You can really feel the anxiety in the air on this tense Saturday morning in Death Valley. Clemson, which was once the ACC’s gold standard, is now trying to keep its bowl streak alive. After their bye week, the Tigers, who are currently 3-4, are desperately trying to find the spark that once made Memorial Stadium a fortress. On the other side of the field, Duke has a strong chance to maintain their title chances with Darian Mensah, the ACC’s passing leader. The Clemson squad hasn’t played well at home lately.

The fun part about football is that stories that began months ago can suddenly come full circle on a random Saturday. In a recent X post, Mike Kaye wrote, “The #Panthers have never drafted a Clemson player in their history.” Fans and analysts were shocked right away when the press box seating chart for the Clemson-Duke game revealed that Jordan Trgovac of the Carolina Panthers was the sole NFL scout present. And that’s crazy when you consider that the Panthers have never selected a Clemson player in the draft. Not one. This record is almost incredible for a squad that actually played its first season at Clemson’s own stadium in 1995.

That’s why people are starting to wonder if this is more than just another routine scouting trip. ESPN’s Matt Miller projected this spring that Carolina may finally break the decades-long drought by selecting defensive tackle Peter Woods of Clemson in the 2026 NFL Draft. Miller hinted at a potential change in the $4.5B NFL franchise’s mindset when he stated, “The Panthers bucked conventional wisdom with their 2025 first-rounder…That’s where the 6-foot-3, 315-pound Woods comes in. He posted three sacks and 17 pressures in 11 games this season, and his quickness and leverage would be a welcome fit in Carolina’s revamped defense.”

Even the players themselves know what’s up. When Clemson linebacker Barrett Carter was asked about the Panthers’ streak of skipping the Tigers he said, “Whatever they decide to do, that’s up to them. But at Clemson, we produce great men, great football players. If they come to get any of our Clemson guys, they are going to be very happy with what we do and what value we will bring to the program.” Clemson’s pipeline to the NFL has been flowing for years. The Panthers had just chosen to stay out of it. But now with a scout watching Dabo Swinney’s squad battle for redemption, maybe it’s time things begin to change.

Clemson’s NFL pipeline is reloaded, and the Panthers are watching closely

Analysts were already buzzing about Clemson’s defensive line being “NFL-ready” back in May, but as we hit November, the discussion becomes more and more layered. Despite Clemson’s rocky season, Peter Woods, the 6-foot-3, 310-pound wrecking giant in the center, continues to dominate every big board. He has been referred to as a monster in the middle. You can still see those flashes even in his disappointing year. PFF’s Trevor Sikkema said “He isn’t having as dominant a year as we thought he could as a pass-rusher, but this is still a rare athlete for someone who is 6-foot-3 and 310 pounds with the ability to discard blockers at will. He still has an 84.2 run-defense grade with a 75.1 pass-rush grade against true pass sets, and he isn’t even 21 years old yet.”

Now, T.J. Parker is right behind Woods on the Clemson front line. NFL teams would want to take a chance on him because of his aggressive and flexible edge-rusher profile. You can still see the burst, the motor, and the fire even though he hasn’t quite reached last year’s sack total. In their most recent mock, a CBS analyst remarked, “T.J. Parker is an explosive, high-motor edge rusher with the juice to both collapse pockets with a bull rush and the bend to win around the corner.” He was ranked just behind Woods in the top 10 according to the same mock, which may result in a Clemson 1-2 punch early in Round 1.

And don’t forget Avieon Terrell, the cornerback with the NFL connection. Even if Mel Kiper moved him down a few positions, he is still one of the country’s best cornerback prospects. Like his brother, Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell, he is fearless, quick, and tough. “Avieon doesn’t back down. He plays corner like a linebacker,” said CBS Sports’ Ryan Wilson. In April, Clemson may really have four first-round picks when you add in the fact that wide receiver Antonio Williams’ rising up to first-round estimates. If that happens, it will not only break the school’s draft record, but it may also make those Carolina Panthers scouts reconsider their long drought.