Defenders to watch as Clemson seeks run defense resurgence

Stephiylan Green graded well as a run stopper and tackler last season.

Brandon Rink · Assoc. Editor / Staff Writer · Thursday, July 03 2025

Diving further into the key returners for Clemson football’s high hopes in the 2025 season with the help of Pro Football Focus.

Examining an area where Clemson struggled as a unit last year (85th in rushing YPG allowed), but has some bright spots returning.

CB Avieon Terrell - 2024 Run Defense PFF grade: 90.7

Terrell was lauded by PFF for run support in relation to his first-round pick brother, AJ Terrell.

“The younger Terrell is a much better run-defender than his brother, placing fourth among all cornerbacks with a 90.7 run-defense grade this past season while his three forced fumbles tied for second. He’s still excellent in coverage as well, leading all Power Four corners with 14 forced incompletions in 2024,” said PFF. “While not the biggest at just 5-foot-11, 180 pounds, Terrell plays with outstanding physicality for the position and has the speed to stick with receivers in man coverage.”

Against the run-heavy Citadel Bulldogs, Terrell graded best last year (93.9). On the season, Terrell ranked second only to R.J. Mickens (26) for stops* registered from Tiger defensive backs (19). His three forced fumbles were tied for second on the team with Wade Woodaz and trailing only T.J. Parker’s five.

(*Tackles that constitute a failure for the offense).

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DL Peter Woods - 2024 Run Defense PFF grade: 81.3

Woods managed a standout grade despite appearing to play out of position for a good chunk of the season. PFF’s Max Chadwick agrees with that notion.

“Woods is my top returning interior defender and leads all returning Power Four defensive tackles in run-defense grade (89.7) and pass-rush win rate (14.9%) since 2023,” Chadwick said. "Woods spent the majority of his sophomore year playing out of position at edge defender and still earned an 83.3 PFF grade on the season. Over his first two seasons of college football, he’s both the highest-graded and most valuable returning Power Four defensive tackle, according to PFF’s wins above average metric…His power and agility...make him a nightmare for any offensive lineman."

Woods lined up outside the offensive tackle on 122 snaps and over the opposing offensive tackle on 49 last season (43.3% of his snaps). With a higher overall PFF grade in 2023 (87.6), he only lined up at DE for 17.9% of his snaps.

Woods logged 20 stops in 395 snaps last season and 20 stops in 301 snaps as a freshman. His missed tackle percentage ticked up last year in all the movement (16.7% in 2023; 18.8% in 2024).

ED TJ Parker - 2024 Run Defense PFF grade: 80.8

Parker tallied a school-record six forced fumbles and ranked second nationally there, to go with a team-best 19.5 tackles for loss.

According to PFF, he was one of a top group of edge defenders to notch 80.0-plus grades both as a pass-rusher (86.2) and run defender last season.

Parker totaled 19 stops on run plays with just four missed tackles in 251 snaps there.

DL DeMonte Capehart- 2024 Run Defense PFF grade: 76.5

Capehart posted the highest stop percentage last season on the D-line (9.5%) with 11 in 118 run defense snaps.

Over action in five seasons (a medical redshirt and a COVID season in there), Capehart has 31 stops in 545 total snaps.

Demonte Capehart NFL draft film pic.twitter.com/CjE9gNUMz2
— Tiger Commenter (@TigerCommenter) October 12, 2024

DL Stephiylan Green- 2024 Run Defense PFF grade: 72

Green tallied eight stops in 115 rush snaps, posting 2.5 tackles for loss. He was named a second-team freshman All-American by The Athletic last season, redshirting as a freshman in 2023 and seeing action in 12 games around injury last year.

#Clemson freshman DT Stephiylan Green

6-4, 275. Explodes out of his stance, uses hands well to shed OL and get to the football. And next-level closing speed. Lots of good reps Saturday.

A force to be reckoned with lined up next to Peter Woods for the next 3-4 years. pic.twitter.com/T9XX9sht10
— Johnny Falduto (@johnnyfalduto) April 19, 2023