Where Clemson is in the first ESPN Top 25 recruiting rankings

Clemson is third currently in the 2026 recruiting rankings on ESPN, with another big recruiting push to come later this month.

Brandon Rink - Assoc. Editor / Staff Writer - Sunday, May 04 2025

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ESPN expanded its 2026 team recruiting class rankings to a Top 25 recently, but you don't have to go far to find Clemson.

Clemson ranked third overall, only trailing USC and Ohio State.

"Clemson is coming off a College Football Playoff appearance, but the Tigers are still chasing the heights of their mid-2010s success under Dabo Swinney, and their 2025 class ranked just 37th in the country. Their 2026 group is looking more promising, especially after a red-hot March in which Swinney landed eight verbals, including five ESPN 300 commits," ESPN's Craig Haubert said. "Much of the talent is currently concentrated on offense. Wide receiver Naeem Burroughs is a burner in the 100-meter dash who can take the top off a defense and has a high football IQ. Fellow receiver Connor Salmin is another big-play threat, and both Grant Wise and Adam Guthrie are four-star linemen. They could one day protect fellow four-star Tait Reynolds, a dual-threat QB out of Arizona who could push to be part of the long-term solution to replace Cade Klubnik."

Burroughs paces the ESPN grading with an 83 and a 4-star rating, tabbed as the No. 15 WR overall. Salmin and Gordon Sellars also both rank in the Top 25 WRs nationally (23rd and 25th, respectively).

Seven total Tigers have an 80-grade or better, also including Guthrie (82; OL), Chancellor Barclay (81; OL), Reynolds (80; QB), Wise (80; OL) and Tayveon Wilson (80; ATH/recruited as TE).

The next ACC team ranked is Syracuse, at No. 9, followed by Louisville (12), Miami (15), Florida State (18), UNC (19), and Boston College (20).

South Carolina checks in at No. 16, recently adding mutual instate OL target Zyon Guiles to the commitment list.

Of note, perennial Top 5 class finishers Georgia and Alabama are not in the Top 25 as of yet. Both feature lower commit totals and rankings outside of the Top 25 on the 247Sports Composite as well (No. 26 for Georgia; No. 32 for Alabama; Clemson is also third there).

Clemson is set to have its next big recruiting push at the end of the month, with a number of official visitors on May 30.