With the 2024 college football campaign behind us, Pro Football Focus (PFF) has been ranking the best returning players at each position heading into the 2025 season.

PFF unveiled its ranking of the top returning linebackers this week, and while Clemson’s Wade Woodaz just missed the top 10, he was named as the honorable mention.

A defensive weapon whose versatility has led to Clemson deploying him at both linebacker and safety, Woodaz enters his senior season in 2025 credited with 140 tackles (21.5 for loss), 8.5 sacks, nine pass breakups, three interceptions (including one returned for a touchdown), four forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a blocked punt over 39 games (18 starts) since the beginning of his college career in 2022.

Here’s what PFF’s Max Chadwick had to say about Woodaz:

“Woodaz spent his freshman season at safety for the Tigers before playing the past two years at linebacker. That’s mainly due to his versatility in coverage, as he forced five incompletions last season and has picked off three passes since 2023.

“The rising senior is also a weapon as a blitzer, tallying 22 pressures last year — a top-20 mark in the Power Four.”

Last season, despite missing a couple of games and playing alongside All-American linebacker Barrett Carter, Woodaz garnered first-team All-ACC honors from Sports Info Solutions and earned second-team all-conference recognition from Phil Steele after tallying a team-high 89 tackles (10.0 for loss), three sacks, six pass breakups, three forced fumbles and an interception in 12 games (all starts).

Woodaz became the first Clemson player credited with at least 75 tackles and at least three forced fumbles since Isaiah Simmons in 2018. Woodaz was also one of six power conference players to record double-digit tackles for loss, three or more forced fumbles and an interception in 2024.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney has described Woodaz as “a baller.”

“He’s a fun guy to coach and a fun guy to watch play because he plays the way you want everybody to play,” Swinney said.

Clemson will open the 2025 season against one of PFF’s top 10 returning linebackers, as LSU’s Whit Weeks checked in at No. 3. LSU and Clemson kick off the upcoming campaign at Memorial Stadium on Aug. 30.

A couple of ACC linebackers – Pitt’s Kyle Louis and Rasheem Biles – were ranked among the top returning linebackers at No. 5 and No. 10, respectively. Clemson doesn’t face Pitt during the 2025 regular season.

As for the other position rankings released by PFF so far, Clemson’s Cade Klubnik was touted as the No. 1 returning quarterback for 2025 and Peter Woods was pegged as the No. 1 returning interior defensive lineman. T.J. Parker was tabbed as the No. 3 returning edge defender, Bryant Wesco was ranked as the No. 7 returning wide receiver, and Blake Miller was listed as the No. 7 returning offensive tackle.