Clemson Tigers Recruiting Faces New Challenges as ACC Programs Catch Up

The Clemson Tigers have some work to do with their 2025 football recruiting class.

Dec 21, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney reacts against the Texas Longhorns during the CFP National playoff first round at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Clemson Tigers were able to overcome some long odds during the 2024 college football season to land a spot in the ACC Championship.

A lot of help was needed down the stretch and they received it, as the Miami Hurricanes fell short, allowing Clemson to face off against the SMU Mustangs. It was an opportunity they took full advantage of, defeating the Mustangs and earning a spot in the College Football Playoff.

While their stay was short-lived, as the Texas Longhorns eliminated them in the first round, it was a step in the right direction that the Tigers can still hang as a contender in the current landscape of college football.

Head coach Dabo Swinney has dipped into the transfer portal for the first time, as he knows that it will take some adjustments on his part for Clemson to remain a powerhouse program.

However, the ACC is beginning to present some new obstacles for the team, as other programs are starting to catch up to the Tigers when it comes to the level of talent on the roster.

Swinney and crew are in an unfamiliar spot when it comes to the incoming freshman class within the conference. As shared by Eli Lederman of ESPN, there were some major losses as players flipped commitments in the fall and other schools found success on the recruiting trail.

“After losing five ESPN 300 commits during the fall, the Tigers' incoming class sits seventh among ACC programs in ESPN's rankings for the cycle, trailing not just Miami but also the likes of Duke and Syracuse,” the college football expert wrote.

The Duke Blue Devils and Syracuse Orange both had very strong 2024 campaigns under first-year head coaches Manny Diaz and Fran Brown. They won nine and 10 games respectively and will be looking to build off of that success to become major players in the ACC.

Duke especially is going all-in after making former Tulane Green Wave quarterback Darian Mensah the unofficial highest paid player in college football, landing his commitment with a reported $8 million offer in the portal.

While the Clemson recruiting class may not be as highly ranked as some of their conference foes, there are players to be excited about.

Their highest rated recruit was running back Gideon Davidson, who could become an impact player right away.

“ESPN's No. 3 running back prospect in 2025, Davidson lands with the Tigers after logging 2,054 rushing yards (9.2 per carry) and 34 rushing scores in his senior season this fall. Could he break through early in a young running backs room next fall with 1,106-yard rusher Phil Mafah set to depart?” Lederman added.

A balanced offensive attack is key for Clemson to consistently perform on that side of the ball, led by star quarterback Cade Klubnik.

There is a lot of talent returning in 2025, as the pressure will be on once again for Swinney and his team to win 10+ games and be right in the mix for the College Football Playoff.