Clemson is expected to have a presence when the first round of the NFL Draft begins Thursday, though how early the Tigers come off the board depends on which projection you follow.
Peter Schrager sees a more aggressive opening round, including a potential trade involving the Houston Texans moving up for Blake Miller.
“With three offensive tackles already off the board and a few OT-needy teams coming up, Houston can flip its early Round 3 pick to move up nine spots in Round 1 and get an experienced, reliable right tackle. Miller is steady. And after another OL remake for the Texans, that’s what they need. Miller is an immediate starter who can help open run lanes and keep C.J. Stroud clean,” Schrager said.
He also has Clemson stars T.J. Parker landing with the Chicago Bears and Peter Woods going to the Buffalo Bills, both tied to clear defensive needs late in the round.
“Edge is a big need for Chicago. The Bears have to find someone to create pressure opposite Montez Sweat. We might see a little push for edge rushers at the end of Round 1, and Chicago could land Parker with the hope that he gets back to his 11-sack production of 2024 (he had five in 2025),” Schrager said.
“Buffalo was 30th against the run last season, averaging 5.1 yards allowed per carry, so it should be considering ways to improve that. Woods – along with Parker, his Clemson teammate – was getting a ton of buzz heading into the 2025 season, and although his production dipped, he has blue-chip upside. Concepcion would also be interesting here, but I think the Bills go defense,” Schrager said.
Other projections are a bit more conservative with Clemson’s placement. In one ESPN mock, Peter Woods is slotted to the Kansas City Chiefs late in the round, while Miller is paired with the New England Patriots.
“The ideal scenario for the Chiefs is that one of the top receivers is still available. Since that’s not the case, adding another defensive lineman would be wise. The Chiefs need depth behind Chris Jones and Omarr Norman-Lott. Woods is an intriguing prospect who should be more than capable of contributing in a rotational role,” ESPN’s Nate Taylor said.
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“This is a best-case scenario in terms of value matching up with need. Will Campbell (No. 4 pick in 2025) returns as the starting left tackle, and 35-year-old Morgan Moses is back as the starting right tackle. The 6-6, 317-pound Miller could fill an immediate void as the swing tackle while developing as Moses’ potential future replacement. Miller started 54 games at Clemson, and scouts view him as durable and having a pro mindset,” ESPN’s Mike Reiss said.
Clemson may not control how the board falls, but multiple Tigers are in position to hear their names called at some point Thursday night.
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This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: ESPN 2026 NFL draft predictions, three Clemson players first round