Todd McShay’s first look at the 2026 NFL Draft features a heavy Clemson presence at the top.
The longtime draft analyst, formerly with ESPN, released what he’s calling his “Appropriately Early” mock draft on Friday, and he placed four Tigers in the first round. All four went inside the top 14 picks, with three in the top seven, including the first two overall selections.
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At No. 1, McShay projected quarterback Cade Klubnik to the Cleveland Browns. If that happens, Klubnik would become the second Clemson player ever to be chosen first overall, joining Trevor Lawrence in 2021. Defensive end T.J. Parker followed right behind at No. 2, going to the New Orleans Saints.
Defensive tackle Peter Woods landed in the top 10 as well, with McShay projecting him to the Carolina Panthers at No. 7. That move would be notable in itself, since the Panthers have never drafted a Clemson player. Wide receiver Antonio Williams rounded out the group, coming in at No. 14 to the New England Patriots.
Should things play out this way, it would mark the best first round in Clemson’s history. The program’s current record for first-round selections is three, set in 2019 when Clelin Ferrell (No. 4 to the Raiders), Christian Wilkins (No. 13 to the Dolphins), and Dexter Lawrence (No. 17 to the Giants) all went early.
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The 2026 NFL Draft is scheduled for April 23–25 in Pittsburgh. If McShay’s early vision proves accurate, Clemson could be one of the biggest stories of the weekend.
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This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: NFL draft analyst Todd McShay has Clemson with the Top 2 2026 picks