ESPN's Greg McElroy is 'extremely bullish' on Clemson defense in 2025

ESPN's Greg McElroy sees Tom Allen as one of the best hires in the offseason.

Brandon Rink · Assoc. Editor / Staff Writer · Tuesday, June 03 2025

A year after a disappointing defensive season led to a coordinator change, everything seems to be coming together for a strong bounce-back campaign.

That's where ESPN college football analyst Greg McElroy is on Clemson, which finished 69th in yards allowed per game last year (the lowest ranking since finishing 71st in 2011). He slotted Clemson at No. 10 in his preseason ranking of the best defenses.

"I think they're going to be really, really strong across the board," McElroy said. "I love their personnel that returns. I love the possible jump that you might get from Sammy Brown in his second full season. I love the addition of Tom Allen and the scheme that he's going to be bringing to Clemson. This should be one of the best groups in the country, and frankly, not having them in the Top 5 was tough, but because there isn't as much coordinator continuity that just remained a tiny bit of a question mark for me as they head into this year, but I'm bullish on that defense in so many ways and I love that team this year.

"I think they are a legitimate national title contender."

McElroy sees Allen and T.J. Parker as quite the combination.

"I look at how they've addressed that depth, and the person that they brought in to run the defense, and I am extremely bullish on what Clemson might be this upcoming season," McElroy said. "Tom Allen was really one of the best hires of the entire offseason...He has a really strong reputation. I love the way he disguises his schemes. I love the way he puts players in position to create their own shot in the pass rush and he's got a couple fun players that he's gonna have some fun with being able to move them around and identify weaknesses along the opposing offensive line. That defense at Penn State finished seventh in total defense and eighth in scoring defense. They were excellent in tackles for loss. They were excellent in sacks. So if you look at the addition of Tom Allen at defensive coordinator, that was a major coup...

"TJ Parker, at times, was single-handedly winning games for the Clemson Tigers. I can think of a few performances last year where he was just destroying the opposing offensive line. The right tackle was having a nightmare job trying to protect and it was because TJ Parker, when he was on the field, they were a completely different defense...In this scheme, he has a chance bring home a bunch of national defensive awards if he can reach his potential this upcoming season. I think he's extremely gifted, and if that's your bellcow, you're in a great shape defensively."

Looking at the numbers, McElroy says it doesn't look like Brown was mostly a reserve in 2024, and he expects a jump and a productive duo with Wade Woodaz at linebacker.

"He's got great instincts. He's got great speed. I think he can be a massive problem alongside Wade Woodaz at the second level. I love that tandem there on the interior," said McElroy.

McElroy also lauded Avieon Terrell as a lockdown corner and Khalil Barnes as an All-American candidate at safety too.

No scheduled opponents made the Top 10, but South Carolina was among the honorable mentions for the list.