Where Clemson football ranks in updated early 2026 recruiting class rankings (2025)

The 2025 college football season is still months away, let alone 2026.

That hasn't stopped publications like ESPN, 247Sports, On3 and others from getting the jump on ranking the Clemson Tigers and other top programs' early recruiting classes for 2026.

And the Tigers are sitting strong in those rankings. While Clemson's 2025 class has lagged in the rankings from those same recruiting outlets, 2026 tells an entirely different story.

On Tuesday, ESPN unveiled its first set of top 25 college football recruiting rankings for the class of 2026. Clemson debuts at No. 3, behind only the defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes and the USC Trojans. The Tigers have six players in the ESPN 300 list of top recruits.

ESPN's rankings are similar to 247Sports and Rivals, which both have Clemson at No. 2 nationally (behind USC) with 13 commitments and eight 4-star recruits. Among the Tigers' commitments are 4-star receivers Naeem Burroughs (Jacksonville, Fla.) and Connor Saimin (Potomac, M.D.), 4-star OL Chancellor Barclay (Orlando), and 4-star safety Kaden Gebhardt (Ohio).

Four-star QB Tait Reynolds (Queen Creek, Ariz.) is the Tigers' headliner at quarterback in the 2026 class.

On3 is the outlier in regard to 2026 team recruiting rankings and has Clemson at No. 7 nationally, with LSU, Oregon, Alabama and Texas A&M ahead of the Tigers.

247Sports ranks Barclay as the Tigers' top recruit, the ninth-best OL in the country and the 116th best player overall. ESPN lists Burroughs as the Tigers' top player from the 2026 class and adds:

"Much of the talent is currently concentrated on offense... Burroughs is a burner in the 100-meter dash who can take the top off a defense and has a high football IQ. Fellow receiver Connor Salmin is another big-play threat, and both Grant Wise and Adam Guthrie are four-star linemen. They could one day protect fellow four-star Tait Reynolds, a dual-threat QB out of Arizona who could push to be part of the long-term solution to replace Cade Klubnik."

In the class of 2025 rankings, Clemson was ranked No. 37 nationally by ESPN, No. 23 by On3, and No. 29 by 247Sports. Freshman running back Gideon Davidson, a 4-star recruit out of Liberty Christian Academy in Virginia, has turned heads all spring. He had nine carries for 31 yards to go with four catches for 43 yards in Clemson's Orange and White Spring Game last Saturday.

Dabo Swinney recently explained his approach to recruiting in a lengthy sit-down with George Wrighster:

"We don't offer many guys. We don't offer freshmen and sophomores. I won't offer anybody that won't come here. We value and we know exactly what we're looking for. We're unique and we're different in our approach. That's not to judge other (programs). That's just what's worked for us."

Clemson opens the 2025 season on Aug. 30 against LSU at Memorial Stadium. They're scheduled to face LSU in Baton Rouge in the 2026 season opener at Tiger Stadium.

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This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Clemson football off to great start with 2026 recruiting class