ESPN’s Greg McElroy Claims “Legitimate National Championship Contender” Status Hinges on Top-10 Defense originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Doubts about Clemson’s defense? Not in Greg McElroy’s book. The ESPN analyst has stamped the Tigers with a top-10 ranking, slotting them at No. 10 in his preseason defensive power rankings, but he says the ceiling is much, much higher.

“This should be one of the best groups in the country, and frankly, not having them in the top five was tough,” McElroy stated, signaling high expectations for the unit heading into the 2025 season. “I am bullish on Clemson in so many ways… I think they are a legitimate national championship contender.”

The primary reason for McElroy’s optimism, even with a new face calling the shots? The hiring of defensive coordinator Tom Allen, who McElroy called “one of the best hires of the entire offseason” and a “major coup” for head coach Dabo Swinney. Allen, fresh off a dominant 2024 campaign where his Penn State defense finished seventh in total defense, brings a scheme McElroy believes is tailor-made for the Tigers’ personnel.

“I love the way he disguises his schemes,” McElroy explained. “I love the way he puts players in position to create their own shot in the pass rush.”

And Allen has some serious weapons to work with. The conversation starts and ends with a defensive line that could be the nation’s most fearsome. Projected top-10 NFL Draft pick T.J. Parker is the headliner, a player McElroy described as a one-man wrecking crew.

“At times, [he was] single-handedly winning games for the Clemson Tigers,” McElroy recalled. “When he was on the field, they were a completely different defense… In this scheme, he has a chance to bring home a bunch of national defensive awards.”

Lining up with him is Peter Woods, another force who McElroy expects to slide back to his natural interior position after playing defensive end out of necessity last year. The duo of Woods and DeMonte Capehart on the inside could be “one of the best tandems at defensive tackle in the entire country.”

So, with elite talent and a proven defensive mind at the helm, why aren’t the Tigers ranked higher?

“Because there isn’t as much coordinator continuity, that just remained a tiny question mark for me,” McElroy admitted.

Still, the potential is undeniable. With the possible second-year leap from linebacker Sammy Brown and the star power on the line, McElroy is all-in on the Tigers’ D.

“I look at how they’ve addressed that depth, and the person that they brought in to run the defense, and I am extremely bullish on what Clemson might be this upcoming season.”

McElroy’s Top 10 Defenses for 2025

10. Clemson
9. Oregon
8. Michigan
7. Oklahoma
6. Alabama
5. Notre Dame
4. Georgia
3. Penn State
2. Ohio State
1. Texas

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 8, 2025, where it first appeared.