heldt, his first ever defensive portal addition. That fact alone shows how much Swinney prioritized bolstering the position group.
The transfer portal wasn’t the only avenue that Clemson went down to shore up their defensive front. 5-star high school prospect Amare Adams, who has already gotten rave reviews after enrolling early in January, should be a part of the rotation from day one.
Final Verdict
Though the defensive front isn’t at the same level as the 2018 group, that’s no disrespect to them. Parker, Woods, and the aforementioned newcomers are more than capable of making noise and being the strength of the Tigers defense in 2025 and beyond. In particular, Adams has what it takes to be the next game-wrecker inside that creates havoc for ACC opponents in the coming years. Armed with an upgrade at defensive coordinator from 2024, look for Clemson’s defense to trend back toward the dominance we saw in the 2010s.
