National analyst on recruiting: 'I've got concerns about where Clemson's headed'

247Sports analyst Josh Pate says something has to be amiss from the 2025 rankings for Clemson to compete for national titles going forward.

Brandon Rink - Assoc. Editor / Staff Writer - Wednesday, February 12 2025

One national analyst is pressing a panic button of sorts regarding the future of Clemson football.

247Sports college football host Josh Pate agrees on the national assessment that Dabo Swinney's Tigers will have a chance to compete for the College Football Playoff in 2025, but after seeing a 2025 recruiting class rank 26th nationally, Pate doesn't like the trend going forward for the program.

"I will say, none of this is definitive. I don't know where Clemson's headed. I've got concerns about where Clemson's headed. They just finished with the 26th-ranked class in the country. That's the lowest there since 2010," Pate said. "They're not close. Let me put it plainly: Clemson's football players that they are accumulating are not going to be good enough to meet the standard they've set there. Unless something drastic changes or unless their development laps the rest of the sport or the recruiting rankings were just totally flawed. Unless something like that is amiss, they're not going to be able to keep up. This year's team will actually be their best shot over the next several years. That's the way it looks to me right now. I would be happy to be sold on the alternative.

"I'd be more than happy. It's not something I actually want. It's very good for us around here when Clemson is good. It's hard for me to see them competing at a national championship level. They're not close to Texas right now. They are not close to Ohio State. They're not close to several of the top teams in the SEC or Big Ten."

Swinney's refrain on the 2025 class was largely based on numbers. It's hard to accumulate the points that come with recruiting rankings with a smaller class, due to fewer spots to sign players.

Just in the starting group, Clemson brings back nine on offense, and defensively, there are eleven players returning with starting experience from last season and another Power Conference starting defender coming in with Purdue defensive end Will Heldt.

By average rating per 2025 commit, the group looks a bit better, as On3 ranked Clemson at 17th overall there.

On 247Sports, the Tigers' classes were assessed just outside of the Top 10 in 2023 and 2024 (11th each), on the heels of a No. 10 group in 2022 and a No. 5 ranking in 2021. 247Sports' Team Talent Composite ranked Clemson with the fifth-most-talented roster in the sport last year.

Fellow members of that Team Talent Top 5 -- and referenced by Pate, Texas was No. 1 for the 2025 class recruiting and No. 6 last year, while Ohio State was No. 4 in 2025 and No. 5 in 2024.

Before its bigger recruiting dates, Clemson is ranked 19th for the 2026 class currently, with two consensus 4-star pledges in six commitments.

The program will hold an 'Elite Retreat' in March and then its marquee official visits in late May-June.