Clemson’s star linebackers are touted as the nation’s best draft prospects at their position entering the upcoming season, and rightfully so.

Coming off All-American campaigns in 2022, Barrett Carter and Jeremiah Trotter Jr. are ranked by Pro Football Focus as the top two 2024 NFL Draft prospects at the linebacker position.

Carter, a fourth-team All-America honoree from Phil Steele last season, earned the top spot in PFF’s list.

Last season, Carter tied for third on the team with 77 tackles (10.5 for loss) while collecting 5.5 sacks, eight pass breakups, two interceptions and two forced fumbles in a unit-high 832 snaps over 13 games (all starts).

Prior to Carter and two others in 2022, the last two Power Five conference players to reach 10 tackles for loss, five sacks, two forced fumbles and two interceptions in a season were Georgia’s Nakobe Dean in 2021 and Clemson’s Isaiah Simmons in 2019, years in which both players won the Butkus Award as the nation’s top linebacker.

“Carter is the next super athlete linebacker to come from Clemson, but unlike some before him, he’s a linebacker first and an athlete second,” PFF’s Trevor Sikkema wrote. “He’s a former five-star recruit, and the athletic pillars of that rating show up immediately. His potential as a run defender, pass rusher and coverage player is high, as he did not record a grade below 75.0 in any of those three categories.

“Carter forced five incompletions in coverage and notched 24 total pressures in 2022 (10.3% pass-rush win percentage). When he’s been able to anticipate, his impact is high with forced incompletions and key stops. He has first-round ability.”

After earning second-team All-America honors from the Associated Press last season, Trotter came in right behind Carter at No. 2 in PFF’s early 2024 NFL Draft linebacker rankings.

In 2022, Trotter led the Tigers in tackles (92) and tackles for loss (13.5), tied for the team lead in sacks (6.5) and added six pass breakups, a forced fumble and an interception (returned 35 yards for a touchdown) over 14 games (all starts).

The New Jersey native was one of only three Power Five players in 2022 to reach at least 13 tackles for loss, six sacks and return an interception for a touchdown.

“Trotter, the son of former Eagles All-Pro linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Sr., is a smart player whose football bloodlines show up quickly on his tape,” Sikkema wrote. “He is patient and comfortable keeping his shoulders square to the line of scrimmage in run defense, and he rarely misses tackles because of it.

“He also has a good feel for coverage, spacing and reading a quarterback’s eyes, earning an 89.2 coverage grade in 2022. His anticipation for where the ball is going and how to position himself correctly creates a very high floor for him as a future pro. His main detractors come from his smaller size at just 6-foot and 230 pounds. But as for the things he can control, he’s excellent already.”

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