Clemson Tigers Fall a Few Spots in Recent ESPN 2025 Recruiting Class Rankings

The Clemson Tigers dropped a few spots in the most recent ESPN 2025 recruiting class power rankings.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney speaks during a mid-week press conference at the Smart Family Media Center in Clemson, S.C. Tuesday, September 3, 2024. Clemson plays Appalachian State September 7. / Ken Ruinard / staff / USA TODAY NETWORK

There were a lot of questions marks early in the season about the direction that the Clemson Tigers football program was heading in.

After getting destroyed by the Georgia Bulldogs in their season opener, analysts and fans alike were getting on the case of head coach Dabo Swinney. His refusal to take advantage of the transfer portal was seemingly putting the program behind other upper-echelon teams.

Alas, the worries of Swinney and Clemson’s demise were premature.

Since that loss to the Bulldogs, the team has gone 3-0, blowing out the Appalachian State Mountaineers, NC State Wolfpack and Stanford Cardinals. They scored at least 40 points in all three contests and won all of them by 24+ points.

It certainly looks like the Tigers are here to stay, as they are on the rise in the ACC. Many people see them as legitimate threats to the Miami Hurricanes, who are currently viewed as the favorites by many outlets.

Also, the future looks to be in good hands. As shared by Craig Haubert of ESPN, their 2025 recruiting class is another strong one.

Clemson currently comes in at No. 19 in the rankings. That is a slight drop from the previous update, which had them ranked at No. 15. But, there is a lot to like about the group Swinney has coming in, headlined by running back Gideon Henderson on offense.

“Despite ranking just 15th for the 2024 cycle, the Tigers have already checked several boxes in 2025 with big commitments at multiple positions. Gideon Davidson and in-state prospect Marquise Henderson are a pair of key running back pledges. Davidson, a top-five running back, runs with a nice blend of size, speed and power. He posted impressive numbers as a junior, rushing for 2,700 yards and 43 touchdowns. Henderson is more slightly built at roughly 5-10, 170 pounds, but has explosive, big-play speed. He rushed for more than 2,300 yards as a junior. Four-star quarterback Blake Hebert missed most of his junior season with an injury, but he has good size, he has a smooth and compact delivery, and he moves well and extends plays,” wrote Haubert.

Overall, the team currently has six players ranked in the ESPN 300 committed in the 2025 class. On the defensive side of the ball, the highest-ranked prospect is safety Tae Harris.

As always, Swinney and his recruiting team are doing their best work on that side of the ball.

“Clemson landed several defensive linemen ranked in the ESPN 300. Ari Watford is a lengthy player with good initial quickness who can develop into a disruptive edge rusher. In the trenches, Clemson landed defensive tackle Amare Adams, the top-ranked player in South Carolina. One-time Georgia commit Tae Harris is a nice addition to the secondary. He projects to safety, but he's versatile enough to play corner. He posted some of the top numbers on the spring camp circuit, including a blazing 4.38 40-yard dash,” added Haubert.

There is a lot of talent in the Clemson pipeline that these prospects will only add to. With so many contributing players on this year’s team having multiple years of eligibility remaining, this is a program whose future looks to be very strong again.