Clemson 38, North Carolina 10
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Clemson defensive end T.J. Parker has been disappointing this season and has not been the pass-rushing force that many thought he would be. However, the entire Clemson team has been a massive disappointment on the field. After their bye week, the Tigers were looking to reset and get back on track for the back half of the season. Going back to basics helped Parker as he played well against North Carolina.
Late in the first quarter, Parker had a nice series that started on second down when he worked off the block from the left tackle and took down the running back for a loss of a yard. The next play, Parker fired past the left tackle and powered into the running back to get penetration into the backfield to force Max Johnson to scramble and throw incomplete on third down. Late in the second quarter, Parker worked off the right tackle to take down Johnson for a sack as he climbed the pocket.
For the NFL, Parker has starter ability, but he needs to get more consistent. Parker could stand to play with more effort and urgency. He has some functional strength to fight off blocks, speed to get upfield, and the ability to win with power or strength. However, given his inconsistent play this season, Parker looks more like a day-two prospect rather than a first-rounder next April
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During the preseason, there were some in the media who were pushing Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik as a high first-round talent for the 2026 NFL Draft. This analyst never had him higher than a potential day-two pick based on his tape from last year and a limited skill set. Klubnik has disappointed and struggled this season, but was able to lead a blowout of North Carolina. Still, Klubnik showed some of the reasons why he has not been a riser this season.
In the early going, Klubnik had some easy completions, including a touchdown where he had a wideout make a nice run after a catch in the intermediate portion of the field. At the end of the first quarter, Klubnick threw a pass deep down the field into triple coverage, and North Carolina safety Marcus Allen ran under the ball for an interception in the back of the end zone. However, the referees blew the call and ruled it incomplete, so Klubnik benefited from the officials’ incompetence. To end the drive, he found a running back wide open on a wheel route for an easy touchdown pass. Later in the first half, Klubnik had a poor decision break his way again when an interception was dropped. Klubnik completed 22-of-24 passes for 254 yards with four touchdowns.
Klubnik looks like a day-three pick and backup competition at the NFL level. While he has some running ability, he has limitations as a passer. Klubnik has been a good college quarterback overall during his career, but he looks like a third-string caliber quarterback for the NFL.
