Clemson football ties program record with 9 NFL draft picks. Here’s the list
Clemson football concluded a busy NFL Draft Saturday and set a few records in the process.
The Tigers had nine players drafted from Thursday to Saturday, which tied the program record for most picks a single seven-round draft (2016). All nine of Clemson’s picks came in the first five rounds, which set a new record for most picks in that range (the previous high was six).
Clemson’s nine picks were tied for the most in the ACC with Miami and tied for No. 4 nationally behind Ohio State (11), Alabama (10) and Texas A&M (10). Clemson also tied Ohio State for the most picks across the first five rounds (nine).
Here’s more on each selection, plus an undrafted free agent roundup for coach Dabo Swinney’s program.
Clemson football 2026 NFL Draft picks
- OT Blake Miller: First round (No. 17 overall) to the Lions
- DT Peter Woods: First round (No. 29 overall) to the Chiefs
- DE T.J. Parker: Second round (No. 35 overall) to the Bills
- CB Avieon Terrell: Second round (No. 48 overall) to the Falcons
- WR Antonio Williams: Third round (No. 71 overall) to the Commanders
- QB Cade Klubnik: Fourth round (No. 110 overall) to the Jets
- LB Wade Woodaz: Fourth round (No. 123 overall) to the Texans
- DT DeMonte Capehart: Fifth round (No. 155 overall) to the Buccaneers
- RB Adam Randall: Fifth round (No. 174 overall) to the Ravens
Two Tigers sign as UDFAs
Clemson cornerback Jeadyn Lukus signed with the Titans and offensive tackle Tristan Leigh signed with the Vikings as UDFAs after the draft, per reports.
Clemson ties record with RB Adam Randall
Clemson has tied its seven-round draft record with nine players taken in this year’s draft. Running back Adam Randall, a former wide receiver who changed positions ahead of his senior year, was drafted in the fifth round by the Ravens.
Randall, the No. 174 overall pick, has a good mix of size and speed at running back and joins a room led by future Hall of Famer Derrick Henry.
The Ravens have now drafted three Clemson players since 2023 (CB Nate Wiggins, LB Trenton Simpson and Randall) after drafting none up to that point.
DT DeMonte Capehart makes it 8
Clemson is up to eight draft picks. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers picked veteran defensive tackle and South Carolina native DeMonte Capehart in the fifth round (No. 155 overall) on Saturday.
Capehart, from Hartsville, played six years at Clemson and has impressive size at 6-foot-5 and 313 pounds. He appeared in 57 games with the Tigers and was a steady, modestly productive rotational defensive tackle.
LB Wade Woodaz a surprise fourth-rounder
Clemson linebacker Wade Woodaz was considered a late Day 3 pick or perhaps even an undrafted free agent. But the Houston Texans didn’t pay attention to those projections, taking Woodaz No. 123 overall in the fourth round.
The veteran linebacker turns some heads with his 40-yard dash time and athleticism during the pre-draft process. He joins a Texans team that ranked as one of the NFL’s best defenses and has reached the playoffs three straight years.
With Woodaz’s selection, Clemson football has racked up seven picks among the first four rounds of the draft and the first 125 overall picks.
QB Cade Klubnik goes in fourth round
Who saw that coming? Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik, widely projected as a late Day 3 pick, was taken in the fourth round by the New York Jets.
The Jets, who currently have veteran Geno Smith as their started, traded up to get the QB who was unanimously projected as a first-round pick last summer after an excellent junior season but plateaued as a senior in 2025.
Klubnik was the first Clemson quarterback drafted since Trevor Lawrence in 2021.
WR Antonio Williams makes it 5
Clemson has its fifth top 75 draft pick. The Washington Commanders picked wide receiver Antonio Williams No. 71 overall in the third round Friday.
With Williams’ selection, Clemson has set a new record for most picks in the first three rounds of an NFL Draft with five. Clemson’s previous record of four was accomplished five times (1991, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021).
That does make last year’s 7-6 record sting a little extra, though ...
CB Avieon Terrell reunites with older brother
The Atlanta Falcons picked Clemson cornerback Avieon Terrell No. 48 overall in the second round Friday, meaning he’ll share an NFL field with his older brother, AJ Terrell, a standout corner and 2020 first-round pick of the Falcons.
In 205, the younger Terrell was an All American and semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award given to the nation’s top defensive back. He set Clemson’s single-season and career records for forced fumbles by a DB and led all cornerbacks nationally in forced fumbles during his three years (eight).
Avieon Terrell primarily played outside cornerback for Clemson but has experience playing nickel, too. He started 31 of his 39 career games as Clemson and nine career tackles for loss, 4.0 career sacks and 28 pass deflections.
The Terrells become the third set of brothers to be drafted out of Clemson across the last 50 years (Chuck and Rod McSwain, William and Michael Dean Perry).
DE TJ Parker is Clemson’s first Day 2 pick
Junior defensive end T.J. Parker became Clemson’s first Day 2 pick Friday when he was picked No. 35 overall by the Buffalo Bills.
Parker recorded 21.5 sacks and 41.5 tackles for loss in 39 career games at Clemson (29 starts). He left the Tigers ranking 10th in career sacks and tied for fourth in career fumble recoveries (six) despite only playing three seasons.
He also set Clemson’s single-season record for forced fumbles in 2024 (six) and was the only player in the nation to reach both five forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries across the 2024-25 seasons.
Parker’s sack production did drop from his sophomore to junior year, though, prompting a bit of a slide down the draft board from a previously expected first-round selection.
Two Tigers picked in first round
Clemson had a solid showing in the first round of the draft Thursday.
Longtime starting right tackle Blake Miller (No. 17 to Lions) and talented defensive tackle Peter Woods (No. 29 to Chiefs) were both taken among the top 30 picks.
Their selections marked the ninth time Clemson has produced multiple first-round picks in a single draft and the first time that’s happened since 2023.
This story was originally published April 24, 2026 at 7:24 PM with the headline "Clemson football ties program record with 9 NFL draft picks. Here’s the list."
